We’d heard this name, Via Verde, a couple of times in passing but it wasn’t until we spoke with an English couple in a cafe in Olmedo that I became more curious.

Via Verde is a greenway project in Spain where disused railways are being turned into cycle/walk ways.

There are about 135 trails covering over 3,300 kms.

Adding in a Komoot feed with a Via Verde route nearby and my interest was piqued.

The Ojos Negros route is one of the longest trails, 260kms, from Ojos Negros to Valencia. Perfect, just needed to get from Madrid to Ojos Negros – only 300kms away.

Maybe a train? The strict requirements on how to pack the bikes for the fast train and then how to deal with the logistics of getting 2 packed bikes and 11 panniers to the right platform and then on the train got the better of us. This wasn’t for us.

We knew how the bus worked and with a bit of hunting down we found a 2 bus journey over 2 days that would get us near to the start.

The first bus took us to Zaragoza.

We arrived late in the day and didn’t get a chance to explore the 4th most populous city in Spain.

Our dining experience in a local restaurant, Roses, however was just superb.

The waitress consoled us by saying her Spanish wasn’t very good either as she was from Romania, except she had been in Spain for over 20 years! Her Spanish was very good as was her English. Her care was delightful and we couldn’t have had a better evening.

The following day we boarded a local bus that wound its way through lots of small towns to Monreal del Campo where we were deposited at a bus shelter in this small village.

In an instant though the bikes were reassembled, and we were feed and watered at a local cafe and on the road.

14kms to the start in the very little village of Ojos Negros, an old open-pit mining town. Today only 500 inhabitants, down from around. 3,000 in its hay day.

Stocked on water, the ride out of town led us passed an old windmill.

It is of a Mediterranean tower type, with a conical wooden roof that rotates, turning the entire dome and orienting the blades to the prevailing wind at all times.

It looked beautifully restored and was possibly built in the 16th or 17th century due to its design rather than any historical construction references (so the sign said).

And soon the trail itself started.

The first of the old railway stations was Ojos Negros. There was a station and supporting buildings behind including a large cistern and across the trail, (the old railway line), was a workshop.

All the buildings were crumbling and broken. Gingerly making our way through the supporting buildings we could peek into history and wonder what the rooms were used for and what life at this station could have entailed.

The dereliction gave us a glimpse into the building’s construction. The stone under the plastered walls, the exposed rafters and the thatching under the terracotta roof tiles.

One of the rooms had a wall of cubbyholes, maybe this was the mail sorting room??

Although we hadn’t ridden too far, it had been a big day with the bus trip, we decided to call it a day and set up camp in the lush grass behind the old station.

Nice to be out riding and camping again.

The next morning with trail at our doorstep we set off along a well maintained compacted gravel path sprinkled with vibrant wild lavender.

Easy riding with a valley to our left and some hills to our right with rock formations reminiscent of Central Otago.

A small glimpse of the Peracense Castillo perched in the hillside intrigued us enough to ride the seemingly unending hill, 150m climb over 2.4 km, to get a closer look.

A very imposing castle settled on the top of the hill surveying the lands below.

It is one of the most original and best preserved castles in the Aragon region dating back to the end of Bronze Age, around 1200 BC.

Back on the trail with wide open vistas, we pass the Saint Eulalia station.

The old stations that we saw were a constant reminder the nothing is forever.

As much as I want them to be restored and be enjoyed by those who pass by now, I want to celebrate them for the life they have lived.

The laughter, the tears, and the plain hard work that will have formed the life in these buildings.

Nothing is permanent, the flower in the vase, the leaf on the tree, the kettle, the dress, our homes and even us. Everything is impermanent.

I needed to remind myself to stay present, enjoy the moment and reflect on what I see now and the lives that lived within.

The views are expansive with fields readied for planting and wild flowers floating in the breeze.

Getting water was always a priority as we couldn’t guarantee a water supply where we camped. Luckily most town squares had a water fountain making this easy to do.

Our next stop was to be the Teruel station, nice open flat area with the added bonus of picnic tables.

The road between the station and the workshop though was an access road to nearby fields and seemed to be well used.

Greg checked with a local living in one of the railway cottages and all was fine, but it was still a bit nerve racking wondering if we would be asked to move on, remembering it is illegal to wild camp in Spain.

Camping in a remote spot is much easier. We held off putting up the tent until about 9pm and expected a quiet night …and it mostly was apart from the horses, the herd of sheep and a dog, clearly on a mission, that didn’t spot our tent guy-lines!

Day 3 was a long steady climb for about 20 kms passing through the first of the deep terracotta coloured cuttings in the hills.

