Two villages and their special rocks

Sometimes surprises are just around the corner. As I discovered last Saturday. Just 25 minutes' drive from our house is a small town called Sant Joan les Fonts. Translated from Catalan, the name means St John of the Springs. We've driven past it many times on our way to the mountains and I've often noticed the large reddish coloured church there and also knew there was a medieval bridge crossing the River Fluvià. What I didn't realise was that, being built on ancient lava flows, the rock formations around there are highly unusual so I went along to take a look.

Medieval bridge at Sant Joan les Fonts, made of volcanic rock. Originally from the 13th Century, it was rebuilt in the 15th Century following earthquake damage

Centuries-old stones.. how many people have crossed over this bridge, I wonder?

Huge red church built early 20th Century

At Sant Joan les Fonts there's a walk called the Three Lava Flows walk which takes you to see the different rock formations resulting from the lava flows in the area

The path takes you down through the wood to Molí Fondo

You walk across a patch of unusual natural basalt slabs set at an acute angle

This is what the slabs are like when you look back

Molí Fondo waterfall near an old mill which is now in disuse

Waterfall at the Mill weir

The water cascades over hard basalt rock

I saw lots of wildflowers down by the river

Delicate blue flower in the morning sun

The river has cut through the rocks exposing the horizontal layers

Pedrera de Boscarró - Here you can clearly see the different layers of rock from the different lava flows

Surrounded by basalt

A huddle of pink flowers

Typical farmhouse built of volcanic rock

I watched this baby bird catch an insect

The path high on the hillside which leads back down to the river on the way to the Cinglera de Fontfreda

Obviously the sun doesn't shine here much and thick moss has covered the rocks along the trail

Large stepping stones...

Cliff of hexagonal columns at Fontfreda. The rocks take this shape when the lava cools down a certain way.

Basalt columns breaking away

The River Fluvià

House in Sant Joan les Fonts with volcanic rock walls

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Castellfollit de la Roca is also close to us and must be one of the most unusually-sited villages in the area... on top of a 1 km long ridge of basalt, with the River Fluvià curling round it at the base

The houses on top of the basalt cliffs

Looking up at the church from down below

The church at the top end of the basalt cliffs

Most of the buildings, like the church, are built with volcanic rock

House flying the Catalan flag

There were loads of cats in this place

View looking towards the new bridge and tunnels to Olot

Looking back towards Castellfollit de la Roca