In the forests of Ardenya, the granite rocks are as alive as the corks, the heather, and the strawberry trees, and as unexpected and imaginative as wild boars, foxes, blue tits, and robins. No artist could imagine the subtlety and woodland life they embody. Perhaps only the fountains come close. Gazing among the trees, we quietly recall Phidias, Miquel Àngels, and Henry Moores, busts, monuments, and sculptural ensembles. Man has not participated in the creation of these stones, but it is we, when we discover them, who imbue them with life, as the forest does.
There are exceptions, such as some artificial caves or, above all, the cairns and markers you stumble upon among the plants and megalithic pieces. Megaliths are masterpieces because, despite being made by humans, they have coexisted and rubbed against the forest for thousands of years. Every minute counts, and over the centuries, the cists, dolmens, and menhirs take root and turn into wood.
For years, I'd seen a long, needle-shaped stone lying on the ground at the fork in a sandy, winding path near San Benito del Bosque. It lurked among the engines and under the hoods, like leaves and bushes, stained with oils, as you know, and vegetable juices. He told me that he and four friends had lifted that long stone with a crane truck the other day, and showed me the photos on his phone.
We went up to see it at dusk in his Pajero, which has a sheet on the back seats for when he goes up the mountain with the dog. Years ago, while looking for mushrooms, Josep discovered an S and a 47 carved into a stone that historians were searching for: it was the last landmark in Sant Feliu left to be found. The undergrowth is like the seabed; it always surprises you. Now he pointed out the upright stone, which made a striking impression, at the top of a rather bare hill compared to the others.
Is it really a menhir? Dr. Lluís Pallí couldn't quite confirm it, although any hiker or cyclist who sees it won't have any doubts. I don't see it that clearly either. It could have been a medieval landmark, for example. It's a more refined monolith than ordinary menhirs, and more like a Napoleonic obelisk. But seen from a distance, like a decapitated tree trunk, it's an impressive stone, and over the centuries it will integrate seamlessly into Ardenya.
