Skip to content
Cycling through the uninhabited villages of the Sierra de Guara. If you love solitude and cycling, you’ve come to the right place. Throughout the thousands of years of human settlement in Guara, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of places that were inhabited at some point but are now deserted. Settlements that were fundamental to human development in certain periods – thanks to their pastures, hours of sunshine or proximity to water sources, amongst other factors – gradually lost their importance until they bid farewell to their last inhabitants.
ABANDONED VILLAGES IN GUARA
The list of abandoned villages in Guara is very long and, although they are no longer inhabited, they still retain the atmosphere of places that were once central to the lives of many people. Most of the uninhabited villages in Guara were left deserted following the exodus to the cities in the 1960s. There were no roads, no running water in the houses and no telephone; schools were often far away, and even the doctor stopped coming as the inhabitants of the area disappeared.
PLACES WITH MAGIC
Today, there are still a few places where unique buildings remain standing, offering a glimpse into the lives of those who were the last to leave. Villages such as Otín, Nasarre, Used, Azpe, Abellada and Bentué de Nocito (where one house is still open to visitors); others such as Bibán, Miz and Matidero make up a catalogue of what is now the most remote area of the Sierra y los Cañones de Guara Natural Park. Today, it is the hikers, mountain runners and, above all, the cyclists who keep open the paths that were once the arteries along which people and their flocks moved between these villages, which are perfect for exploring on two wheels.
ON THE ROAD ALONG LONELY ROADS
When it comes to abandoned villages and cycling, the first route we recommend is the one known as “Abandoned Villages”. It is a route of just over 31 kilometres with a total elevation gain of 757 metres. Starting from Las Bellostas, it takes us along the paths and tracks that wind through the Gorgas Negras, Mascún and Balced canyons. We’ll pass through Bagüeste, next to its watchtower-church; Nasarre, home to a Romanesque gem; and Otín, a place notable for its enormous oak trees. It’s a route with plenty of track sections, though there are 4 kilometres of trail to add a bit of variety. If you find it too short, I suggest starting in Paúles de Sarsa to complete a 54-kilometre route. At the bottom of the page you’ll find the link to the description, maps and the track.
THE NOCITO VALLEY
Nocito currently has around twenty inhabitants, but thanks to its location at the foot of the north face of Tozal de Guara, and its hostels and rural guesthouses, it serves as a base and starting point for numerous excursions, both on foot and by bike. The route I’m suggesting here is one of the wildest, in every sense of the word, that you can cycle in the Sierra de Guara. On this page, we’ve marked it in black, which distinguishes the toughest routes; in this case, not because of the distance covered, but because of the level of technical skill it demands and the elevation gain involved. We’re talking about the Vuelta a Gabardiella, a 32-kilometre route with a total elevation gain of over 1,000 metres. That’s no mean feat, bearing in mind that there are sections where you’ll have to get off your bike and others where you’ll have to give it your all to keep pedalling.
Even so, if you’re technically up to it, the beauty of the route more than makes up for it. Setting off from Nocito or Lúsera – a village with two open houses that I recommend you visit – you’ll encounter two challenging climbs: the first leading to the Mesón de Sescún, which is also uninhabited, and then on to the Collado de las Paúles. After the Collado de las Paúles, save your energy for a dizzying descent towards the Belsué dam, with plenty of loose stones and a sheer drop right beside the path. In return for this effort, you’ll enjoy almost exclusive access to the Sierra de Gabardiella, the cliffs of Cienfuens and one of the most varied routes you can undertake in Guara.
A FIVE-STAR TOUR
We’re staying put in Nocito, because on this tour of iconic routes through uninhabited villages, the Guara Five Stars is an absolute must. This 31-kilometre route, with a total elevation gain of just over 800 metres, takes you deep into the Sierra y los Cañones de Guara Natural Park, passing through some of the villages I mentioned at the start.
These are the places the Guara Five Stars route passes through: Nocito, the Sanctuary of San Úrbez, Bentué de Nocito, Used, the Used Ravine, Azpe, Bara and Can de Used. And out of all these places of interest, I simply can’t recommend just one. Bear in mind that although there are two stretches of road, totalling 9 kilometres, the rest is a footpath with a few very short sections of track. Take everything you need and don’t expect to meet anyone other than your group and the odd person with similar interests to yours. Enjoy this setting, which seems frozen in time in the mid-20th century, and keep it a secret that here, in the Sierra de Guara, there are exclusive spots where time has stood still and there is no rush, no noise and no pollution.
As always, I invite you to take a look at all the route suggestions we have on the website, which we’re constantly updating thanks to the experiences of cyclists and travellers who tell us what they discover on each trip.
USEFUL LINKS
Abandoned Villages Route: https://bguara.com/ruta/rally/pueblos-abandonados/
Return to Gabardiella: https://bguara.com/ruta/enduro/vuelta-a-gabardiella/
Guara Five Stars: https://bguara.com/ruta/enduro/guara-five-stars/
