Rock Formations Montserrat Spain II BW

Early one January morning we were hiking in Montserrat Spain, near Barcelona. Monstserrat is known mostly for its high-altitude monastery but the... more

by Joan Carroll

Title

Rock Formations Montserrat Spain II BW

Artist

Joan Carroll

Medium

Photograph - Photography And Digital Art

Description

Early one January morning we were hiking in Montserrat Spain, near Barcelona. Monstserrat is known mostly for its high-altitude monastery but the hiking is also spectacular. The sunlight had that wonderful winter quality, with low sun and long shadows. We hadn’t planned on hiking and so I was dressed inappropriately, having clogs rather than hiking boots! It was a tough go up this mountain in those shoes! The word Montserrat actually means 'serrated mountain'. It has the appearance of being vary jagged and forms distinct peaks. It owes its astounding appearance to events that unfolded some 45 million years ago, back when most of the area was submerged underwater and formed part of a large delta that poured into the sea. The rivers that formed the delta carried large rocks and pebbles that gathered in the delta itself, as did limestone as a result of decaying organic material. Then, some 25 million years ago, there was a shift in the earth’s plates resulting in the sea being pushed further out and the area around Montserrat being pushed upwards. As a result, the land was exposed to air, leaving the formation of rocks and limestone to suffer the effects of the weather. Over the course of the next few million years, the rainwater and wind carved shapes into the limestone, which was relatively soft compared to the stone, producing the incredible system of curves and peaks that is Montserrat today.

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mountains, rock, rocky, landscape, rock formations, travel, tourism, stone, geology, black and white, photography

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August 21st, 2017