MontañasVacías official — bikepacking across the Spanish Lapland

There is a place in Spain with an area twice the size of Belgium that has a population density similar to Lapland or the Scottish Highlands, only 6,99 inhabitants/km²! It is the so-called Spanish Lapland.

The main objective of MontañasVacías (empty mountains) is to raise awareness about the area's serious situation through an off-road bikepacking route (or MTB touring, whatever you call it…) taking Teruel as starting and finishing point. The route runs through the Montes Universales, Sierra de Javalambre and Sierra de Gúdar, mostly using fire roads and double tracks in good condition.

Even so, it isn’t strictly a route designed for gravel bikes, but it's neither a true MTB route. The right choice of bike and gear is part of the game. Whatever bike you choose, there will be points where you will find its limits, but these parts are always near easier gravel roads, fleeing as much as possible from asphalt.

If you choose light and fast gravel tyres, maybe you will encounter a couple of short hike-a-bike sections, and if you use a pure MTB, some fast gravel roads may feel very long. 40 – 42 mm tyres can be a good minimum, and in regard to gearing… go as low as you can!

MontañasVacías is a demanding route, it cannot be considered a beginner’s route. The elevation gain, the toughness of the terrain, and riding in such a remote place, require a fair bit of experience with these kind of trips. To avoid dangerous situations, it’s advisable to have sufficient knowledge of bike mechanics, navigation, map reading, first aid as well as an understanding of weather conditions and seasonal limitations. I would not recommend it as an introduction into bikepacking. My advice would be to start gradually, with easy routes, testing your gear, your bag set-up, and above all, testing yourself.

Without any doubt, my two main inspirations for this route are the CAT700 and the Torino-Nice Rally, both with the same philosophy of searching the man versus machine challenge. It was precisely while preparing for those events that I discovered most of the sections of this route.

However, unlike both, MontañasVacías can be considered as an 'open route', without a specific start date. You choose when to do it and with whom, but what remains at its core is the bikepacking philosophy: A sense of adventure, friendship, travelling long distances, experiencing culture, great food and more.

In all the people I've met over recent years I could see a certain desire in them to discover new routes, new places, new likeminded people, new excuses to gather your old buddies, or, why not, to embark on a solo challenge. This route – a permanent itinerary which is free and not a million miles away, at least if you're based in Europe – was born out of this desire and I feel it can satisfy it.

Choose your own distance: the route has several links or shortcuts, or 'atajos' in Spanish, so you can design your itinerary, anywhere between 150 and 700 kilometers (around 90 - 430+ miles). The idea is to give the option to gradually increase the miles and cover more and more areas in the Spanish Lapland.

For all the route information and the guide PDF, please visit:
montanasvacias.com

Please take a look to the r(ECO)mmendations at montanasvacias.com/recommendations - conservation is an important aspect of the philosophy of the route.

IMPORTANT: These tracks are not valid for motor vehicles. Along the route there are a large number of sections that are not suitable for motorbikes or 4x4 vehicles. On the other hand, a good part of the route crosses protected areas with specific regulations on the transit of motor vehicles.