And the start of the tunnels, luxuriously supplied with automatic lights!

The reward at the top of the climb was a beautiful lunch spot complete with wild flowers and a gentle breeze.

Today also included the first of the detours on route.

It looked like cyclists were riding through the barriers but with our lack of local knowledge and language skills we took the more cautious option of following the detour signs.

Back on the trail we headed on to Sarrión.

Initially riding passed the Sarrión station we headed back to camp after a refreshment stop in town. Much quieter than our previous night.

The amazing vistas continue with a real dawning of why terracotta is the predominant roofing colour. The exposed hillsides are so rich with it.

We had been passing fields and fields of prickly looking trees with no obvious fruit bearing signs.

Totally stumped by the trees, riding into Albentosa finally resolved this for us.

They are the holm oak which are used for the burgeoning truffle industry in the area.

With a reward of a shorter day we stopped at the only renovated station, Barracas.

It’s setup as a camping area but not just yet. Too early in the season to be open.

We made use of one of the structures available. Perfect shelter for a passing afternoon shower and some gin rummy. Greg’s luck was in that afternoon, I got done at cards!

All set up to camp for the night, the tent fitted just right between the two tables, thinking we’d have the shelter all to ourselves. But no!

A few cars started arriving beside the open paddock next door and out came some very fancy and as it turned out very expensive gear. The local astronomers club were meeting here to take night sky photos, staring after dark, about 10:30pm.

But first they were to have dinner… on the other table in ‘our’ shelter.

It was a bit weird getting ready and going to bed while they were munching on potato chips!!

They left at about 3:30am and the night sky did look amazing we when got up for our usual nighttime pee.

Today also included the hardest detour on route.

The easy descent was followed by a windy back-road detour and then another long steep, steep ascent.

It was hot and felt never ending but as with everything we got there and the pain soon forgotten.

The landscape changed to a greener outlook with olive trees being the feature.

We rode on and on to find a stop for the night. The old railway stations seemed to have disappeared and the ground alongside the trail was too narrow or too slopey to be suitable to pitch a tent.

It turned out to be our biggest ride of the trip, finally ending after 72 kms and nearly 7 hours in the saddle.

Finding a clearing right next to the trail and the outskirts of the Algimia de Alfara township, we called it a day.

Given its exposed position and the number of walkers using the trail behind us we waited as late as we could before putting up the tent.

The trail changes from a railway line to a cycleway for the last 20 kms as we head into València.

It has been fantastic to ride a rail trail, so easy, and see the amazing landscape that would otherwise be hidden from view.

How lucky are we!

But I won’t lie, a shower and a proper bed after 5 days is still very appealing!!

With the washing done, our clothes and us (nearly beyond luxury to be clean!) and we walked the back in the historical centre of València.

We couldn’t resist being in the home of the paella to have dinner out. But were they to be better than Greg’s homemade paella??

Unadventurous me had a mixed seafood vege paella while Greg went all in with the Paella Negra. As the name suggests it’s black, with squid ink, and cooked to be blackened to the pan.

Greg’s verdict… delicious!! Me, Greg’s homemade paella is way better!

With a lot of attractions closed in Mondays, the next day was relatively quiet with a meander through the streets and a look through the Mercat Central.

Definitely the best market we have been in and the fresh anchovies we sampled were outstanding. I’m not an anchovy fan based on what I’ve had in New Zealand but these were a game changer.

And a visit to the Consorci de Museus de la Comunitat, a consortium of museums put together by the regional council.

Our last day was a walk through the city park to the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, housed in 2 outstanding architectural buildings.

I thought the Reina Sofia Palau de les Arts (Opera House) rivalled the Sydney Opera House but Greg thinks Sydney wins hands down.

And the science building was not unspectacular either.

There was so much to see in the science museum. With our limited time The Leonardo de Vinci exhibition was the draw card as was the space exhibit. Both fantastic.

And such fun to test our drawing skills following video instructions to draw Leonardo’s Lady with an Ermine.

With our last stop in València being the Centro de Arte Hortensia Herrero set in the former Valeriola Palace which dates back to 11th century.

It is Hortensia’s private collection, with site-specific contemporary works by world class artists.

We have seen such an amazing array of talent on our trip and this was not to disappoint.

And David Hockney’s exhibition The Four Seasons… it is four videos taken in the same place at Woldgate Woods over the four seasons during 2010-2011, all set in a square room with one video on each wall. Mesmerising!

It’s been a fabulous 10 days but I think it’s time to swim in the Med…

Biked: 277 kms (Total 999 kms)