Spain’s Forgotten Trails: A Mountain Biking Renaissance Revitalizes Rural Communities
Aínsa, Aragón – In a stunning reversal of fortune, Spain’s most remote regions are finding new life, not through traditional industry, but through the wheels of mountain bikes. A grassroots movement to restore ancient trails is attracting international adventurers and injecting much-needed economic vitality into communities facing decades of depopulation. This is breaking news for anyone interested in sustainable tourism, adventure travel, and the power of rediscovering our past.
From Shepherd Paths to World-Class Bike Trails
For centuries, the mountain trails of Spain served as vital links between villages, routes for hunters and shepherds, and even clandestine paths for smugglers. But as Spain modernized, these trails fell into disuse, swallowed by vegetation and forgotten by time. Today, a dedicated group of trail builders, many hailing from outside Spain, are meticulously resurrecting these historic routes, transforming them into a world-class network for mountain biking, hiking, and trail running.
The “Miracle of Aínsa” and the Power of Rediscovery
The story begins in Aínsa, a town in the Sobrarbe region of Aragón. Ángel Cheliz, a local mountain biker, and his friends weren’t content with the existing forest tracks. They craved something more – a playful, aesthetic challenge. “In this region there is no gold, but trails,” Cheliz explains. Their initial efforts to clear forgotten paths for their own enjoyment quickly gained traction. Word spread, and soon, riders from Belgium, the Netherlands, England, the US, and Australia were flocking to Sobrarbe to experience the unique terrain.
What makes this revival particularly remarkable is the origin of the trails themselves. Many were remnants of a bygone era, connecting towns that were abandoned due to government policies promoting emigration in the mid-20th century. Remarkably, Cheliz and his team utilized aerial photographs taken in 1956 by the US military – commissioned during the Cold War to scout potential base locations – to locate and map these lost pathways. “Spain was an agricultural country then, and everything was like a garden. The roads can be seen perfectly in those photos,” Cheliz says.
Building a Sustainable Future, One Trail at a Time
The impact on Sobrarbe has been dramatic. The population, which plummeted to just 6,000 in 1980 from over 23,000 in 1960, has rebounded to 7,700. But the work is far from over. Maintaining 1,200 kilometers of marked trails requires constant effort, funded through a combination of subsidies, corporate sponsorships (like Orbea, a bicycle manufacturer), and volunteer labor.
Trail builders like Eduardo Moreno in the Benasque valley and Carlos Cuezva in La Rioja are pioneering different approaches. Cuezva, utilizing heavy machinery and expertise gained from European trail building leaders, focuses on creating high-quality, accessible routes. “We create fewer kilometers of trails, but that they are of quality. That is, to create routes that people want to repeat,” he emphasizes. He highlights the need for trails that cater to all skill levels, recognizing that many potential riders are intimidated by overly challenging terrain.
The Soul of the Trail: Hand-Built vs. Machine-Made
A key debate within the Spanish trail building community centers around the methods used. While machine-built trails offer efficiency, many, like Cheliz, champion the slow, methodical approach of hand-built trails. “They have no soul, unlike the roads of Sobrarbe that have been traveled for decades on foot, with mules, with oxen…” he argues. Dani Terrise, a national reference, has created nearly 100 kilometers of bike paths in Tremp (Lleida) over the last decade, largely through manual labor.
A National Plan is Needed
Javi García, founder of Unusual Projects, a tourism consultancy, believes a national strategic plan is crucial. “We need a strategic plan for mountain biking in rural areas, and this has to be understood in Madrid,” he asserts. He envisions a Spanish network of mountain biking destinations, supported by dedicated forestry crews and consistent funding. “If we do not manage to channel all our efforts into the creation, recovery and maintenance of well-used trails and mountain bike centers, we will have lost a great opportunity to generate work and services.”
Spain’s transformation from a country losing its rural heritage to a burgeoning mountain biking destination is a testament to the power of vision, dedication, and a deep respect for the land. It’s a story of rediscovering the past to build a more sustainable and vibrant future – a future that’s attracting adventurers and revitalizing communities, one trail at a time. For those seeking authentic experiences and breathtaking landscapes, Spain is quickly becoming the place to be. Explore more inspiring travel destinations and sustainable tourism initiatives at archyde.com.
