Banyoles lakeland Dirt Safari

The Pont de Pedra in Girona is where the city’s stone arches meet the first light of morning, and it’s from here that the Banyoles Lakeland Dirt Safari unspools westward, away from the cathedral’s shadow and into a quieter Catalonia. This is a self-guided, multi-day gravel route for riders who like their maps on a handlebar mount and their days measured in coffee stops rather than checkpoints. Over the course of the trip, you’ll cover 444 kilometres and climb 6,325 metres—numbers that sound imposing until you realise they’re spread across long, generous days of four to six hours in the saddle. The riding is moderate, which means you should be comfortable holding a steady rhythm on rolling terrain, but you won’t be pushing your bike up switchbacks or praying for a bail-out van. It suits the curious endurance rider who values momentum over maximum effort.

The route’s personality is defined by its surface: 62% gravel, 38% tarmac, a tubeless-friendly blend of hardpack, farm tracks, and the occasional whisper of quiet lane. You’ll leave the city behind through cork oak woodland, where the forest floor is a carpet of rustling bark and the descents seem to go on longer than the map suggests. These are the moments the tour is named for—not a safari in the sense of wild animals, but a hunt for the texture of the land itself. The gravel here is mostly compacted and forgiving, with enough loose sections to keep your attention honest, especially on the dusty singletrack link that drops you toward the Ter River Greenway. That greenway, a converted rail path, offers a ribbon of smooth riding that feels like a reward after the oak-shaded climbs.

Small towns punctuate the days with their own logic. Rupià appears as a cluster of stone and church bells, and the farm tracks connecting it to the surrounding hamlets are where you’ll find the real rhythm of the ride—short, punchy rollers that open into views of the Empordà plain. A coffee stop at Espresso Mafía in one of the market towns is non-negotiable; the baristas pour a proper cortado, and the pastries are still warm enough to leave crumbs on your jersey. Further north, the Turó de Montgrí rises as a jagged limestone ridge, and the route skirts its base, giving you a sense of scale without demanding you conquer it. The lakeland itself, around Banyoles, offers a final stretch of calm water and reed beds, a counterpoint to the inland hills.

You’ll ride at your own pace, with your own bike, and the self-guided format means the only schedule is the sun. The days are long enough to feel accomplished, but short enough to leave time for a swim in the lake or a slow lunch in a village square. This is gravel riding for people who like their adventure seasoned with solitude, their climbs measured in conversation, and their descents remembered for the smell of cork and wild rosemary. The route doesn’t shout; it unfolds. And by the final pedal back toward Girona, you’ll have earned the quiet satisfaction of having read an entire landscape, page by dusty page.

Ride highlights

• Long forest descents through cork oak woodland
• A dusty singletrack link near Ter River Greenway
• Farm tracks connecting Rupià and the surrounding hamlets
• A tubeless-friendly mix of hardpack and quiet lanes

How the day unfolds

1. Day 1

   Welcome and shakedown ride

   Bike fit, a short loop into Banyoles lakeland to test the legs, and a welcome dinner in Girona.

2. Day 2

   The big day: Turó de Montgrí

   The toughest stage of the week, taking in Turó de Montgrí and the villages around Banyoles lakeland.

3. Day 3

   Villages of Banyoles lakeland

   A varied day linking Rupià and the surrounding countryside at a comfortable pace.

4. Day 4

   Rest day or optional ride

   A free day in Girona, or an easy optional spin for anyone who wants to keep the legs moving.

5. Day 5

   The big day: Turó de Montgrí

   The toughest stage of the week, taking in Turó de Montgrí and the villages around Banyoles lakeland.

6. Day 6

   Farewell ride

   A short final loop near Ter River Greenway followed by a long lunch before transfers home.

What is included

On the road

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