Why this ride
A 257 km round trip from Torredembarra - roughly 4 h 47 in the saddle. On the way it passes Britus Il, The, Abric de la Serra de la mussara and back through The.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Médol Quary and Abric de la Serra de la mussara
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 257 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 4 h 47
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
The recorded total and the leg detail need reconciliation. Inspect the leg notes before using this record for timing or navigation. 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. Médol Quary
Some quarries are ugly scars, and this one is a lesson in what the Romans meant by planning. The Médol quarry, a few kilometres east of Tarragona near Altafulla and Torredembarra, supplied the golden sandstone that built much of Roman Tarraco, the capital of a huge province. Blocks were cut here, hauled to the coast and shipped or carted along the Via Augusta to build temples, walls and the amphitheatre. The quarry is part of the archaeological ensemble of Tarraco inscribed by UNESCO in 2000.
Read the complete Médol Quary write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Médol Quary is where the day begins. Next is Britus Il.
2. Britus Il
What matters is the country around it, which is some of the finest in inland Catalonia. You are in the Conca de Barberà, the basin of the Francolí river, a few kilometres from the walled town of Montblanc and the village of Alcover, with the wooded wall of the Serra de Prades rising to the west. The area is dotted with prehistoric rock shelters, part of the great arc of Mediterranean rock art that runs down eastern Spain, and many of the site names along these rides are exactly that: a ledge of sandstone or limestone where hunters painted deer and archers thousands of years ago.
Read the complete Britus Il write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Britus Il comes up 32 km in. Next is The.
3. The
Inside a plain-looking farmhouse building is a domed hall from the fourth century, its cupola covered in mosaics of hunting scenes, biblical stories and figures that may represent the imperial family. Some scholars believe it was built as a mausoleum for Constans, son of Constantine the Great, who was killed in 350; others are not so sure, and the debate is part of the fun. The site belongs to the UNESCO listing for the Roman town of Tarraco.
Read the complete The write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
63 km in you reach The. 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 The.
5. back through The
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete The write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through The sits at 126 km, about halfway. Next is back through Britus Il.
6. back through Britus Il
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Britus Il write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Britus Il comes up 158 km in. Next is Médol Quary.
7. Médol Quary
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Médol Quary write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Médol Quary closes the day.
Leg by leg
Médol Quary to Britus Il
Médol Quary → Britus Il is 38 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Britus Il to The
Britus Il → The is 29 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
The to Abric de la Serra de la mussara
The → Abric de la Serra de la mussara is 27 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Abric de la Serra de la mussara to back through The
Abric de la Serra de la mussara → back through The is 27 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through The to back through Britus Il
back through The → back through Britus Il is 29 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Britus Il to Médol Quary
back through Britus Il → Médol Quary is 38 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.