🚴♀️✨ In this episode, we leave behind the bustle of Murcia during its vibrant Spring Festival and venture into one of Spain’s lesser-known regions. What follows is a solitary ride through forgotten villages, ancient shepherds’ trails, vast vineyards, and rugged landscapes few travellers ever see. From surreal gated communities and massive quarries to peaceful mountain parks and wide skies, this route offered more than we ever expected. A quietly spectacular cycling adventure — far off the tourist map. 🌄🍇
Links:
Need some sand from that quarry?
https://aridostorralbahermanos.com/
Visit the Sierra de la Pila https://www.turismoregiondemurcia.es/en/natural_area/sierra-de-la-pila-4498/
Yecla: https://www.turismoregiondemurcia.es/en/yecla/
#cycling #cyclingfans #cyclinglife #cyclingvlog #cyclingaroundtheworld #cyclinginsider #bike #biketrip #bikelife #bikes #bikeinformation #bicycleinfrastructure #CycleTouring #SpainByBike #HiddenSpain #MurciaRegion #OffTheBeatenPath #AdventureCycling #BikepackingLife #SustainableTravel #Transhumance #SlowTravel #RuralSpain #CyclingAdventure #SpringFestivalMurcia #WineCountrySpain #TravelSpain #CyclingSpring #ExploreDifferently #murcia #yecla #fortuna
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hi I’m Vera and welcome to our video i’m glad you joined us for our next bike trip and I’m Sedi Spaghetti today we’re starting out in the beautiful but underrated city of Moria in the southeast of Spain we will be heading north into the mountains and I’m really excited to see what we discover so let’s do this as we were leaving the city preparation for Morsia’s annual spring festival were in full swing it wouldn’t be long before this already vibrant place would explode into a riot of color we’ve experienced the spectacle before so the slides you’re seeing here are from last year’s festivities moia knows how to throw a party tradition meets celebration in the best possible way and if that wasn’t enough the city’s packed with stunning architecture and lively plazas but we had something else in mind we were after peace and quiet and for that a big city isn’t exactly the ideal place to be luckily in Spain most people live in urban areas which means you don’t have to go far to find solitude so let us show you where we went next heading due north out of the metropolitan area we passed through Fortuna known for its thermal baths and then nothing but open space the route took us through the Sierra Deapila and Del Cart not passing a single town until we reached Yekla the northernmost town in the region of Moria just over 100 km away [Music] now we often dive into the history and culture of the towns we visit but since this channel is mainly for cycling enthusiasts here’s something you might appreciate moria has a surprisingly good network of bike paths and there are several ways to leave the city by bike you can follow the Rioa or take the via deest on which we recently made a video we didn’t follow a mark cycling route this time we planned our own path but still had no trouble finding a safe and straightforward way out of course providing you’re paying attention and don’t miss your turn [Music] that said heading straight north means climbing out of the Sigua Valley and up into the limestone hills but the payoff a sweeping panorama that makes it all worth it [Music] straying from marked cycling routes sometimes means sharing the road to traffic but in Spain drivers are generally considerate and give plenty of space when overtaking so while we prefer quiet country lanes it’s usually nothing to worry about the real upside to going off route you’re constantly exploring unfamiliar territory never quite knowing what you’ll stumble upon morsia is one of Spain’s fastest growing regions and you really noticed that as you ride construction cranes dot the skyline and new suburbs are springing up all around the city but what really caught us offguard were the gated communities now that’s something you might expect in countries with sharp social divides or higher crime rates places like South Africa Brazil or Mexico but here in Spain it felt a little out of place these weren’t luxury villas behind the gates either just average middle-class homes sure Spain has its share of poverty like any country but it’s not known for extreme inequality or unsafe streets and speaking from experience we’ve never felt unsafe anywhere in Spain even in the most remote or rundown areas we’ve titled through so we couldn’t help but wonder are these gates really about security or just the sense of it some say they don’t stop crime they just make people feel safer we’re not here to debate that but for what it’s worth we rolled right through the security checkpoint without anyone batting an eye gated maybe in theory in practice not so much [Music] [Applause] [Music] heat heat [Music] heat heat [Music] [Applause] heat heat heat heat n [Music] heat heat [Music] [Music] heat [Music] heat [Applause] heat [Music] [Music] heat [Music] after all that urban sprawl and passing rows of half-finished houses in the middle of nowhere likely the result of speculative investors gone bust a common sight in Spain we were relieved to roll into Fortuna with its more traditional architecture and slower pace the town of around 10,000 residents offered a welcome change it’s not really on the radar for cyclists since no official route leads here but Feduna does attract visitors mostly thanks to its hot springs bubbling up from a for line at a steamy 52° C not exactly a place to cool off in the scorching summer heat which can be brutal around here for us though Fortuna marked the edge of the unknown the gateway to the peace and quiet we were searching for or so we thought the beauty of cycling is that you can go pretty much anywhere it doesn’t have to be a mark shoot any small wide road on the map will do just fine but this one turned out to be one of the most dangerous stretches we’ve ever ridden we had no idea it would be a mountain highway for a convoy of lorries winding their way uphill the atmosphere was surreal but we kept going somewhat reluctantly curious to find out what all this traffic was about after a tough crawl up the hill we passed through another checkpoint this time not for a gated community but for a massive quarry the trucks were busy collecting sand gravel and crushed stone sauras from Jurassic gray dolommites in other words the raw materials for all those new homes we’d seen earlier on the outskirts of Morsia so before we could finally embrace the serenity we’ve been seeking we had to make it through this unexpected obstacle of course technically we probably weren’t supposed to be up here [Music] but no one stopped us until we reached the far end of the quarry then a man finally approached and asked us what we were doing but when we showed him our route he was surprisingly relaxed pointed away and wished us good luck with the steep gradient that lay ahead a few growling dogs tried to block our path but a couple of chunks of sausage thrown in the right direction