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Home Travel StoriesTo The Southern Tip Of Europe

More Wonders, Weird Food

Ride Date 23 Sep 2025

By Andy Gray

Day 11: To Burunchel 294 miles.

I arrived late last night, the campsite restaurant was closed on Monday and I was too tired to walk into town to a restaurant, I just got some pasta and sauce from the supermarket. Cooked it on the hob in the cabin but had to use my pots as none were provided! Anyway, it filled a hole.
 
Despite sleeping in the cabin with the bike parked right outside, I didn’t manage to get myself together and leave until 10:30!

It was still 8C as I left so I was glad I decided not to sleep in the tent. My first waypoint for the day was Cuenca, 100km away. Thought it wouldn’t take too long but hadn’t realised I was going through Sierra de Albarracin which involved lovely twisty roads up and down mountains.
 
I was stopped at the top of the first peak Puerta de Las Banderas 1,584m having taken some photos with the engine off when I caught movement just over the crest. 3 deer and a stag bounded across the road. Shame I’d put the phone back in the tank bag to charge!

I came around a corner on a descent and there in a meadow was the statue of a knight. Managed to stop in time to pull into the car park. It seems to be a celebration of the source of the Tagus river, the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula, starting here and flowing 1,092km to enter the sea at Lisbon.
 
There was another stop just out of Una where I could see a large lake behind the town. As I went up the hill out of the town, I spotted a waterfall so had to turn round to get some photos.
 
Due to all the mountains and photo stops I didn’t reach Cuenca until nearly 1pm. It was a really busy city so I didn’t fancy stopping to see the walled town. Also managed to miss the cave dwellings on the road on as I think I was on the wrong side of the river. I obviously didn’t check Duncan Gough’s book well enough when I planned the route!

Out of town, the N-420 was a more major road but still not busy and it started with lovely fast sweeping bends. Eventually I had to join the motorway to cut off a corner, luckily the whole area was now quite flat. When I left the motorway it was flat, straight roads for quite a while but with the promise of mountains in the distance. Temperatures had now reached 23C which was a lot more comfortable than this morning. 

Eventually I joined the N-322 going up and down hills again before reaching the road to head into the mountains. There was a handy restaurant/services so I stopped for a coke and toilet break.
 
One thing that made me late this morning was looking at the campsite I was heading for and deciding I didn’t really fancy it. It was one where you park in a car park and hike your gear to your spot. Also thought it might be cold in the mountains so I found a hotel on booking.com, bit expensive but I’m worth it!! The hotel was on the same roads that I had planned, in fact I had  to ride past it to get to the campsite.
 
The roads headed south through the Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla and were small with very low speed limits of 40kmh. The locals seem to ignore this and don’t care if something is coming in the opposite direction. This made the roads along the huge, nearly empty reservoir and up the mountain the other side very slow and a bit dangerous. Then again if I’d stayed at the limit I'd still be there.
 
Seemed to be lots of Guarda Civil out today, ended up following one for about 5km not sure if I should overtake them as they were going 20kmh under the limit. Another pair were having a cigarette break at the final viewpoint of the day and they were quite friendly.
 
Got to my 4 star hotel and was worried that I’d get no food. Turns out the restaurant works traditional Spanish time and didn’t open until 20:30.

