The best MTB trails around Sant Iscle De Vallalta

Tradition has it that when fishermen were far out at sea, they would look for a tiny white dot on the mountain amidst the green of the forest. It was this hermitage. It served as a reference point for them to orient themselves and know where the coast was. A kind of lighthouse, but on the mountain. And there's a second, even more curious story. Centuries ago, a severe smallpox epidemic affected the farmhouses of Hortsavinyà. Legend has it that a stranger appeared with an image of the Virgin and assured that those who came to pray to her would be healed. People associated the healings with that image, and eventually, the small oratory was built here. There's even a curious play on its name: Erola and verola—smallpox in Catalan—ended up being linked in popular tradition, although the origin of 'erola' seems to actually refer to the small plain where it is located. So that little white house lost among the trees was, depending on who looked at it, a sanctuary for some and an orientation point for those sailing down below in the Mediterranean.

This small hermitage has more lives than a cat. During the Civil War it was looted and reduced to practically three walls. The image of the Virgin had better luck: the farmers of Can Preses hid it during the war. Then came the most surreal thing: abandoned for decades, its ruins ended up serving as a home for charcoal burners. In 2009, the local people got tired of seeing it die, gathered money and work, and managed to rebuild it. And just when it seemed the place was regaining its calm, in 2010 a storm with winds of over 100 km/h felled the gigantic two-hundred-year-old oak tree that stood in front. They even tried to clone it so it wouldn't disappear completely. A hidden Virgin, a looted hermitage, charcoal burners living within its walls, and a cloned tree. For a small chapel lost in the Montnegre, quite a few things have happened here.

This small hermitage, lost in the woods, was born out of a promise, not a whim. In 1885, the Prats family paid for its construction after their daughter Fermina recovered from an illness. The first mass was held that same year. And here comes the good part: it's next to the Font de la Salut, and this whole area has long been associated with stories of healing waters and the famous dones d’aigua, the mysterious water women from the legends of Sant Iscle. Small, hidden, and without great pretension. But if someone builds an entire hermitage because their daughter gets cured, it at least deserves you to stop your bike for five minutes.

Església de Sant Pere de Riu La parròquia de Sant Pere de Riu està documentada des del 1185, i conserva elements romànics originals. Destaca el comunidor, des d’on es té una vista privilegiada de tota la vall de la riera. Font: Visit Pineda

Capella de Sant Isidre La capella de Sant Isidre es va veure afectada per la construcció de l’autopista del Maresme. Aquest fet va comportar que s’hagués de derruir per construir-la novament uns metres més enllà d’on s’alçava l’antiga. Ara es troba just a la plaça de Llillota. La seva estructura és moderna, però conserva l’encant d’estar situada en un paratge natural de gran bellesa, idoni per passejar i descansar. I, de fet, és aquí on any rere any se celebra el dinar de germanor per la festa de Sant Isidre, que tot i que és 15 de maig, el dinar es fa el diumenge següent. Font: Ajuntament de Santa Susanna

Capella de Mare de Deu de l'Erola Prop de Santa Eulàlia (o Sant Llop) d'Hortsavinyà, seguint amunt pel camí GR-92, trobem l'ermita de la Mare de Déu de l'Erola. És un petit oratori de parets blanques que segons la tradició, servia de guia als pescadors que, en mirar les muntanyes, hi veien una petita taca blanca. L'edifici, molt senzill, és de planta rectangular amb volta semicircular. Al seu interior hi ha una fornícula amb una imatge de la Mare de Déu. Font: Pobles de Catalunya

Del s.XVII. Construcció cilíndrica, limitada amb gruixuts murs de paredat que tenien la funció de mantenir la temperatura constant. Coberta amb volta de pedra de mitja taronja i teula àrab amb ràfec. Al costat nord hi ha tres contraforts de paredat i la boca de sortida del gel. Aquest es feia en un passadís-mina, que va desaparèixer en ser remodelat l’entorn i el camí. Font: Ajuntament de Dosrius

Good morning route. No difficulties