Route to Pals
On Saturday we set off at 10 am for the 11 mile bike ride to Pals, a well preserved Gothic town to the east of Girona. Our route is in red. We just retraced our steps on the homeward leg.
River Ter
The trip starts alongside the River Ter, higher than usual after the recent rain, with the snow-capped pyrenees in the distance.
Fontanilles
Leaving the Ter along its tributary the Daro, we passed through the pretty villages of Gualta and Fontanilles.
Fontclara
We hit the next village, Fontclara, about 11 am and stopped for a quick photoshoot and terrier walk.
Fontclara- Water
Ancient pretty water dispensing thingy in Fontclara
Approaching Pals
The route continued along quiet roads and tracks until we spotted Pals on the next hilltop, so a bit of a hot pull up the hill in the midday sun.
Cobbled Streets- Pals
The gothic precinct of Pals is a maze of narrow, winding, cobbled streets. And very picturesque it is too. And never start a sentence with a conjunction.
Church-Pals
The church is, apparently, a mixture of gothic, romanesque and baroque styles. It dates from at least 994, if not before.
Pals
Castle Grounds, now privately owned.
Tower of the Hours
This tower has housed a bell, sounding out the hours, for many centuries.
Pals
This is one of the many stepped walkways separating the old buildings.
Pals-Looking up from the Main Square
The whole of the gothic precinct has been immaculately restored.
Pals-Nia
Antic Casino
After walking the old quarter, and rehydrating with coke and beer, we cycled down the hill for lunch in the Antic casino. This I think translates as ‘The Old Casino’. It was recommended by Jean, a friend we met at the campsite, and it was indeed a scrumptious meal. I had chicken and mushroom risotto and Nia feasted on beef wrapped in a very thin pastry in a rich sauce.
Lunch Saturday
Sorry…another lunch picture. On Saturday, after a long walk down to the beach with Penny and Colin we cycled to the restaurant we like outside Gualta, with Chris and Jen, and Peter and Jean, for another blow out.
Goats Cheese and Quince Salad
Grano Seco
Nuts and dessert wine..a catalan pudding dish.
Umpires at Work
More pétanque in the evening.
In the Line of Fire?
This cat came to watch the game.
Torroella Castle
Sunset
Rambling about Europe with the Kray Twins (Colin and Penny).
Travels with Mavis 
Lovely post, so pleased the weather has turned for you. It really feels cold back in the UK! If you want another bike ride in the area, I was reading in my guide book about Peratallada and can see it on your map. It looks close enough to cycle too.
Hi Rosie
Yes….it would be cyclable but we have moved on today….to L’Escala. This is a fishing port/tourist spot just up the coast from L’Estartit. We will have to leave Peratallada to the next trip.
The weather picked up as soon as you left….you must have fallen out with the weather gods.
xx
P and N