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At the foot of the magnificent Natural Site of National Interest of the Pedraforca massif, with a biological richness framed in a unique geological context, we find the hostel that bears the name of this mountain, a privileged space.
It is the perfect place to "get lost", whether in winter or summer, to stay for a few days or to enjoy the excellent menu of some of its gastronomic specialties.
Now there are also many new customers and many people who come to the restaurant to taste dishes that have made them famous: baked lamb shoulder, pig's feet, oxtail, deer civet, onion soup or the famous seps rice, among many others, and for those with a sweet tooth, the "cirereta" is the homemade desserts.
They enjoy one of the best views of Pedraforca from the window of their fantastic dining room and you get the feeling while they are eating that you are touching the mythical mountain. If you stay at the hostel, in some of its rooms and from your bed, you can watch the sunrise or sunset next to the massif, which we vulgarly say on these occasions is a godly pleasure."
It was an initiative carried out by two couples: one from Sant Joan de Vilatorrada (Bages), formed by Pepita Seguí (dressmaker) and Josep Maria Torra (mechanic at the Pirelli company); and the other made up of Angelina Canti (dressmaker) and Juan Casanovas (also a mechanic at the Pirelli company).
Both couples started an ambitious project without much thought and it seems that it was by pure chance, but it has ended up becoming their life.
We interviewed Pepita Seguí, one of the founders of Hostal Pedraforca, in Las Fotos de los Lectores de La Vanguardia.
How it all started?
My husband Josep had a friend and co-worker who had a house in Saldes, and half seriously and half jokingly, they began to consider the idea of setting up a mountain refuge near Pedraforca.
What year did you start the project?
In 1965 we started this project together with Angelina Canti and Juan Casanovas, who were partners for a few years. The four of us without any experience in the world of hospitality, nor money to undertake the project, began driven by enthusiasm, what is commonly said, "with one hand in front and the other behind."
What did they do when their partners left?
At first my mother Francesca and my mother-in-law Maria were in the kitchen. We had converted the kitchen into the "yayas" menus, which by the way, were very successful. We split the rest between my husband and me.
Were you very brave?
Yes, we had blind faith in the project and were sure that it would be a success. We located a piece of land that seemed ideal for setting up the hostel and we went to see the owner without a penny in our pocket. We offered to buy it from him on the condition that he pay it gradually and steadily, in stages, little by little. Of course, with the corresponding interests. He was very surprised, not knowing what to say for a few seconds and he replied that he would think about it. At the same time, we went to see the directors of the savings banks and banks in the region to request a mortgage loan, receiving a "definitive no" in response. After a few days, we were lucky that the owner accepted our proposal. He trusted our project even though he warned us that it seemed like a very risky investment.
How did they finance the hostel?
We built it in stages. Practically with the salaries that our husbands received from Pirelli and with our intensive work as dressmakers. While they were building the hostel, Angelina and I slept for many days in a kind of room with some mattresses on the floor and others on the walls, to try to keep the cold from entering through the holes in the walls, and so on. We could attend first thing in the morning to the bricklayers who came to continue building the hostel, since our husbands were fortunately going to work.
How did they build the building?
We did everything "a little by little" (little by little), we built the building starting with two floors and an attic. What's more, there was no official opening, because when the workers were still working, some clients were already asking to stay.
Were the beginnings very difficult?
Very difficult, we had no experience, no money, I think I will never forget what it cost us to carry out the business that was new and unknown to us. It was a totally vocational activity, otherwise we probably wouldn't have made it. We immediately started making expansions and improvements. I remember with great affection that the regular clients who came every year, the first thing they asked when they entered the Hostel was "quina novetat tenim aquest any" (what's new we have this year), they showed a desire to discover what's new.
I suppose that many personalities have passed through this hostel, could you tell us about some of them?
I would like to very much, but without the authorization of these people I prefer not to reveal their names. As a curiosity, I will tell you that José Mestres took the guest book to his house to paint this work of art.
