Along for the ride

Marcus Leach visits Girona for its famous cycling race, and stays to enjoy the region’s artistic legacy, architecture, cuisine and stunning panoramas

Cypsela (Club ref: E36)

Seventeen hours is a long time to be doing anything, let alone riding your bike – especially since the majority of the 360km (over 220 miles) route that I’m undertaking is on gravel trails. But then I have never been one to do things by half. As my late grandfather always said to me, “If you’re going to do anything, do it properly.”

I’ve come to the province of Girona in Catalonia not only to explore all it has to offer culturally, but also to take part in one of Europe’s premier gravel cycling events, the Traka. My first stop is Cypsela, a vibrant campsite boasting a pool complex, restaurant and children’s clubs. As well as being only a short drive from the coast, it also puts me within easy reach of the race route.

Following old tracks and gravel roads around the charming old town of Girona, then pitching into the surrounding hills and north towards the Pyrenees, the Traka has become a mainstay of the gravel riding scene. The event attracts cyclists of all abilities from around the world and different routes are available – the easiest being a 50km jaunt – but I’m tackling the longest. The Traka is more than just a bike ride, however: it’s a community event that showcases the very best of both Girona and the extended region.

A magnet for professional cyclists, Girona has over the past 20 years become something of a mecca for amateur riders. Arriving in town in the week leading up to my race, it’s easy to see why. As well as its abundance of cycle routes, there are also more cafes and boutique cake shops than even the hungriest of pedallers could wish for.

A day at the races

With the start of my race rapidly approaching, there was little time to think about anything other than tackling the route (it would take the winner – a professional gravel cyclist from the United States – a little under 12 hours to complete). Thoughts of eating local delicacies and visiting art galleries would have to wait for a while.

The race began under cool early-morning skies, legs and mind full of optimism and unwavering belief, surrounded by almost 900 other cyclists. Four simple words turned over in my mind: eat, drink, pedal, repeat. It sounded so simple, a mammoth undertaking distilled down into a snappy mantra. The reality was altogether different: no sooner had I left the heart of the city behind than the road began to rise up in a multi-coloured river of cycling shirts, the morning sun poking out from behind the looming hills.

Despite several months of training before coming to Spain I was under no illusions about my prospects as far as the race element of the day went, and so, rather than chasing the leaders as they rolled over the top of the first climb, I simply settled in for a long day out on the bike, content to be riding in beautiful surroundings with the sun on my face. It didn’t take long to buddy up with a small group of affable Dutch cyclists, the first 100km passing by amid stories of previous two-wheeled escapades and adventures.

The crux of the route began at the 120km mark, with a series of unforgiving ascents across a 50km stretch of rough terrain that sapped the energy from my legs. When I eventually reached the final summit in this section, my mind flinched at the thought of another nine hours of riding.

But those hours passed one by one, each bringing me ever closer to the finish line. Eventually the sun set the sky ablaze with a burning orange as it slid behind the mountains, leaving me under a veil of darkness broken only by a scattering of bike lights along the course. And so it would remain until the bright glow of Girona appeared, drawing riders towards it – and the finish – like moths to a flame.

As I crossed the finish line, legs muddied and weary, mind frayed from the mental battle of the past few hours, a wave of excitement washed over me. For in that instant I was reminded of a promise I had made myself a few days earlier: I was now free to eat as many ‘xuixo’ as I liked. Tucked away amid the web of narrow cobbled streets in the old heart of Girona are bakeries and pastry shops selling these quintessential Gironan snacks. Pronounced ‘choo-cho’ these delectable morsels are similar to croissants, but are deep-fried, coated in sugar and filled with crema catalana (a Spanish custard similar to France’s crème brûlée) flavoured with citrus and cinnamon.

Such is their popularity and importance in Gironan cuisine that they are a designated protected regional dish. Now, with my race done, I was free to sample as many xuixo as my heart, stomach and tastebuds desired.

For those with little or no interest in cycling, Girona is a treasure trove of museums, art galleries, churches and medieval architecture – packed into an area small enough to explore on foot, yet big enough not to feel too cramped. I ambled along the bustling streets, alternating between bakeries and the main attractions of the old town, culminating in a visit to the cathedral, famed for its Gothic nave, which is the widest in the world at 23m across.

State of the art

Terracotta-topped houses in Cadaqués

There are, as I eventually discovered, only so many xuixo one can eat, so it was finally time to bid the city farewell, head back towards the coast and swap culinary delights for some more artistic wonderment. My base for this section of the trip was L’Amfora, a spacious, family-friendly site in the northernmost reaches of Catalonia, close to the town of Figueres, which is famous as the birthplace of Salvador Dalí. It’s here that you will find the Dalí Theatre-Museum, home to the most astonishing collection of surrealist art and expressionism I have ever seen.

Given his fame and influence it is perhaps no surprise that the house in which Dalí lived is also a major attraction, although to see this you will need to head east from Figueres to the delightful coastal village of Cadaqués. Set on the tip of the beautiful Cap de Creus peninsula, the village is one of the finest along the Gironese Costa Brava. Walking up from the postcard-perfect bay, where little boats bob gently in the water, and through narrow streets of whitewashed houses with terracotta tops, it’s easy to see why it’s been a source of inspiration for painters and artists such as Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall and Yves Klein over the years.

Behind Cadaqués, and offering a contrasting experience to the bustling streets of the village, lies Cap de Creus Natural Park, a paradise of mountain landscapes that is ideal for exploring on foot or bicycle. Happy to swap two wheels for my battered walking boots, I set off with a cool sea breeze at my back, steadily making my way upwards, my final destination being Sant Salvador de Verdera, where a ruined castle sits at the highest point in the nature reserve at 670m. It’s not the easiest of walks, but the effort is worth it for the breathtaking views back down to the Bay of Roses and further afield across both the Canigó and Albera Massifs. But for me there is no better way to truly appreciate the beauty of the Costa Brava’s coastline than on a bike, the breeze rushing over your face as views of rugged cliffs and turquoise waters stretch out before you. And so it is that I finish my time in Catalonia back on two wheels, now with the freedom to take my time and appreciate each moment. As I do so I am reminded that, given the marvellous cycling-friendly infrastructure in the region, you don’t need to sign up to an event to make the most of your time here.

The whole area, stretching as far north as Cap de Creus Natural Park, as south as Tossa de Mar and all the way back up the beguiling Costa Brava coastline, is awash with well-maintained roads and quiet country lanes, making it enjoyable for the majority of cyclists. One thing is for certain, this won’t be my last visit, even if next time I skip the race and head straight for a xiuxo shop.

• If Marcus has inspired you to visit the region, please visit camc.com/overseas to book the featured campsites and see other options.