On a clear morning, the serrated outline of Montserrat stands out to the south of Aguilar de Segarra, the holy mountain of Catalonia with its monastery and Black Madonna, hovering over the plain like a stage set. Aguilar itself is a small village in the Bages district, west of Manresa, set in a rolling landscape of cereal fields, pine woods and scattered farmhouses, on the edge of the drier, higher plateau of the Segarra.
The land here is old and quiet, with Romanesque churches, ruined castles and stone farmhouses. Many of these castles were built during the long frontier wars between the Christian counts of Barcelona and the Muslim rulers to the south in the tenth and eleventh centuries, and their towers still crown the hills. A short ride north lies Cardona, with its mighty castle and the Muntanya de Sal, a mountain of salt that has been mined since prehistoric times and can be visited on guided tours.
The riding here is excellent. The roads wind over the hills and through the valleys, with good surfaces, light traffic and long views. The C-25, the Eix Transversal, is a fast highway across central Catalonia, but the minor roads are much more rewarding, with curves and changes of gradient. The climate is continental, with hot summers and cold winters, and fog can fill the valleys on winter mornings.
For fuel and a sit-down meal, head for Manresa or the larger towns along the main roads, because Aguilar de Segarra itself offers very little. A lunch of Catalan country food, perhaps grilled meats with pa amb tomàquet, is a good choice. The N-260 and the Pyrenees lie to the north, along some of the best mountain roads in Spain.