PICTURE THE JOURNEY
THE TRAIL
We will start the trip by taking you to an area known to locals as ‘Spanish Utah’. It is hard to believe that you are in Spain; you will feel as if you’ve been whisked off to Monument Valley. But here in this back-country pocket of the Basque Region you will bike on perfect single tracks under carved red rock cliffs. Quite simply, it’s a cracking ride. Once onto the single track, the feeling of remoteness soon sets in. There is nobody here, so prepare to cycle through an empty landscape, down mile after mile of canyons. Bright red, weather-worn sandstone cliffs will rise up from the still-green wheat fields below, while the Pyrenees will look ever-more stunted on the horizon. This really is another Spain. Do be surprised if you find yourself on the look out for cowboys walking through swing door into saloons. No wonder Sergio Leone filmed some of his Spaghetti Westerns here.
RIDING SURFACE
Expect drifty, dusty single tracks with blue skies, stunning backdrops and some greenery in the canyons. The trails are rollercoasters – mountain biking doesn’t get much more fun than this. You will swoop, float, compress and carve your way down miles of single track trails and then, just when you reach the botton, you’ll be hit by some breathtaking views. You can play in the canyons or bike on the dusty ridges: the gradient is enough gentle in most places. Generally, the level of difficulty depends on how fast you want to go.
AVERAGE MILEAGE
Your route is going to be around 50km, with almost all of that on singletrack. Calatayud has an extensive and enjoyable trail, so we can make your ride as long or as short as you like.