The best road cycling routes around Castellfollit Del Boix

The ascent to the castle and observatory of Castelltallat is one of the cycling classics of this sparsely populated area. In this mountain range there are only a few farmhouses, which contributes to the low light pollution and makes the installation of an observatory ideal. On the ascent, the views of Montserrat are spectacular.

I grew up there, long before the observatory and the archaeological works at the Castle. When we were little, it seemed to us that the idea that there was a castle behind the church was a chimera. When it was brought to light, it seemed like magic.

You'll have good luck if you see the Magical mountain, and the descent after is fantastic :-)

Good climb to get here, and a fun descent back towards St.Salvador de Guardiola

At the first bend of the track we find an excellent viewpoint, with an information panel and from where we can enjoy good views of the Sant Amanç farmhouse, the Serra de la Vall, the summit of Xamal and the valley that it forms the Rajadell stream, through which the Eix Tranversal passes. Sant Amanç and Can Viladés are, together with the castle, one of the most important historical sites of interest in Rajadell. It is a place that preserves vestiges of the Roman period and of which it has practically the only example of Romanesque in the area. Of its architecture that we can find, several elements stand out, such as the owner's house, the beating house, the warehouse and the set of tubs. The current houses are from the 18th and 19th centuries. Located at a strategic point, where the Rajadell plan ends, the heritage complex becomes a mandatory passage point for the old rural road, right where it joined the course of the Rajadell stream. In addition, the situation for the agricultural exploitation of Can Viladés becomes unbeatable, since it is located in a space with an abundance of water and with large areas of cultivation. The whole is a grouping of several separate buildings that almost form a small town. There are three houses (the owner's, the farmhouse and a third building), distributed around a kind of square, the church of Sant Amanç, with a small cemetery, two beating houses, a mill, a set of vats and a pond among others . To find the origin of the settlement in the Sant Amanç sector we have to go back to Roman times, since a few meters away we find the Roman villa of Sant Amanç, built on an Iberian settlement. Centuries later, a sacrera would be formed, starting from the church, which would give rise to the most important population center in the area of Rajadell in the 13th century. Even so, around 1500 the number of inhabitants decreases and only two farmhouses remain: Mas Planell and Mas Mestre. In 1598 the Mas Planell was sold to Joan Viladés, who gave rise to the current name and therefore, this name of the complex would have no relation to the original Roman villa. The church, which was still under construction, would not be completed until 1632.

Entrance to the Villa of St. Joan de Vilatorrada from the C-55, nearby you can find supermarkets and some bar-restaurants for refreshments. Entrance sign to a town that is a brevet control point.

Can Maçana is an old farmhouse that gives its name to the hill in the westernmost part of the Montserrat massif. The pass is one of the natural passes between the regions of Bages and Anoia. The farmhouse belonged to the Maçana (or Massana) family during the 16th and 17th centuries. It later became the property of the Montserrat monastery (on the door you can see the coat of arms of the monastery, dated 1791). This part of the massif is known for its famous stone needles (the area is known as "the labyrinth of needles"). At this point there is a car park and it is the starting point of numerous signposted routes, such as those that go to Sant Pau Vell (ancient Romanesque church) or the historical space of the Battle of Bruc.

This section, which runs between Molins and Rajadell, parallel to the train track, is well known and frequented by local cyclists.