Aljarafe & Via de la Plata route

As you ride away from the road, leaving dusty trails, time passes more slowly. You will be far from traffic and the madding crowd. In the absence of asphalt you find yourself, you, the bike and a magnificent natural setting alone. This simple route on broad, pleasant tracks leads you from the traffic jams of the capital to the first elevations of the Sierra Morena, a short journey of initiation into the world of dual-purpose riding, an experience that reveals the natural treasures that lie hidden beyond the asphalt line. This route combines landscapes and plenty of kilometres in the northwest of the province of Seville, with the Sierra Morena as a backdrop and water as the star attraction: an area brimming with streams and reservoirs between the villages of Guillena and El Ronquillo.

The Water Route begins in the town of Camas (stop 1). On the way up to Valencina de la Concepción, you will take the compacted gravel road that accompanies the pipe that carries drinking water to the capital. In the first few kilometres you will have to watch out for potholes and ditches created by rain, as well as for sportspeople walking, riding horses or cycling. The route skirts the Aljarafe, opening out towards the plain, with some winding stretches and poor visibility. As you advance, and with the village of Gerena in sight (stop 2), the track stretches out with clear straights and a good surface.

From this point on, the crop fields give way to meadow. Sunflower, wheat and cotton give way to holm oaks, cork oaks and kermes oaks. The track, which is again winding, has two narrow passes where motorbikes with suitcases may have problems. To avoid them, you can follow the marked detour section, covering 6 kilometres of road. After crossing the A-66, you will have to slow down and pay attention to various concrete fords that allow water to pass, but which are not very visible.

Halfway through, the route the track changes drastically. You then follow the Cordel de la Cruz de la Mujer, a broad and fast unpaved road, which will accompany you until the end of the route, ascending the foothills of the Sierra Morena among livestock farms. Be sure to concentrate during the storm season, since there are ditches formed by the rainwater. You should also take care with the series of bends that descend to the Guillena counter-dam, which well deserves its nickname “La Culebra” (“The Snake”) (stop 3).

After crossing the Rivera de Huelva riverbed, the track ascends again with several 180º hairpins. You will ride past fighting bulls until you reach the Cala reservoir, better known as Lagos del Serrano (stop 4), a good place to have a break and sample the cuisine of this part of the Sierra Morena. This land’s game, also known as bush meat, is the main ingredient of an enormous list of dishes that traditionally eaten in an endless succession of tapas. The most notable dishes include rabbit, partridge, venison and wild boar, as well as Iberian cold meats and Serrano ham products -chorizo, ham, pork loin-, stews and rice dishes with gurumelos (mushrooms). After recharging your batteries, you continue along a short stretch of road to El Ronquillo, where the route ends (stop 5). It is worth taking a walk along the nearby Vía Verde de El Ronquillo (El Ronquillo Greenway) and the Embalse de la Minilla reservoir (stop 6).

Guillena counter-dam. This engineering work dams the course of the Ribera del Huelva and supplies drinking water to the city of Seville. Its rugged landscape amidst meadows will impress you, with lust Mediterranean vegetation and eucalyptus forests. Located a stone’s throw from the capital, it is an oasis of peace.