isabela

Hi,
this may seem like a silly question, but...
I have quite a dilemma.
this May we'll be in Barcelona a third time and can no longer put off seeing Montserrat - my partner is very interested in visiting, as am I - but there's only one caveat: I am really, REALLY scared of heights.
I'm the kind of person you don't want to sit next to in a plane. The idea of a cable car is making me choke just thinking about it. I then thought - oh well, I'll take the cogwheel train.
But then again, how steep is it?

Would it be better to bite the bullet, close my eyes, and just take the cable car? Or is the train an easier ride up? Any other way to get up there?

please share personal experiences - and thanks in advance for any suggestions

andyb2112

I love being on mountains, but the thought of getting there on a cable car brings out a fear of heights.
The funicular is steep, and exposed on the side of the mountain. But it also feels like a normal train ride, and in my opinion, would be better for anyone with a fear of heights. You could easily close your eyes, and pretend that you are on just another train trip!
We went last November, and considered taking a half day bus tour from JuliaTours. That would mean driving up the road the bus uses, but I am not sure if that is more or less scary!

I have pictures up at http://travel.aburke.org/trip10/photpage74.html

Look at the one of my son by the cross. He loved Montserrat, but the walk out to that cross almost got the best of him - the approach is narrow enough so that if you look down and left or right, you cannot see the sides!!! But you do not have to walk to it to get a great view.

Intrepid1

You might have a slightly better time of it doing the funicular because it is at least attached to the ground as opposed to swinging up the side of the mountain in a cable car with no visible frames of reference except that LOOOOOOOONNNNNGGGGG drop down...

Closing your eyes on BOTH forms of transport might help; getting bombed first???? whatever...somehow I know you'll get through this.

isabela

Thanks a lot for your answers...I had given up hope of a reply since I posted at least a week ago!

Andyb, your photos were beautiful and I appreciated your comments. I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one who tenses at the thought of taking a cable car.

Intrepid, your comments about that LOOOOONG way down made me laugh. I think I'll probably keep my eyes shut even for the furnicular, but at least now I know what I would rather take - the one attached to the ground.

ezlivin

How about driving up?
We drove up to Montserrat and the roads are not as steep as, say, Scenic 17-mile Hwy. 1 along the Northern California Coast.

Sher

We drove up also. It is a litte time consuming because the road winds around and around. But I wasn't getting up there any other way!