Rupià Gravel Adventure

The Ter valley unfolds at a pace that suits the turning of wheels, and the Rupià Gravel Adventure is built to match it. We meet at the Girona train station forecourt, where the city’s stone still holds the morning cool, and within a few pedal strokes the asphalt gives way to the first farm tracks. This is a ride for those who want the texture of gravel without the grind—easy in the truest sense, meaning you can hold a conversation, stop for photographs, and still feel the day settle into your legs rather than drain them. Over the multi-day journey, you’ll spend four to six hours each day in the saddle, but the terrain is forgiving: just 188 metres of climbing across 69 kilometres, with a surface that splits roughly three-quarters gravel to one-quarter tarmac. It suits curious riders new to off-road, road cyclists wanting a gentle introduction, or anyone who prefers their adventure seasoned with coffee and quiet lanes rather than lung-burning ascents.

The route’s character shifts like a slow-changing tide. Below the wooded mass of Els Àngels, you’ll find dry riverbed sectors where the packed earth is ribbed and ridged, the tyres humming a low, rhythmic note as you roll through what feels like a forgotten watercourse. These stretches are honest gravel—hardpack with a hint of chatter—and they reward a relaxed grip and an easy eye on the horizon. From there, the farm tracks take over, stitching together Rupià and its scattered hamlets with a patchwork of pale dust and ochre soil. The fields here are neatly combed, the farmhouses shuttered against the midday sun, and the only sound is the creak of a gate or the distant clank of a tractor. It’s pastoral without being precious, a working landscape that happens to be beautiful.

The coffee stop at Espresso Mafía arrives at the right moment, not because the ride is hard, but because the stop itself is a small ceremony. Inside, the air smells of roasted beans and warm pastries, and you’ll sit among locals who treat the place like a second living room. Refreshed, the route turns toward the Onyar Riverside Path, where the water runs green and clear beneath a canopy of plane trees. Here, a dusty singletrack link threads between the river and the fields—narrow enough to feel intimate, smooth enough to keep you smiling. It’s the kind of trail that makes you feel clever for finding it, even though the route simply hands it to you.

The final act is a long, forested descent through cork oak woodland. The trees are gnarled and ancient, their bark stripped in patches to reveal rust-red underlayers, and the track drops gently beneath their shade. The surface is soft with leaf litter and old cork dust, and the gradient lets you coast, picking up just enough speed to feel the breeze on your face. By the time you roll back toward Girona, the day has composed itself into a single, coherent memory: the warmth of the earth, the rhythm of the wheels, and the quiet satisfaction of having covered real ground without ever feeling rushed. This is gravel as a conversation, not a challenge—and it’s waiting for you in the Ter valley.

Ride highlights

• Dry riverbed sectors below Els Àngels
• Farm tracks connecting Rupià and the surrounding hamlets
• A tubeless-friendly mix of hardpack and quiet lanes
• A dusty singletrack link near Onyar Riverside Path
• Long forest descents through cork oak woodland

How the day unfolds

1. Day 1

   Welcome and shakedown ride

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

2. Day 2

   The big day: Els Àngels

   The toughest stage of the week, taking in Els Àngels and the villages around Ter valley.

3. Day 3

   Farewell ride

   A short final loop near Onyar Riverside Path followed by a long lunch before transfers home.

What is included

On the road

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