Length:40 km

Difficulty: Medium

Rise: 320m

The tour route always follows the Rio Girona, which meanders through the plains, and the bikes must cross over and through it at different points. The highlights of the tour are the Isbert dam, which is no longer in operation, the spectacular views of the narrow gorge, as well as the traversing of a rock face through a tunnel.

From Els Poblets over Ondara to Beniarbeig, the route even passes through orange plantations. Afterwards, the first elevations must be mastered. The path is lined with carob, almond and olive trees. As the tour continues down to Sanet y Negrals, you will enjoy a view of the orange plantations and the scattered villages.

Further on, asphalted roads alternate with country lanes, which lead through the Rio Girona at some points. They repeatedly meet sections of the river, some of them dry, since it runs partly above and partly under ground. Arriving in Tormos (a restaurant of the same name in town is highly recommended), the route continues toward the dam in the direction of the ever-narrower gorge. Finally, where the rock walls almost touch one another, and after a 100-metre walk through the stoney riverbed, the dam rises at the narrowest point of the gorge. Here, you enjoy a view of the rocky landscape in the peaceful surroundings and wild vegetation. With a little luck, you might spot some of the diverse wildlife of the region. The retaining dam, built in 1945, is 29 metres high and 28 metres wide. Officials are currently considering whether to put the dam back into operation. The planned reservoir is intended to cover 8 hectares (80 square km).

After the bicycles are carried, with some effort, to the other side of the river, and a few hills are overcome, the route continues downriver, and then you encounter another obstacle just 300 metres on. A rock face rises before you, blocking the way. You see the tunnel entrance only at the last moment. You must carefully traverse around 150 metres of a dark and damp tunnel, which harbours a number of bats. After coming out the other side, you get a magnificent view on the left of the narrow valley and the path that took you to the dam. The descent afterwards to the CV-715 road is breathtaking.

Before reaching Orba, the Rio Girona must be crossed again, and 100-metres of rocky path overcome. Afterwards, the bikes coast over mostly asphalted routes, through plantations, and into Ondara. With a little luck, right before Ondara, you will come across model aircraft operators, who gather here on a meadow, mostly on Sundays. Before you get back to the starting point, a few kilometres remain in which you will ride through more orange plantations.

Tour materials:

Maps with routes plotted
Route elevations
Directions
Route chart