The best cycling routes around Jerte

Usually cozy here, but today deserted.

Very close to the Béjar Greenway, ideal for cyclists and hikers who follow the old railway line. Cuisine: Mediterranean and Spanish, with grilled meats, tapas, and traditional dishes. Specialties: Grilled meats (T-bone steak, Iberian pork shoulder). Burgers (including Wagyu). A variety of tapas, croquettes, and salads. Fresh fish and homemade stews.

Even though this small sacred monument isn't located on the classic Way of St. James through northern Spain, in light of the wayside cross standing here, some thoughts by Hape Kerkeling might be helpful as inspiration. The entertainer, who is particularly famous in Germany, walked the Camino Frances in 2001 and kept a diary, which was published under the title "Ich bin dann mal weg" (I'm off then). In it, he describes his personal encounter with God along the way as follows: "Yesterday, something inside me struck a huge gong. And the sound will reverberate. Sooner or later, this path shakes everyone to their very foundations. I know the sound will slowly fade, but if I listen carefully, I'll be able to hear this reverberation for a very long time to come."

Easy bike ride. Beautiful nature and views. Hervas is a nice and beautiful city. Bike path on old railway line easily passable. Tunnel was lit (but slippery clay soil with hard grooves, so be careful).

Located in the north of the province of Cáceres, the port of Honduras provides spectacular views of the two large valleys it connects: the Ambroz valley and the Jerte valley. From both Gargantilla and Cabezuela del Valle, hikers can avoid the road and crown this pass along trails and dirt tracks that are part of the GR 10.

Aldeanueva del Camino is another market town or road street, developed by the passage of the large transhumant herds that traveled through the northwest of the peninsula twice a year looking for the best pastures. And at the same time serving the pilgrims and travelers who have traveled along the Vía de la Plata for centuries. The facades have wooden arcades and balconies filled with flower pots, there are medieval bridges and stone fountains. The route connects with the Camino de Santiago at the Garganta Buitrera bridge, of Roman origin, and heads towards Plasencia for the Jacobean pilgrims. The exit from the town is easy through some gardens and immediately passes through the highway tunnel and enters the Vía de la Plata or Vizana livestock route. The time has come to test your gravel riding skills and patience. In reality there are only about 300 complicated meters, they are downhill and it is a very broken dirt track, with stones, ditches and some simple steps, 100% cyclable with care. And then the route continues through the pastoral ravine on an uncomplicated dirt road until the last hundred meters before exiting to the N-630, where we had to remove some brambles because they blocked the path. This loop along the Jacobean route is worth it to cycle through the great peasant plateau of the Llanos de la Jarilla, gliding through beautiful pastures of cork oaks and holm oaks. The best moment is when the Roman city of Cáparra and the famous arch of four pillars appear, a jewel of Roman architecture unique in Spain. The monument has a particular attraction and has become one of the symbols of the Vía de la Plata. The passage through the arch is spoiled by the fences that separate the Jacobean route from the rest of the archaeological site, but it remains a fundamental milestone in one of the most notable historical routes in Spain. The path continues parallel to the paved Roman road, crosses a small hill and turns to the left to begin the end of the journey through Oliva de Plasencia, the town of crochet, in the streets there are benches, trees, fountains, characters, monuments and crowds. of elements decorated with crochet. At the exit of the town you have to take a farm road to the left of the pools and go down some barren hills to the valley of the Garganta de la Oliva. The lane passes through a farmhouse and finally climbs to the route of the Nature Trail. The return to Plasencia follows the route through the spectacular Jerte River bridge and the San Lázaro tunnel.

Stage 2. Béjar/Plasencia 80.1 kilometers. 730 positive meters. The route leaves the Béjar station through a curved tunnel with automatic artificial lighting that passes under the historic complex, where the main monuments and buildings are located around the Plaza Mayor, the Doge's Palace, the churches and the streets with a medieval atmosphere. The route passes through another tunnel that ends in a small gorge, with climbing routes, and leaves the Corpus de Hombre river valley towards the Navalmoral de Béjar pastures, where the conditioning of the natural path ends. The last kilometer to the town still has the rails of the road but it can be easily reached by pedaling to the town. At the entrance you turn towards the town and at the first intersection you have to turn left again to go down towards the Camino de Santiago. Immediately the Béjar road appears, you must continue on the right, pass the Calzada de Béjar detour and 400 meters later the yellow arrows of the Jacobean route appear marking the Vía de la Plata to Astorga. The gravel journey continues in the opposite direction to the indication of the arrows and at many intersections it is difficult to see the signs because they are painted so that they are useful in the opposite direction, towards Santiago de Compostela. The path runs through a stretch of land and reaches the beautiful street on the way to Calzada de Béjar. At the entrance there is a pilgrim fountain and a sealing place, but the pilgrim hostel is at the end of the town. The street has facades typical of the popular architecture of the region, with stone and wood arcades and balconies, adapted to the centuries-old passage of migrating herds and the active commerce generated by the Vía de la Plata. The descent to the valley of the Body of Man River follows the original layout of the medieval road and there is a section with stones but it is easy to navigate slowly. And then the dirt road continues parallel to the Montemayor del Río highway. In this section you could go along the road to the Malena bridge, losing the possibility of seeing the original milestones that are on the Camino de Santiago. The milestones marked the distance of the Roman roads, in this section there are several but they have been moved and do not coincide exactly with the original “miles”. The Sinforiano milestone is first, indicating mile 135, and then the Malena milestone appears, at the entrance to the medieval bridge that spans the Corpus de Hombre river. Mile 134 is about 200 meters after passing the bridge, at another milestone that is part of the wall of a farm. At the Malena bridge the hardest climb of the route begins, the slope is steep and there are sections with loose stones that require patience, grinding technique and good legs. The oak and chestnut forest and the beautiful rural environment help a lot to overcome the slope. The climb ends in Puerto de Béjar but it is not yet time to connect with the Vía de la Plata railway route. The route continues along the Camino de Santiago towards Baños de Montemayor and goes down a modern cobblestone built on the original one of the medieval itinerary. The views of the Ambroz Valley are fantastic. At the entrance to Baños de Montemayor the track leaves the urban complex on the right and continues along the La Garganta road to climb the Natural Path, right where the rest area and the stone fountain are. The bikepacking adventure continues through familiar terrain on the old railroad track. The slope is favorable, the bicycles fly along the side of the mountain, they pass by the Hervás station and one kilometer before the Aldeanueva del Camino station you have to take a detour to the right to enter the urban complex and connect again with the Camino de Santiago.

Aldeanueva del Camino is another market town or road street, developed by the passage of large transhumant herds that twice a year traveled through the northwest of the peninsula looking for the best pastures. And at the same time serving the pilgrims and travelers who have traveled the Vía de la Plata for centuries. The facades have arcades and wooden balconies full of pots, there are medieval bridges and stone fountains. The route connects with the Camino de Santiago at the Garganta Buitrera bridge, of Roman origin, and heads towards Plasencia for the Jacobean pilgrims. The exit from the town is easy through some gardens and immediately passes through the highway tunnel and enters the Vía de la Plata or Vizana cattle track.