Camino Natural de las Villuercas by gravel bike

A signposted route along the Camino Natural de las Villuercas (GR 116) through the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara Geopark, in the east of Cáceres. It follows much of the line of the old railway between Talavera and Villanueva de la Serena, a line that was built but never had trains: that's why the gradient is gentle for almost the whole route, with embankments, cuttings and the odd tunnel (take a light). The surface is mainly dirt track and gravel, comfortable for gravel bikes with 40 mm tyres or wider. You ride among dehesas, olive groves and the quartzite ridges that shape the geopark. There are few villages along the way: set off with plenty of water and something to eat, and refuel whenever you pass through a village. The best time is from October to May; in summer the heat bites from mid-morning. It's linear: plan your return or ride just one section out and back. The signs on the ground come first: check the state of the path before you set off.

Track based on OpenStreetMap (Camino Natural de las Villuercas, GR 116) (ODbL).