Cova de l'Os

Curiosa concavitat al cingle inferior de Montserrat

Monistrol de Montserrat • Bages33m0

EspeleoWorld

Cova de l'Os

Curiosa concavitat al cingle inferior de Montserrat

Monistrol de Montserrat · Bages

Length: 33 m

Updated record

https://espeleoworld.com/en/c/cova-de-l-os-monistrol-de-montserrat

Information can change. Always verify coordinates, access, weather, and cave conditions before setting out.

Topographic map of the main entrance — Main entrance · ICGC topographic map

A picturesque hollow in the lower crag of Montserrat, formed by large fallen slabs, with a main chamber and two galleries.

Characteristics

Type: Cave
Municipality: Monistrol de Montserrat
Region: Bages
Unit: Montserrat
Length: 33 meters
Depth: 0 meters
Major Unit: Serralada Prelitoral
Lithology: Conglomerate
Last review: 2024-07-06

Location

One kilometre south of the urban centre of Monistrol de Montserrat, not far from the Cap de Bou residential development. Both caves are found on the lowest crag of the mountain of Montserrat. To get there, we will reach the Repsol petrol station in Monistrol, located about half a kilometre south of the village. From its side a steep street begins that soon turns into a cemented track that overcomes a steep gradient by making a few hairpin bends, until reaching the carrer del Pi in the residential development. Very soon this forks. Between the two streets of the fork a precariously cemented track emerges that ends at a patch of waste ground, the place where the path begins, at first steep and then flatter, which runs along the crag. This path leads us directly to the cova de l'Os.

Entrances

Always verify coordinates and access conditions before setting out.

Cova de l' Os
Elevation: 260 m
41.600978, 1.844105
UTM 31T (ETRS89) 403675 4606120
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Topographic

Cova de l'Os - Topography, Monistrol de Montserrat, Bages

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Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.

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Photos

Cova de l'Os - Photo, Monistrol de Montserrat, Bages

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Espeleoindex · CC BY-NC 4.0, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ · Image © its author.

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Description

Morphology

We find ourselves in a spectacular and picturesque spot that has been generated by some large slabs of rock that have fallen from the crag. Here, the general direction of the crag coincides with the direction of the dominant joint system, which makes it easier for large vertical slabs to come away from the wall. For its size, a large vertical slab stands out that is 21 m long, 14 m high and 6 m thick. This slab rests on the wall of the crag and on other blocks, not as large but also of a good size. The whole creates a cavity with different openings to the outside.

Only one mouth is easy to access. Through it we reach the main chamber, rectangular, which is 13 m by 6 m and a height of 5 m, with a relatively flat floor. On the eastern side there is a mouth split in two by a large block. The wall on the western side coincides with the wall of the crag, totally straight, we can see how the narrow fissure that separates the wall of the crag from the wall of the large slab rises up. This fissure is open to the sky, except at the southern end, where it remains closed, there are also some wedged blocks.

Hydrology

On either side of the chamber two galleries begin, a continuation of the aforementioned fissure. The south gallery has a length of 8 m and comes out at the spot where, when it rains, a waterfall 20 m high hangs down, since the torrent del Soldat passes through here.

Progression

The north gallery has a length of 6 m with a rather ascending route that places us on top of one of the blocks on which the large slab rests.

History

The cova de l'Os is well known to climbers, since in it and on the walls of the crag where it is found there are different climbing routes. It is also visited regularly by the residents of the Cap de Bou residential development, since it is a rather picturesque and charming spot.

Paradoxically, however, it is not very well known to hikers. In fact, neither the map of Editorial Alpina nor any other map refers to this cavity despite it being a rather spectacular and curious spot.

From the speleological point of view, the cova de l'Os has gone totally unnoticed. Surprisingly unnoticed, not appearing in any catalogue or map. It is true that it could be argued that it is not a cave “sensu stricto”, since the cavity is structured between large blocks, but other cavities between blocks and of meagre length have been catalogued in Montserrat.

There was a time when climbers installed a swing hung from the ceiling of the chamber of the cave, delighting the children who arrived at the cave with their parents. Also, the wall at the back of the cavity is full of graffiti, some seem to have an esoteric nature. And it is that the spot does not cease to have a certain magical air.

It is said that the name of the cave derives from the fact that, around the equinoxes, the rays of light that enter through one of the central mouths project onto the back wall a figure that recalls a bear (animal). (Note from Espeleoíndex: How the diacritic accent is missed)

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Bibliography

Totes les dades, topografia i fotografies han estat extretes del web: geb.cat (del Grup d'Espeleologia de Badalona). Apunt del 21-8-2023. Dades: Ferran Cardona (ECM Barcelonès i Josep Cuenca (GE Badalona)