A huge metallic knight and 4 smaller metallic statues in a rock coral
Source of the Tagus river.
An information board about the statues in Spanish and too small to read in the image
The statue to the left of the knight actually shows the course of the river across Spain and Portugal.
Mostly trees and scenery but we can see a road coming in on one side and going out on the other
Stood on one of the 180 degree bends.
A curve in the road with a barrier, beyond and endless range of mountains and blue skies
A tall tree, gravel and a bend with the mountains and blue skies beyond
Massive towering rocks, trees, a valley and a broad rocky waterfall
Centre right is the waterfall.
A lonely road, the gentlest of undulations on an otherwise flat scene of dry grasses
Got a bit flat now.
Road with the hills growing into the distance and the dry grass mixing with bushes
Then the hills were back.
Thick dense hardy green bushy trees beside the dry arid road
Roads lined with olive groves.
A reservoir with a visible water line and the water is quite some way below that
Very low reservoir.
Beside a narrow road are a selection of trees including some very tall and thin pine trees
Around the reservoir were lots of pine trees and these thin ones. No idea what type they are.
A vast densely wooded valley and mountain tops stretching away
Rode all the way along the valley, reservoir is out of shot in the far distance. Thru the town of Arroyo Frio then up this side. All at 40kph ?.
Bright clear sun over 5 storey buildings and beyond the olive groves and mountains
The view from my balcony.
A smart clean room with bed and cupboards, quite spacious
My posh room.
A low sun, fading light and the outline of a tree and mountains
Sunset from the town.
A steep street in a town, with an art piece outline of a shepherd and several sheep climbing the steep lane
You’ve got to be fit around here. This is commemorating the annual livestock migration.
A board with details of the migration of flocks up and down the mountains
tall thin image of a tall thing gap between buildings and views beyond
A 3 storey hotel, with balconies and views, Andys bike in on the street and it's all rather swish
My room is the second floor balcony this end.
Glorious orange glow on the horizon and we can make out the outlines of the town
Sunset from my balcony.
And sits at a table ready to dine in some odd glass and light tube cover
What looks like dirt and poop with bread on a plate
Scrambled egg, black pudding and pine nuts. Incredibly rich.
Meat and veg stew on chips, the plate and a glass of wine
Venison stew - sorry deers, please don’t run out in front of me tomorrow.

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A long Ride to Gien Big miles already on Andy's first day on the road. He's just getting settled into the ride and making his way south through France.
Smiling In The Rain It's a soggy wet day through France for Andy, but that won't dampen his spirits. He stumbles upon 2CVs and climbing walls, straight roads and twisties.
Into The Pyrenees With improving weather Andy is still heading south. It's all terribly positive, even the diversions are opportunities to explore. The Pyrenees continue to impress.
An Easy Day Around The Pyrenees Andy is taking it easy today. Just a casual bimble around The Pyrenees, across mountains and valleys, you know, the sort of easy ride we all do on a lazy day. Ever more delightful images too.
Stuck In The Cols - Painful! Andy is enjoying all the mountain passes on the French side of The Pyrenees - until he's "Route Barre" from getting back to the campsite. He's got the sniffles too.
Poor Poorly Andy The sun is shining, the air is warm, the surroundings are lovely. Andy is rather under the weather himself, it's not the best couple of days.
Andy's Local Ride Feeling a little better Andy's having an easy day exploring The Pyrenees. Scenery aplenty while dodging some rain.
Back On The Road And Heading South Again Having mostly recovered Andy's back on the road making big miles through ever more stunning scenery. A few notes then pictures aplenty that'll make you wish you were there.
More Wonders, Weird Food It's another day filled with fabulous things for Andy. Knights and bends in the road, mountains and flat bits, and a posh hotel with a sunset.

Reader's Comments

Ian Soady¹ said :-
Some more great pictures, many thanks for keeping us informed. I gave up camping many years ago and find hotels much easier, more comfortable and convenient if as you say they can be expensive....
03/01/2026 10:25:34 UTC
Bogger said :-
Hotels, venison I'm at a loss for words. Nice piccies again. To be fair you're best spending your money. If you have any spare the current Government will soon relieve you of it.

Bogger
03/01/2026 10:46:39 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
I nearly felt warm for one fleeting moment looking at the pictures. Ta me duck.
The stew looks good, the black pud looks like heartburn.
Upt.
03/01/2026 15:05:20 UTC
nab301 said :-
Andy , lovely photos and food, at last, bringing culture to Bikes and Travels!
Nigel
03/01/2026 15:28:25 UTC

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