Ruta del Ter: Cycling along the river Ter

The source of Ter, one of the most prominent rivers in Catalonia, is found high in the Pyrenees, over 2000 m above the sea level. The river runs through the provinces of Girona and Barcelona for 220 kilometres and meets the Mediterranean sea at its estuary on a sandy Costa Brava beach on a rare flat and cliffless stretch of land.

The cycling route Ruta del Ter follows the namesake river. It's officially split into 4 stages:

1. Vallter 2000 - Ripoll (48.7 km), medium difficulty
2. Ripoll - Manlleu (46.7 km), high difficulty
3. Manlleu - Girona (75.24 km), medium-to-high difficulty
4. Girona - Gola del Ter (49.18 km), low difficulty

The navigational sign for Ruta del Ter is a wave whose colour and background depend on the type of trail you're on (cycling/hiking/both) and on the bearer of the sign (a sign pole, a rock, a tree...). The wave is white on green for hiking Ruta del Ter, white on burgundy-red for cycling, and white against a green-and-red background if the trail is apt for both. Signs on trees and rocks have the wave coloured according to the type of the trail, whether green, red or green and red.

Spotting the basic Ruta del Ter sign means you're going the right way. If the sign is crossed by a white line, the direction is incorrect. Left/right arrows signal correct turns at crossroads.

Practical information

1. Before setting out on Ruta del Ter, check the official website for any updates and potential problems on the route, as there are apt to be a few at any given time, from road flooding to construction works. If an advisory is in place, the route developers offer alternative routes and detour maps.

2. If planning to complete Ruta del Ter in its entirety, choose an offroad bicycle (BTT)—road bikes and even hybrids will do only on the 4th stage, the easiest of them all.

3. Be prepared for the eventuality of dismounting and walking the bike in especially tricky spots along the stage between Ripoll and Manlleu.

4. The Manlleu—Girona stage runs along major water reservoirs with no towns, stores or bars nearby for the majority of the trip. If you're cycling in hot weather, pack plenty of drinking water.