Why this ride
362 km from Juneda to Juneda, about 6 h 44 of riding. The stops in between: Mas del Gran, Paleochristian cemetery, Britus I and Roman walls. It suits an unhurried touring pace.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
La Vall de la Coma and Roman walls
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 362 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 6 h 44
- 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. La Vall de la Coma
The Garrigues is the dry heart of Lleida province, a land of terraced hills, stone walls and endless olive groves, and La Vall de la Coma is one of its quiet valleys, in the municipality of L'Albi. In a few rock shelters here, prehistoric people painted small figures in red, part of the Levantine rock art of the Mediterranean basin that is recognized as a World Heritage Site. The paintings are fragile and modest in size, and access is usually organized through local guides or interpretation centres, so plan ahead rather than expecting to wander in.
Read the complete La Vall de la Coma write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
La Vall de la Coma is where the day begins. Next is Mas del Gran.
2. Mas del Gran
Montblanc is a walled medieval town in the Conca de Barberà, a broad basin of vineyards in inland Catalonia, and it is one of the best-looking small towns in the country. According to local legend, it is where Saint George killed the dragon, which is why Catalonia's patron saint is honoured here with a medieval week every year. The ramparts, with their towers and gates, are largely intact, and walking the streets inside is a pleasure. A few kilometres away, in the hills near Vimbodí, the Cistercian monastery of Poblet, a royal pantheon and one of the great monasteries of Europe, is on the World Heritage list and well worth a visit.
Read the complete Mas del Gran write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Mas del Gran comes up about 47 km into the recorded legs. Next is Paleochristian cemetery.
3. Paleochristian cemetery
When the Roman city of Tarraco converted to Christianity, its people began burying their dead beside the Francolí river, west of the town, and the necropolis that grew up there over the fourth and fifth centuries is now one of the most important early Christian burial sites in the western Mediterranean. Hundreds of tombs were found, from simple graves to carved marble sarcophagi, along with remains of a basilica. Tradition links the site with Saint Fructuosus, the bishop of Tarraco burned in the amphitheatre in the year 259 along with two deacons.
Read the complete Paleochristian cemetery write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 93 km into the recorded legs you reach Paleochristian cemetery. Next is Britus I.
4. Britus I
Between Montblanc and Vimbodí, in the Conca de Barberà, the land rises toward the Prades mountains and the Serra de la Llena, and in the sandstone and limestone outcrops of these hills, prehistoric hunters left paintings in rock shelters. Britus I is one of these sites, with figures painted in the distinctive style of Levantine rock art, which shows scenes of hunting, gathering and daily life with lively human and animal figures. The rock art of the Mediterranean Basin on the Iberian Peninsula was inscribed by UNESCO in 1998, covering hundreds of sites from Catalonia to Andalusia. Many are small and fragile, and access is often restricted to protect them.
Read the complete Britus I write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Britus I, about halfway. Next is Roman walls.
5. Roman walls
The Romans did not take long to decide that Tarragona was worth fortifying. Scipio's army landed here in 218 BC during the war against Carthage, and in time the settlement of Tarraco became the capital of the Roman province of Hispania Citerior and later of Tarraconensis, and one of the largest cities in Roman Spain. Its walls started as a Republican fortification, with huge irregular blocks at the base, the so-called cyclopean masonry, which were later heightened and rebuilt in Roman and later periods. A good stretch survives in the Passeig Arqueològic, where you can walk along the top.
Read the complete Roman walls write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Roman walls sits at 140 km, about halfway. Next is back through Britus I.
6. back through Britus I
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Britus I write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Britus I comes up about 221 km into the recorded legs. Next is back through Paleochristian cemetery.
7. back through Paleochristian cemetery
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Paleochristian cemetery write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 267 km into the recorded legs you reach back through Paleochristian cemetery. Next is back through Mas del Gran.
8. back through Mas del Gran
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Mas del Gran write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Mas del Gran, late in the day. Next is La Vall de la Coma.
9. La Vall de la Coma
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete La Vall de la Coma write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
The route ends here after 362 km.
Leg by leg
La Vall de la Coma to Mas del Gran
La Vall de la Coma → Mas del Gran is 47 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Mas del Gran to Paleochristian cemetery
Mas del Gran → Paleochristian cemetery is 46 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Paleochristian cemetery to Britus I
Paleochristian cemetery → Britus I is 39 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Britus I to Roman walls
Britus I → Roman walls is 49 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Roman walls to back through Britus I
Roman walls → back through Britus I is 40 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Britus I to back through Paleochristian cemetery
back through Britus I → back through Paleochristian cemetery is 46 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Paleochristian cemetery to back through Mas del Gran
back through Paleochristian cemetery → back through Mas del Gran is 47 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Mas del Gran to La Vall de la Coma
back through Mas del Gran → La Vall de la Coma is 48 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.