Why this ride
From Torredembarra it runs 406 km to Torredembarra; allow about 7 h 15 of riding. On the way it passes Britus Il, Paleochristian cemetery, Britus I and La Vall de la Coma. It suits an unhurried touring pace.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Médol Quary and La Vall de la Coma
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 406 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 7 h 15
- 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. 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 about 46 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 94 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 La Vall de la Coma.
5. 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 sits at 143 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 264 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 310 km into the recorded legs you reach back through Paleochristian cemetery. Next is back through Britus Il.
8. 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, late in the day. Next is Médol Quary.
9. 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
The route ends here after 406 km.
Leg by leg
Médol Quary to Britus Il
Médol Quary → Britus Il is 46 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Britus Il to Paleochristian cemetery
Britus Il → Paleochristian cemetery is 48 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Paleochristian cemetery to Britus I
Paleochristian cemetery → Britus I is 47 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Britus I to La Vall de la Coma
Britus I → La Vall de la Coma is 71 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
La Vall de la Coma to back through Britus I
La Vall de la Coma → back through Britus I is 52 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 Britus Il
back through Paleochristian cemetery → back through Britus Il is 38 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 57 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
More motorcycle rides nearby
- Abrics de l'Apotecari and La Vall de la Coma · 405 km
- The and La Vall de la Coma · 413 km
- Britus I and Aqueduct · 253 km
- Britus Il and Aqueduct · 250 km