Spanish Via Verdes

[HobbesOnTour]

These are albums of some of the (whole) Via Verdes I've done in Spain.

They're a mixed bunch from a cycling point of view. Some are pretty much perfect for anyone to cycle while others can be surprisingly tricky. I got stuck in the mud on one and spent the night camped on the damn thing! Another I detoured off at times because it was just too rough. I must be getting old

There's an app but I believe it doesn't show any new ones since it was launched and not all the new ones are converted rail lines, I believe. Certainly I've been on signed Via Verdes that do not show up on the app.

They're all different lengths (some are only 5 or 6 Kms) and have various levels of services along them. It wasn't unusual for a train station to be several km from the town - and the terrain away from the railway can be steep! Some are very popular while others were empty. All are mixed use - info is given for walkers, horses and wheelchairs.
Nor are they all 100% traffic free, although it's rare and usually to give farmers access to fields.

They are useless for signs to and from towns. Go off to explore and you may find it tricky to get back on course!

Interestingly for Spain there were usually no "No camping" signs on the information boards and I happily wild camped along the way with no problems from passing cyclists - normally the next morning.

I don't think anyone would create a tour to visit some or most of them because they're quite far apart and besides, there are lots of empty roads in Spain large and small but they can be very pretty and pleasant - in the right weather!

I've just included the big ones that I did from start to finish.... ish.

Enjoy!

La Campina

Ojos Negros

De la Sierra

Del Carilet

 

[bluenotebob]

Great photos ! I've just looked through 'La Campina' ... I'll look at the others later (when the rain arrives here).

It looks as though these Via Verdes are much less well-managed than Brittany's Green Ways - and probably all the more enjoyable for that.

Some of the tracks look as though they may be old railway lines .. is that the case?

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Great photos ! I've just looked through 'La Campina' ... I'll look at the others later (when the rain arrives here).

It looks as though these Via Verdes are much less well-managed than Brittany's Green Ways - and probably all the more enjoyable for that.

Some of the tracks look as though they may be old railway lines .. is that the case?

My understanding is that the original via Verdes were old railway lines but as time has gone on any mixed use path may be labelled as a Via Verde regardless of its history.

Yes, some are in "interesting" states of repair (and I'm aware of at least one that has been discontinued). I imagine that with Spain being Federal, different local governments have different priorities. I'd guess that not all of France's bike paths are on a par with Brittany?

I also developed the idea in a couple of places that Covid may have had an effect too. Increased use, especially close to urban areas, and different priorities for spending and maintenance.

I tend to think that a bike path should be suitable for grannies out on their Ebikes and I'd hesitate to recommend all of them (that I've been on) for that reason. Most are fine most of the time but there can be some tricky bits! Access to towns can often involve a steep, rocky shortcut.

Away from the VVs, just about every town and village will have local, recommended walking and cycling routes, mapped out and posted in prominent places to encourage a healthier lifestyle. Where these overlap with a VV I can expect to meet lots of older people out for evening and morning walks. It can make camping that bit trickier but leads to interesting conversations.

 

[bluenotebob]

I've looked at the other albums - wonderful photos - great scenery - thanks for sharing !

Yes - judging by all the cuttings, arches and bridges, they're obviously old railway lines.

La Campino seems to be the wildest, hence my comment about being not very well-managed - but the other Spanish VVs seem to be in a better state.

The surface on Brittany's Green Ways varies quite a lot - from the beautiful 52km of tarmac on my local VV (the V3) to grit + gravel on the V6 (which had lost its surface in places after heavy rain). By well-managed, I was thinking more in terms of signage, benches, traffic barriers, safety barriers by steep slopes and rubbish bins.

My local VV is heavily-used - particularly in July and August - apart from cyclists, there are roller-bladers, skateboarders, joggers, dog walkers and (as you say) older people just out for a walk and chatting. It's a great local resource and I'm lucky to have it (more or less) on my doorstep.

I can't comment about Green Ways in other parts of France - but as the whole of France becomes a tourist destination in the summer months, I'd imagine that they're pretty good.

You're riding a well-packed bike .. I guess it can be fairly hard work going up hills..

Does the flag have any significance?

 

[HobbesOnTour]

La Campino seems to be the wildest, hence my comment about being not very well-managed - but the other Spanish VVs seem to be in a better state.

Yes, it was! In fairness, however, that was back in April so the weather (I'd had snow a few days previously) had an effect and it was before the start of the first full season of Spain being reopen after COVID. The others were all later and may have had some attention.

You're riding a well-packed bike .. I guess it can be fairly hard work going up hills..

I arrived in Spain from South America so I have a wee bit of experience accumulated from the Andes

Does the flag have any significance?

None at all! I started out with an Extra weel trailer with a flag attached, list the flag in México and bought a cheap replacement - what the workmen wave on the side of the road to warn of dangers. It's still going strong and lights up really well at night.

My local VV is heavily-used - particularly in July and August - apart from cyclists, there are roller-bladers, skateboarders, joggers, dog walkers and (as you say) older people just out for a walk and chatting.

In Switzerland they have dedicated and separate roller blade paths!

It's very interesting how everyone gets along in Spain, especially in the cities where electric (stand up scooters) use the cycle paths too. Very harmonious.

 

[Oldhippy]

Fabulous photos, that is a lot of mud!

 

[RobinS]

We did the Carilet several years ago on our first long tour. After a couple of months on the road the wife wanted a "holiday", so we cycled down to the Costa Brava and had a few days camping at a site near Tossa de Mar for a rest up. Leaving there we headed for the Pyrenees, and after Girona came across the Carilet. It was a great way up into the mountains, but of course we were going the "wrong way", uphill all the way. We did get cheers from local cyclists hurtling downhill in the other direction though!

 

[Cathryn]

De la Sierra looks GORGEOUS

 

[HelenD123]

Definitely old railway lines. We passed a lot of abandoned stations.

 

[Sallar55]

Some are old mining railways this was a Rio Tinto railway line . Would be a good route through the Sierra but they built a dam and flooded the lower section.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

And another one.....
https://photos.app.goo.gl/5NR6s1AzvhMQPpwH9
Not bad for November