The crossing of the Malagón mountain range has several options and I look for livestock trails, forests, fountains and significant places that have roads with rights of way. Between Las Navas del Marqués and Navalperal de Pinares we continue halfway down the slope through the pastures of Cantos Gordos, with a strategic refreshment stop at the Fuente de Peña Cigüete. In summer it is essential to pass through hydration points along the route. In Navalperal de Pinares the yellow arrows of a Camino de Santiago appear but I do not discover the exact route and we follow our initial plan along the rural road that leads to the Navalperal reservoir, linking with the Cañada Real Leonesa on the edge of the reservoir. The climb up the ravine is beautiful, there is the little lake next to the road and in front of it is a splendid plain of mountain pastures populated by herds of cows and horses, an authentic image of the mountain ranges of Ávila. The rope of the mountain range is bristled with wind turbines that serve as a reference during the climb because it is about following the route of the royal ravine to the path of the modern “windmills”. The surface is complicated throughout the climb, they are mountain cattle trails with stones, ditches and grass areas that make pedaling difficult, especially for cyclists carrying gravel bicycles. On the other hand, along the gravel path of the mills the bicycles fly along the mountain range until the Valdi Wind Farm ends and a broken and steep section of track appears that connects with the Valdihuelo Wind Farm. The mountain crossing continues until the last wind turbine and after passing a new gate the descent towards Urraca-Miguel begins. Pay attention to the track on grassy meadows. The beginning of the descent is a fairly steep cattle track with water furrows and grass stumps, then it enters the pastoral plain of Peñaluenga and turns west along cow trails to a hill where it connects with the rural road that goes down to Urraca -Miguel.
In Urraca-Miguel we enter Western Soriana and follow the Cañada Real to the streets of Ávila. The surface of the livestock trail is paved and reserved for pedestrians and cyclists, perfect for ending a fantastic day of mountain bike tourism. The ravine passes through Bernuy-Salinero, where the Prado de las Cruces dolmen is located, a notable site of the megalithic culture in Ávila declared a Site of Cultural Interest. The little road of the canyon crosses the hills of Canto Campanario and finally enters Ávila enjoying extraordinary views of the immense plain of the Chico and Cardiel rivers. We passed through the railway station, went up to the gates of the wall, photos and celebration of an unforgettable cycling day.
Translated by Google •
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