The force of gravity

I went for a circular walk down the Taurinya valley and once again marvelled at the siphon which was in operation today. The siphon works in the same way a tube emptying a petrol tank. The water in the irrigation canal higher up on the other side of the valley plunges down a pipe and the force of gravity takes it several hundred metres under the valley floor and raises it fifty or so metres up the opposite hillside so that it can carry on its journey. The flow continues for several miles with water being drawn off into minor irrigation channels via little sluice gates. The church in the background is the ninth century abbey of St Michel de Cuxa, the most important in northern Catalonia, which served in medieval times as a pilgrim staging post on the way to Santiago de Compostela.to the shrine of St James. It was cool in the breeze but warm in the sun so frequent clothing adjustments were necessary.