Why this ride
254 km from Montblanc to Montblanc, about 4 h 22 of riding. On the way it passes Abric de Gallicant, Albi II / Balma dels Punts and back through Abric de Gallicant. The line favours views over speed.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Mas d'En Carles and Albi II / Balma dels Punts
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 254 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 4 h 22
- 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: planning record, not independently verified geometry.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distances and riding times are planning figures. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Mas d'En Carles
Montblanc is a walled town with a dragon, and that alone makes it worth the detour. The thirteenth-century and fourteenth-century ramparts still circle the old centre almost intact, towers and gates and all, and the town has long claimed the legend of Saint George and the dragon as its own, which is why Catalans exchange roses and books on Sant Jordi in April. It sits in the Conca de Barberà, a basin of vineyards and fields surrounded by wooded ranges, and Mas d'En Carles lies in the hills to the south-east, on the edge of the Prades mountains.
Read the complete Mas d'En Carles write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Mas d'En Carles is where the day begins. Next is Abric de Gallicant.
2. Abric de Gallicant
Alforja is a village on the southern edge of the Prades mountains, where the plain of the Camp de Tarragona meets the steep slopes of the Serra de l'Argentera and the Serra de la Mussara. The Abric de Gallicant lies in the hills near Alforja, Vilaplana and Ulldemolins, and it is one of the many prehistoric shelters in these mountains that form part of the UNESCO listing of Mediterranean rock art. The name means rooster's song, a poetic touch typical of Catalan place names. The paintings in this area are generally schematic, with simple figures and geometric shapes, and many shelters are protected by fences.
Read the complete Abric de Gallicant write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Abric de Gallicant comes up about 52 km into the recorded legs. Next is Albi II / Balma dels Punts.
3. Albi II / Balma dels Punts
L'Albi is a small village on a hill in Les Garrigues, the dry, olive-covered district southeast of Lleida, and its name appears in the archaeological record thanks to rock shelters in the area, including the Balma dels Punts, the shelter of the dots. The name suggests schematic paintings in the form of dots and lines, typical of the later phase of prehistoric art in the region, and the site is part of the UNESCO listing of Mediterranean rock art. The shelters are small and fragile, and some can only be visited with a guide, so check with the town hall or a local interpretation centre before heading out.
Read the complete Albi II / Balma dels Punts write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
about 127 km into the recorded legs you reach Albi II / Balma dels Punts. Next is back through Abric de Gallicant.
4. back through Abric de Gallicant
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Abric de Gallicant write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Abric de Gallicant, late in the day. Next is Mas d'En Carles.
5. Mas d'En Carles
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Mas d'En Carles write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Back at Mas d'En Carles. That is the ride.
Leg by leg
Mas d'En Carles to Abric de Gallicant
Mas d'En Carles → Abric de Gallicant is 52 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Abric de Gallicant to Albi II / Balma dels Punts
Abric de Gallicant → Albi II / Balma dels Punts is 75 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Albi II / Balma dels Punts to back through Abric de Gallicant
Albi II / Balma dels Punts → back through Abric de Gallicant is 75 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Abric de Gallicant to Mas d'En Carles
back through Abric de Gallicant → Mas d'En Carles is 52 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.