In these 60 years, has the hostel changed much?
The original building has evolved for the better. It has different types of rooms depending on needs. They all have a bathroom, they are all exterior and aim to provide the warmth and comfort of a mountain environment and enjoy excellent views of Pedraforca and the National Park. We also have an excellent restaurant with a dining room that is a hostel star with views of the Pedraforca, in addition to having a unique terrace. With the last renovation we have done, the number of rooms has been reduced to 16, with a capacity in the hostel for 42 people.
What hasn't changed?
The most important thing, the clients, we have many loyal clients who come to the hostel year after year, we even have families with three generations, we practically consider them as our family. Our clients are the main source of advertising, they remember the famous phrase "and who told you so." For our part, we try to maintain the perfume of our initial essence of the hostel.
Who runs the business now?
My son Josep has been running it for a long time, who is in charge of the kitchen together with his wife Claudia, who is in charge of the rest, dining room, rooms, administration... They have been able to contribute without losing their roots. Modernization adapts to current times, trying to never lose the hallmarks of identity, comfort combined with charm, nature, commitment to the environment, trying to have the best gastronomy in the area and creating local activities for all tastes.
Could you tell us some anecdotes please?
One of many Augusts, a very famous person came with his wife to the hostel. I was so nervous and at the same time so incredibly happy that I put mosquito-killing spray on my hair instead of hairspray. My hair looked terrible, apart from the smell it gave off. I didn't have time to wash it. Together with my husband we went to receive them, I don't know what he must have thought, I remember that he was very friendly and pleasant. Another illustrious person made a reservation for us, his wife and his bodyguard in the middle of the month of August. The hostel was full, but the clients we had who occupied the few rooms we had with a bathroom told me not to worry, that they would give up the rooms and they would move to their children's rooms. One of this lady, very nice, told me: look today to go to the bathroom I had to pass in front of the bodyguards who were in the hallway, wearing their pajamas as if they were in a parade.
We also interviewed Claudia Matamala and Jordi Torra, who were also the winners of the Joc de cartes contest on TV3 del Berguedà, for best rural inn.
Claudia, how was the selection made to participate in the program?
In our case it was a phone call, and the first answer we gave them was no. At first we stood still and felt very proud of belonging, then they called us again and came to visit us. As here we are a team that has been working together for many years, we decided to take a vote and the result was an overwhelming yes.
Claudia, what is the evaluation process in the contest?
Different parameters are evaluated, such as the space of the premises, how the kitchen is distributed, the equipment, the space, the state of the utensils that may exist, the relationship between the dining tables with the space, the decoration and finally what is It mainly evaluates the quality of the food and how it has been cooked. And the price. An average is obtained from all these factors.
Jordi, what was it like participating in the contest?
In the end it is a contest that is held so that the program works well and above all the television / viewers relationship that pursues a main objective, that the viewer pleases. The filmmakers, or I don't know what they're called, I mean the people who carry the cameras and the people who run the program, looked inside the kitchen, which is the place where I'm working, and they were paying attention to the small details and the little anecdotes that happen during a service. I think that in order to take advantage of it they record a lot, since at that moment when they record they don't know who is going to win the program. But of all the recording material, later, once they know who wins, they use one thing or another so that the viewer has a good time.
Claudia, what did you like most about the contest?
I saw that there was sincerity and transparency, that things had not been manipulated so that they would turn out the way they wanted, but that it was just what had happened, they did not force you to say anything that you did not want, that is, I liked it because They appear on the screen just as we speak. What came out obviously were the funniest things, the anecdotal ones or some irony that you can do, because it is the most fun for the viewer.
Jordi, and you?
I really liked the fact of being able to meet some co-workers who, although we are very close to each other, did not know each other. We have become friends and that is one of the things that has stayed with me from the program.
Claudia, would you repeat?
Without a doubt, I would repeat it because of the experience we lived, because of how we lived it, because of who we met and because of the experience we acquired and that we have used afterwards, which has made us improve the way we work.