settled that and then at last we were free civilization fell away behind us and we entered a wild untamed world of natural beauty [Music] heat heat [Music] heat [Applause] up [Applause] [Music] here [Music] [Applause] [Music] heat heat heat [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] heat [Applause] [Music] heat heat [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] heat heat [Music] heat heat [Music] [Applause] [Music] the effort it took to get up here had truly paid off we found exactly what we were looking for peace quiet and complete solitude as we made our way through the Sierra de la Regional Park without a single car or person in sight with such perfect weather we couldn’t help but wonder why we were the only ones enjoying it still signs of human life and lure weren’t missing this clearly wasn’t some forgotten corner a large picnic area hinted at more sociable days complete with tables benches barbecues an information hut and even running spring water trickling from a stone wall the sign warned it wasn’t suitable for drinking so the presence of taps seemed to suggest otherwise and someone had taken the time to hang up nesting boxes for birds with handpainted names that gave each a little personality of its own and they even have a pitch for tents here i think you need a permit not quite sure what this means i don’t speak Spanish so anyway it’s deserted here there’s nothing but trees and wind and a couple of birds surrounding us so we really really couldn’t resist and you have to agree the tent does look very much at home here doesn’t it and I’m really looking forward to a peaceful night under starry skies but as long as we clean up and don’t leave any traces I think we’ll be fine [Music] [Music] yeah [Laughter] heat [Music] cycling along these empty roads gave us the feeling of being pioneers the first to explore an unknown territory and truth be told as far as bike travelers go we might well have been the first to cycle out here but we were no pioneers in many ways we were following in much older footsteps or rather hoof prints out here in the wilderness we crossed paths with the shepherd and his flock quietly moving through the landscape as they’ve done for centuries it’s a practice called transhumans the seasonal migration between lowland winter pastures and highland summer grazing grounds once widespread across Europe it faded with modern life but in Spain it’s still very much alive in fact some of the paths we’ve been following belong to an ancient network of drovers roads the Kanyadas Reales more than 125,000 km of protected trails dating back to the Middle Ages established by royal decree to ensure safe passage for livestock this wasn’t just a tradition it was a way to care for the land gracing animals helped maintain balance in the ecosystem spreading seeds preventing overgrowth and keeping the land healthy and diverse and here we were rolling through the same landscape grateful beneficiaries of that balance so this is where ancient sustainable agriculture and modern-day eco-friendly travel met and greeted each other in quiet recognition far from tourist crowds or city life just us our bikes a shepherd and a herd of sheep [Music] hello [Music] heat hey [Music] hey hey heat [Music] heat [Music] heat heat [Music] heat hey heat hey heat heat [Music] heat [Music] heat heat [Music] heat heat [Music] heat [Music] heat [Music] [Applause] [Music] after Dor del Rico Raspay was one of exactly two villages we passed on the 70 kilome stretch between Fortuna and Yakla there are no shops out here so carrying enough provisions is essential if you want to survive traveling like this that said we could easily have stocked up on the local red wines deep in color earthy in complexity made from Monstrella grapes a hardy variety that thrives in the hot dry climate and poor soils of the region as we weaved along the border between Morthia and Valencia we found ourselves in a little known but productive wine growing area with a protected designation of origin there are no industrial wine factories many of the vineyards are smallcale familyrun estates where wine- making traditions have been passed down through generations this is wine grown with care and history in a landscape shaped by centuries of agriculture where the vines stretch out endlessly beneath wide open skies [Music] hey hey hey [Music] hey hey hey hey [Music] hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey hey [Music] cycling of the mark roots sometimes takes courage when we start off we only had a vague idea of what to expect what would the roads be like the gradients the scenery would it be dangerous would we feel lonely sure making our way out of the city and through that treacherous quarry hadn’t been easy but the journey turned out to be deeply enriching and unexpectedly fulfilling we saw a side of Spain few ever think about let alone experience let’s be honest when people think of Spain they imagine the cultural hotspots at best but more often it’s beach resorts crowded night life and battling for a square meter of sand but if you’re into raw real nature if you’re looking for space to breathe to clear your head to find moments of stillness and perspective this is the way to go you never quite know what breathtaking view is waiting around the next bend or what odd little surprise might greet you along the way but what you won’t get is crowds traffic or noise spain is surprisingly empty the moment you leave the welltrodden paths and tourist magnets and with generally smoothed well-maintained roads it’s ideal for cycling especially in spring or autumn when the temperatures are moderate and the colors vivid just let’s keep the secret within the cycle community we didn’t miss the yellow number planes towing caravans up narrow mountain roads all the roar of oversized motor pikes cutting through the quiet after all that serenity arriving in Yeklla felt almost like entering a metropolis but of course with just 35,000 inhabitants it’s far from bustling [Music] historically it was little more than a regional trading post for wines olives almonds and grains then in the 19th century woodworking flourished and today Yakla is known for its furniture industry [Music] but we’ll remember it for something else entirely [Music] for its colorful churches [Music] [Music] it’s quirky love a playmmobile [Music] [Music] and the way children spill into the streets to turn them into playgrounds as nightfalls one last unexpected twist in a journey full of surprises well this was an adventurous ride full of variety we cycled 106 kilometers what was your favorite part have you ever cycled this route before please share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below and if you’ve enjoyed this video just as much as we’ve enjoyed this ride please hit the like button and if you would like to see more inspirational videos for cycling groups don’t forget to subscribe so we look forward to seeing you in the next one until then thanks for watching and happy cycling bye-bye