This article was produced in association with Costa Brava Tourist Board
There is a richness in the Girona province of the Costa Brava. The area has, of course, become known as a base for professional cyclists who come from all over the globe to live in an area where the roads and climates are, simply, perfect for riding bikes. However, it’s not just smooth, rolling tarmac and glorious sunshine that the Costa Brava has to offer – there’s also an extensive network of gravel paths for those who are prepared to head into the wilderness and explore.
In addition to the riding opportunities, the Costa Brava is also bursting with Catalan history and culture, from vineyards and olive groves to iconic architecture. For example, The Farm is one of the most famous works of Catalan Surrealist painter, sculptor and ceramicist Joan Miró. Finished in 1922, The Farm depicts a typical Catalan rural scene – a farmyard bustling with animals and activity, a tall, sheltering eucalyptus tree and the stone buildings of the masia, under a bright blue sky. Isolated structures which have been characteristic components of these landscapes for centuries, masias are fundamental to the sense of Catalan identity.
Miró described The Farm, which was a depiction of the masia owned by his own family since 1911 in the town of Montroig del Camp, as “a summary of my entire life in the countryside”.
If you look over Banyoles Lake, up and into the rolling green landscape which surrounds the glimmering body of water, the Can Campolier masia is visible on the hillside. Its burnt orange stone walls and orchards, which cast shade on the yellowing grass, are typical for a masia. Nestled deep in the hills surrounding the city of Girona, Can Campolier dates back to the 17th century and consists of three Catalan villas: Can Benet, Cal Germà and Can Campolier. Once a working farm, Can Campolier estate is now more widely known as Rocacorba Cycling (named after the iconic and challenging climb it sits at the base of), a cycling holiday experience founded by professional cyclist Ashleigh Moolman Pasio and her husband, Carl.
“This house has been in the Campolier family for generations and we are the first non-Campolier owners. That comes with a little bit of responsibility. I know how meaningful that is,” explains Moolman Pasio as we stand on the shores of the lake, staring at the building above us. “The walls tell stories. There are stories hidden in every corner, and that’s what makes a property like that so special and unique. We really wanted to do it justice and preserve all the history, but just improve functionality and comfort.”
The execution of Moolman Pasio’s vision is impressive: as soon as I approach the gravel roads that lead up to the entrance of Rocacorba Cycling, the focus on preserving the traditional elements of the estate is clear. For example, once a stable for animals, the downstairs of Can Campolier – which is now used as a breakfast room – hasn’t been treated to the same modern makeover as the floor above it. Instead, the furnishings are rustic and, in keeping with the original features of the building, finely balanced with a luxury feel. Aside from the old charm of the building itself, Rocacorba Cycling is special for its location.
Around a 20-minute drive from the bustling city centre of Girona, it strikes the perfect balance for those looking to escape the buzz of the town without being too far from civilisation. Moolman Pasio has chosen to base herself in Banyoles for the last 12 years for this reason – while many believe that the best training roads in the Girona region lie close to the city itself, the South African rider insists that there are more adventures to be found if you’re prepared to venture further into the Costa Brava.
“If we talk of Girona as the province, it’s a really diverse province. This is also what makes Catalonia so special, the feeling and the nature change quite quickly as you move. There’s a huge attraction in the Roses, Cadaqués and Cap de Creus areas,” explains Moolman Pasio, referencing the opportunities for cycling further towards the coast.
“When you go there, it’s a new feeling you’re going more into the vineyards and closer to the sea. It’s a bit more arid and the wind and elements can play more of a factor. Then there’s this amazing charm in that as well, it’s beautiful. That’s what makes Banyoles a really good base for us. We can enjoy all those different parts a little bit more easily than what Girona can. We are close enough to the Pyrenees, but we’re close enough to Cadaqués and Cap de Creus and the coast. It opens up the opportunities.”
With Moolman Pasio my guide, we’d spent the morning exploring the gravel paths around Banyoles. The champagne dirt roads and rolling hills in the baking sunshine were one thing, but the ride was made even more engaging when paired with the local history. We passed Vila Vella and the 14th century church of Santa María del Turers, as well as the Neoclassical monastery of Sant Esteve. Numerous ancient buildings were visible as we skirted through the countryside, using the area’s well-mapped web of gravel paths, designed specifically for cycling.
