Why this ride
A 248 km round trip from Vilafranca del Penedès - roughly 3 h in the saddle. On the way it passes Cova de Vallmajor, Aqueduct, Abric de la Serra de la mussara and back through Aqueduct. The line favours views over speed.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Cova dels Segarulls and Abric de la Serra de la mussara starting at Vilafranca del Penedès
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 248 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 4 h 14
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Cova dels Segarulls
The vineyards of the Penedès roll out in every direction from Vilafranca, and the Cova dels Segarulls lies among them, a few kilometres outside the town in the low hills toward the coastal range.
Read the complete Cova dels Segarulls write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Cova dels Segarulls is where the day begins. Next is Cova de Vallmajor.
2. Cova de Vallmajor
Inland from the Costa Daurada, behind the beach towns of El Vendrell and Calafell, the land rises into the low hills of the Baix Penedès, a landscape of vineyards, almond and olive groves, pine woods and small villages. The Cova de Vallmajor, near Albinyana and Bonastre, is a rock shelter in these hills with prehistoric paintings, part of the Levantine rock art of the Mediterranean that is recognised as a World Heritage Site. The paintings are faint and the shelter is protected, so visits are usually by arrangement.
Read the complete Cova de Vallmajor write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Cova de Vallmajor comes up about 29 km into the recorded legs. Next is Aqueduct.
3. Aqueduct
The Pont del Diable, the Devil's Bridge, is not a bridge for people. It is a Roman aqueduct, a tall, two-tiered stone arcade that carried water to Tarraco, modern Tarragona, from the Francolí river, about fifteen kilometres away. It spans a small valley near the road to Constantí, two hundred metres long and about twenty-seven metres high at its tallest point, built of big dressed stones without mortar, and it has stood for roughly two thousand years. UNESCO included it in the Archaeological Ensemble of Tarraco in 2000.
Read the complete Aqueduct write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 69 km into the recorded legs you reach Aqueduct. Next is Abric de la Serra de la mussara.
4. Abric de la Serra de la mussara
Climb out of Reus on a clear morning and the Serra de la Mussara rises ahead like a wall, a limestone escarpment that holds up the edge of the Prades plateau and drops steeply to the plain of the Camp de Tarragona. The rock shelters along this cliff line, close to the village of Vilaplana, are part of the prehistoric painted landscape of eastern Spain. The best reason to stop, though, is the view: on a good day you look straight down over hazelnut orchards and olive groves to Reus, Tarragona and the sea.
Read the complete Abric de la Serra de la mussara write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Abric de la Serra de la mussara, about halfway. Next is back through Aqueduct.
5. back through Aqueduct
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Aqueduct write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Aqueduct sits at 116 km, about halfway. Next is back through Cova de Vallmajor.
6. back through Cova de Vallmajor
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Cova de Vallmajor write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Cova de Vallmajor comes up about 219 km into the recorded legs. Next is Cova dels Segarulls.
7. Cova dels Segarulls
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Cova dels Segarulls write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Cova dels Segarulls closes the day.
Leg by leg
Cova dels Segarulls to Cova de Vallmajor
Cova dels Segarulls → Cova de Vallmajor is 29 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Cova de Vallmajor to Aqueduct
Cova de Vallmajor → Aqueduct is 40 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Aqueduct to Abric de la Serra de la mussara
Aqueduct → Abric de la Serra de la mussara is 39 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Abric de la Serra de la mussara to back through Aqueduct
Abric de la Serra de la mussara → back through Aqueduct is 68 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Aqueduct to back through Cova de Vallmajor
back through Aqueduct → back through Cova de Vallmajor is 43 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Cova de Vallmajor to Cova dels Segarulls
back through Cova de Vallmajor → Cova dels Segarulls is 30 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
More motorcycle rides nearby
- Abric de Can Ximet and Abric de la Serra de la mussara starting at Vilafranca del Penedès · 252 km
- Abric de Can Castellvi and Abric de la Serra de la mussara starting at Vilafranca del Penedès · 252 km
- Cova dels Segarulls and Abric de la Serra de la mussara · 236 km
- Médol Quary and Abric de Can Castellvi · 130 km