Cyclotourism
The roads of Maestrazgo are quiet, with very little traffic and numerous mountain passes that are a paradise for cycling tourism lovers: Cuarto Pelado, Villarroya de los Pinares and Sollavientos on the A-226, with heights ranging from 1,500-1,700 m, and Villarluengo, on the A-1702.
But undoubtedly the hardest and most imposing are the San Cristobal mountain passes, between Pitarque and Aliaga, with 8.8 km and a maximum gradient of 19%; the Fortanete pass, towards Valdelinares, with 6.5 km and gradients reaching 17%, or La Tarayuela in Cantavieja, towards Mosqueruela, with 5 km and an average gradient of 7%.
The A-1702, from Ejulve to Puerto de Cuarto Pelado, in Cantavieja, and the A-226, from this last point to the pass of Villarroya de los Pinares, are signposted for cyclists.
Maestrazgo Loop
Maestrazgo Loop is a cyclotourist route that was born as a complement of Empty Mountains, an Off-road Bikepacking route to know the Spanish Lapland, named after its creator, Ernesto Pastor.
Maestrazgo Loop runs more than 200 km through some of the most depopulated areas of Teruel with the aim of giving visibility to this problem and its consequences. It links picturesque villages in the area, such as Cantavieja, La Iglesuela del Cid or Puertomingalvo, and immerses us in the traditional uses of a landscape now practically abandoned.
The aim of this route is to pay tribute to the efforts of those who still remain in these depopulated localities by visiting places such as La Estrella, an emblematic village and icon of this struggle.
Empty Mountains is part of bikepacking.com’s Local Overnighter Project, a project initiated to expand the list of cycling routes around the world. In addition, it was chosen as one of the top 10 in 2022.
A bikepacking adventure
Sergio Luna, of Viajar & Roll, is passionate about travel and bicycles. In his social networks he shares his bikepacking adventures with his dog Django.
It has already launched the Empty Mountains route in 2021, and now it has done it with the compelmentary route: Maestrazgo Loop.