Jordi. And would you repeat?
Yes, I would repeat, without a doubt, furthermore, I would repeat because the experience has been very enriching and that invites you to repeat.
Claudia, is there a before and after of the TV3 program?
Yes, there is a before and after. It is the fact that not many people knew about Pedraforca and through the program its notoriety has increased, and there is also an after because we have perfected the processes in the way of working.
Jordi, how is your popularity?
I don't know if I handle it very well or not, in the end I am locked inside the kitchen, however, it is true that after the program people, especially here at the hostel, recognize you and want to talk to you, they even want to take pictures with us, and that makes us very happy. Another thing is that you are shameful like I am. At first it seems like it's a little difficult, but once you do it, you like it.
Claudia, do customers order the same dishes that appeared on the program?
Especially after the program and the next two or three months. People came and ordered the same dishes as those that had appeared on the show. I remember four customers at the same table who ordered exactly the same dishes, which by the way, are very characteristic dishes of our house.
Do they still make them?
They are dishes that are on our menu and seem charismatic to us, because we have been making them for many years.
Claudia, do you remember any anecdotes that you can tell for the Network of La Vanguardia readers?
One of the things that happened in the middle of a recording of one of the lunches. There were a series of activities around us, Josep, one of the contestants on the program, started making strange faces and we all had a fit of laughter that we couldn't stop, the recording had to be cut. After a few minutes we had to remove the plates and start again, as if nothing had happened.
Jordi, and do you remember any anecdotes?
From the moment they arrive here at the hostel, they put a microphone on Claudia and a microphone on me because they want to hear everything we say to use it when necessary. At a certain moment during the meal, Claudia had to tell me I don't remember what. , he takes me out of the kitchen and takes me to a room we have to tell me I don't know what because he didn't want them to hear us, without remembering that we had the microphone, of course they heard everything we talked about, and on top of that when we left they laughed at us. we.
I can only thank Pepita, Claudia and Jordi for the facilities and kindness they have given me, for their valuable contributions that have allowed me to carry out this report with first-hand information.
Pedraforca is one of the emblematic mountains of Catalonia. Many families and friends usually plan at their feet, settling in one of the campsites, hostels or rural houses that surround it and even camping outdoors in a tent, in order to enjoy nature by hiking, climbing, demanding trucking routes and even relaxed family excursions.
Located in the Sierra del Cadí, between the municipalities of Saldes and Gósol, in the region of Berguedà, bordering the provinces of Barcelona and Lleida. It has a very particular shape, due to the two parallel ridges (the fork) joined by a neck in the upper part of the massif.
Its most popular and photographed view is the one seen from its eastern side. The northern summit is composed of two peaks: the upper Pollegó (2506 m) next to the Calderer (2505 m). The southern peak is formed by Pollegó Inferior (2445 m).
The geological formation of Pedraforca is made up of almost vertical hard limestone rocks. Most of these rocks have an average age of about 110 million years.
In 1982 it was declared a Natural Site of National Interest by the Parliament of Catalonia. If we break down the Catalan word Pedraforca ("stone" and "forca") we have what they mean in Spanish, respectively, "stone" and "gallows".
It is a collective funerary monument formed by a pentagonal chamber and a large slab weighing more than eight tons as a cover. It is located on top of a large mound more than 20 meters in diameter.
It has been subject to numerous looting and serious deterioration over the years. The best tribute that can be paid to predecessor generations is the safeguarding of their work and the conservation in the collective memory of our people of their existence and that of the invisible and staggered link of complementary and, at times, antagonistic generations, which define our identity and make up our soul as living beings that aspire to be and exist.
So, we can consider it one of the most important prehistoric monuments in the region. It is located at an altitude of 1225 meters, in the municipality of Saldes, near the place of Molers and a few meters from the road that goes from Maçaners to Sales. The way to get there is right next to the Cruce de Cal Xisquet, along the Obaga road.