The viewpoint of Mirador de l’Estany provided panoramic views over the emblematic Banyoles Lake, the Rocacorba mountain range, the Vall del Terri and the city of Banyoles. Moolman Pasio told me about the hidden bodies of water in the Coves Mariver de Martis, tucked away from the road, only findable by gravel paths. Going into the wilderness and off the beaten track allowed us to discover riding around Banyoles that can’t always be seen from the tarmac: hidden gems and untouched landscapes that seemed entirely unspoiled by human existence.
We switched from road to gravel seamlessly, ducking through trees and technical gravel sections which were perfectly paired with some longer, open and accessible stretches of off-road terrain. Vineyards and olive trees filled wide expanses of fields that we cycled past, green leaves vibrant on a hot late-summer day, while Moolman Pasio told me stories about her favourite training rides and memories in the area. It’s not hard to see why so many professional cyclists base themselves in this corner of the Costa Brava, which provides almost everything you could wish for when it comes to temperature, variety of terrain and riding opportunities. Whether it’s a mountainous road or gravel ride you’re looking for, or a flat, fast loop, or something in between, there seemed to be nothing that Banyoles couldn’t offer.
“Once you open your eyes to the gravel in Girona and the surrounding areas, you just realise there are endless opportunities. There are the flattish parts, then there’s also some nice hilly terrain, up and down, a little bit of technical here and there. What’s really cool is that on any given day you can decide to turn left or right and it’s a new day to explore, to find something totally different,” says Moolman Pasio. “There’s also something for everyone. There is gravel that’s a bit more manicured and it’s not intimidating to a newcomer, but then for the more experienced or adventurous gravel riders, there are plenty of options to add some technical stuff in between.”
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On Moolman Pasio’s recommendation, I spent my second day on the Costa Brava exploring gravel around the coastal town of Roses. It was the first time I’d ventured to this part of Catalunya; I usually opt to stay close to the comfort and familiarity of Girona and its cafés. However, the ocean was calling, as were its unpredictable and dramatic coastal landscapes.
Around two hours north of Barcelona, Roses is famous for its Mediterranean cuisine and beautiful cales, little coves filled with hidden beaches and natural wildlife. Gravel paths skirt into the mountains which loom over the coastal town, steep and challenging, but with views that make it all worthwhile when you reach the summit. Both the Aiguamolls de l’Empordà Natural Park and the Cap de Creus Natural Park are buzzing with birds and insects, the landscape busy with vineyards, with a view of the ocean always visible in the distance.
We passed through the town of Empuriabrava, the largest residential marina in the world, with nearly 24 kilometres of canals and 5,000 private jetties, before climbing high towards Capmany, a town nestled in the foothills of the Albera mountain range. Surrounded by little streams, we weaved through the alleys of the old town before emerging into idyllic landscapes of wineries and olive groves.
The furthest point on our route was Requesens Castle, which sits on a hill overlooking the southern valleys of Mount Neulós. For centuries it controlled the passage into Spain, and legend says that the castle was once inhabited by the wife and daughters of a giant – seven times taller than the tallest tower of the fortress – who was lord of all the Pyrenees. A large underground corridor is said to connect the castle with the northern slope of the Albera mountains, with the entrance still visible in the lower parts of the fortress.
We passed monasteries and more castles as we skirted back down towards the beaches of Roses, enjoying free-flowing gravel descents and stops for cafè amb llet. The landscape undulated, but the view of the ocean merging into the skies was the constant throughout the ride. It was a wholly different experience to the type of riding we’d done in Banyoles the day before, but as Moolman Pasio was trying to express to me, the Costa Brava is about far more than just the cycling hotbed of busy Girona. Dare to go off the beaten path and there’s a whole different world out there to discover.
Sitting in a cosy corner of her Catalan masia, as her two dogs ran around her ankles and coffee brewed in the background, the South African rider explained it perfectly. “When they come to this area, people are blown away. I honestly don’t think that there’s any other place in the world that offers what the Costa Brava offers in terms of the variety, the number of routes, and just the mentality of the local people. The patience of the drivers on the road, the fact that you can go on a five-hour ride – whether that’s road or gravel – and you hardly see any cars. That quality of riding, you just don’t find it anywhere else in the world.”
