The best traffic-free bike rides around Requena

Villargordo del Cabriel is a municipality in the Requena-Utiel region, in the province of Valencia. The town is located on the banks of the Cabriel River and is on the border between Castilla-La Mancha and the Valencia region. One of the biggest tourist attractions is the beautiful nature, which is remarkably well preserved.

Small village in a beautiful setting, with a central square, a small shop and a huge church.

At this point, depending on the direction of your hike, you'll leave the river and head into the hillside, where the trail leads you through a wide pine forest and typical Mediterranean vegetation characteristic of these mountain landscapes. As you ascend, the views open up, revealing breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding area, which can be the perfect excuse to stop for a few moments to rest and savor the scenery before continuing.

The route is marked with beacons, posts, and other standardized signs with arrows and markings. At this point, there are also signs indicating directions and distances to towns or key locations.

It's a street decorated with charming Super Mario motifs, as if the video game had come to life. A truly delightful place to behold.

Stage 2. Villargordo del Cabriel/Requena 86 kilometers. 1,090 positive meters. The milestones of the Natural Trail leave the urban complex of Villargordo del Cabriel, cross the passes of the N-III and the A-3 highway, travel through the rural hills of La Erilla and pass through Jaraguas, a village belonging to the municipality of Venta del Moro , with sites of Iberian and Roman settlements. The route goes through the hamlet and on the outskirts it passes through the Rambla de la Albosa, a very pleasant corner with a cozy walkway of giant poplar trees, the communal laundry and a historic fountain. The signal posts pass near the salt flats of Mina Lolita, a spring of saline waters exploited since Roman times. The route connects with the Camino Real from Castilla to Valencia and follows the same path as the previous day to the flood-prone Magro river boulevard and its disturbing river jungle. The stage could end in half a day in Requena, about 40 kilometers from Villargordo del Cabriel, but it is worth ignoring this option and continuing through the Magro river valley towards El Rebollar and Siete Aguas, in the section we call “Turia sector”. After Requena, the Magro River canyon is spectacular, a forest gallery of poplars, poplars, ash, willows and walnut trees between stone walls that keep the riverbed isolated from agricultural fields, dedicated mainly to the cultivation of vineyards, olive and almond trees. The path passes through the curious hermitage of San Blas, in the neighborhood of Las Ollerías, built in the 18th century in the premises of an old agricultural farm on the bank of the Magro River. In the ravine lane there are also marks of the Camino de Santiago of the Wool Route, used for centuries by walkers, pilgrims and merchants between the Mediterranean coast and the city of Burgos. The posts of the Natural Trail leave the gorge of the Magro River and go up the Fuente Cuca plain to the Requena Aerodrome. At the entrance to the airport, the Herrada del Gallego road leaves on the right, an outstanding forest area in the environmental surroundings of Requena.

Stage 1. Requena/Villargordo del Cabriel 77 kilometers. 1,360 positive meters. The medieval town of Requena is a relevant town to start a cycling adventure in the highlands of the Valencian interior, the former border between the kingdoms of Valencia and Toledo, with a customs and free port in the 13th century that generated good income from the trade of goods. on the limits of Castile. And it is still a lively and commercial place, the surroundings of Avenida del Arrabal and Plaza del Portal at dusk have a charming bustle. La Villa is the historic neighborhood of Requena, it concentrates centuries of history, art and monumentality, it was declared a Historical-Artistic Site in 1966. The Medina preserves the layout of Arab origin, the streets are intricate and narrow around the old Muslim fortress, it has remains of walls, portals and evocative corners. The start of the track is near the center, at the ring road roundabout where Avenida de Valencia ends and the N-322 begins. At the side pedestrian crossing there are the trail signs PR-CV 419 Río Magro and Santa Catalina that lead to the Turia-Cabriel Natural Trail along the side of some sports facilities. At the El Pontón bridge, on the N-322, the section called the “Cabriel sector” of the Natural Trail begins. The first ten kilometers of the cycling trip reveal the distinction of contrasts that will mark the route in this new gravel adventure. The Magro River Rambla is a small jungle of reeds, reeds, willows, poplars and reeds with disturbing passageways because it seems that the path could disappear at any moment, a challenge for the gravel bike. The path winds along the riverbed, avoiding giant strains of grass and small slides that force you to maintain concentration on driving at all times. Cyclability is acceptable except for some puddled steps in the seasonal river bed when there is humidity and a couple of sections on the side slopes that test riding skills and continuity of the path. The milestones of the Natural Trail leave no room for doubt, it is always inside the boulevard. The fun ends in the town of San Juan, one of the oldest villages in Requena. The path passes through one of the eyes of the centenary bridge of the Magro River, a beautiful work of local civil architecture built in 1917, and shortly after it leaves the rambla to continue the journey through the sea of vines of La Plana. The route surrounds the facilities of a winery and begins a very enjoyable journey along the old Camino Real from Castilla to Valencia, a historic road, commercial and livestock route known as the Cañada de Cuenca or Ruta de la Lana. The gravel flies along these agricultural roads, the slopes are few and the dirt road is impeccable.

The Cabriel River forms a natural border between Albacete and the Valencian Community near the town of Villatoya. The river landscape is the backdrop to many gravel and mountain bike trails in the area.