Ter River Greenway Trail Traverse

The Ripollès valleys hold a quieter side of Girona’s cycling life, and the Ter River Greenway Trail Traverse is the key that turns it. This is a full day out, but not one that asks for heroics. With just under thirty kilometres of riding and a shade over sixty metres of climbing, the effort is gentle, the reward constant. It suits riders who want to feel the forest and the river without grinding up switchbacks, and it works just as well for a first mountain bike experience as it does for a steady, restorative spin. The pace is yours; the support is ours.

We leave from Plaça de la Independència in Girona, and the day begins with a lazy shuttle that lifts us past the fire road entirely. This is the clever part: we skip the tedious climb and arrive at Coll de Sant Roc with fresh legs and a clear head. From there, the trail leans into its character. Loamy switchbacks fold back on themselves beneath a canopy of cork oak, the bark rough and quilted, the air cool and tinged with earth. The tyres bite softly into the dirt, and the descent begins to flow—not a frantic rush, but a rolling, confident rhythm that carries you through dappled shade and open pockets of light.

The surface shifts as the route finds the Ter River Greenway. Here, rock-slab traverses jut out above the water, and you’ll feel the slight thrill of riding on stone, the wheel humming over the grain. Below, the river runs green and unhurried, and the valley opens up into a patchwork of fields and farmsteads. It is honest terrain—no theatrics, just a sustained, pleasant dialogue between bike and ground. The singletrack is forgiving, the forest road a chance to spin and look around, and the whole thing threads together like a long, well-told story.

About halfway, we roll into Rupià, a village that seems to exist for the sake of a pause. The coffee stop at La Fàbrica is a converted factory space with high ceilings and a counter that knows how to do a proper cortado. You sit, the bikes leaning against the wall outside, and the morning’s effort settles into a warm, easy satisfaction. The final stretch back toward the greenway is a gentle continuation of the same theme: more loam, more cork, more river light, until the kilometres have passed without your noticing the arithmetic.

This is a ride for anyone who loves the idea of mountain biking but not the punishment. It’s for the rider who wants to finish the day with a smile rather than a limp, who appreciates a well-placed shuttle and a coffee stop that feels earned but not hard-won. The Ter River Greenway Trail Traverse is a full day in the saddle, fully supported, with the kind of scenery that makes you slow down just to hear the leaves shift in the breeze. If you ride it, you’ll remember the texture of the trail more than the effort—and that is precisely the point.

Ride highlights

• A flowing descent finishing near Rupià
• Loamy switchbacks under cork oak canopy
• A shuttle-assisted climb to skip the fire road
• Rock-slab traverses above Ter River Greenway

How the day unfolds

1. 08:30

   Bike fit and coffee

   Meet your guide at Plaça de la Independència, Girona, fit the bike and take on a coffee before rolling out.

2. 09:15

   Into Ripollès valleys

   The first stretch warms the legs on quiet roads towards Ripollès valleys.

3. 10:45

   The Coll de Sant Roc section

   The main effort of the day, with the guide setting a steady, sustainable pace.

4. 12:30

   Lunch near Rupià

   A relaxed stop for food in or near Rupià, with the bikes in view.

5. 14:30

   Past Ter River Greenway

   An easier afternoon section taking in Ter River Greenway.

6. 16:30

   Return to Girona

   A final flowing stretch back into the city with a drink waiting on arrival.

What is included

On the road

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