Camino del Cid, Prt. 2

Route: Molina de Aragon -Checa – Orihuela del Tremedal. – Teruel – Sagunto – Valencia

This trip will be remembered as a rainy and cloudy one, almost from the start weeks ago, till now towards the end.  It wasn’t raining, entering Molina de Aragon, but can’t say it was nice, balmy weather either, which you would expect this time of year.  I passed through this place once before in 2016, on my off-road trip from Hondarribia at the Atlantic in the north of Spain, to Cartegana at the Mediterranean in the south of the country.  All about that trip here.

Entering Molina de Aragon.
Molina de Aragon.
Molina de Aragon.
Looking back towards Molina de Aragon, as the rain resumes.

Upon leaving Molina de Aragon, it started raining again.  Now to a point I start to get fed up by it.  But, we can only continue.

So cycling I do, but it is actually just passing by places.  There are spectacular viewpoints like Megina, or the impressive rock formations near Chequilla, all that with beautiful autumn colors…. if only there would be a blue sky.

There’s a small shop in Checa, where I can buy some provisions again.  I eat them at the bench at the town’s entrance.  Crossing into Teruel province, I may change province, but not weather.

Mirador Chequilla in the natural park Alto Tajo.
The village Chequilla. In the foreground were some beautiful yellow birch trees, those rocks looked spectacular.
Entering Teruel
Orihuela del Tremedal located in the Sierra de Albaracin region was declared a historic site in 1972.
Orihuela del Tremedal. The construction of the church of San Millán de la Cogolla seen in the distance began in 1770.

It was about time to discover Teruel now, the city I bypassed six weeks ago.  Main characteristic for me were the red brick towers in town.  There’s a very lively square and also the largest Irish pub in the world dedicated to the band U2 where I enjoyed a few lovely pints of Guinness.  

From Teruel, it was basically the same way back as I came towards Sagunto on the Via Verde de Ojos Negros.  Only this time going slowly down. Getting closer to the coast, the weather finally got better, and temperatures were rising again.

I found a nice last camping spot before the ride into Sagunto, where I booked a hotel. Had a short look at the beach over here before riding back toValencia the next day from where I took a train back home.

Via Verde de Ojos Negros north of Teruel.
Catedral de Santa María de Mediavilla in Teruel. The tower is in ‘Mudéjar’ style, erected in 1257 and one of the oldest Mudéjar towers in Spain. The lantern tower in the back was designed in 1537. Since 1986 it’s a Unesco World Heritage site.
My hotel room’s inner wall was part of the outer wall of the tower.
Plaza Carlos Castel, Teruel. It’s the hearth of the town with modernist buildings and the Fuente (fountain) del Torico.
Sign outside the Irish Pub.
Inside Flanagans, the worlds largest thematic pub dedicated to the Irish band U2.
Back on the Via Verde de Ojos Negros, now south of Teruel.
There still is a train line running between Teruel and the coast, often parallel to the old line turned into the greenway now.
I had to wait till the last night in the tent to finally have a nice, warm evening and morning after some time.
Sometimes, you can dream of being back in Australia again.

So that was it, after 6 weeks and 2.800 km I’m back home, planning future adventures.

3 thoughts on “Camino del Cid, Prt. 2”

  1. Hi Koen, the surroundings look good enough, some spots are very beautiful but I can hear through every sentence that the cold and rain and clouds are bothering you. It almost sounds like you had no choice, as if someone forced you to go (hahahahaha!) But I agree that such weather can make or break a trip.

    The clocktower is a pearl. Imagine that without all the other buildings around it!

    We have the same straps from De Kampeerder!

    Will you drink the beer inside the pub? I can not imagine you do.

    Greetings Cindy

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    1. No, no, nobody forces me.
      Being on a bike trip in bad weather is still a much better life than sitting in an office under artificial light while the sun is shining outside 🙂
      Where did you see my ‘De Kampeerder’ Straps ? 😀
      I always carry them with, they come in handy once in a while.

      Of course I drank the beer in the Irish pub in Teruel.
      I found again an Irish pub in Albacete last week, so had to go in. Love Irish pubs.

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  2. I saw the straps on the header photo, recognized them immediately! I think I went into an outdoor shop for the first time in my life when I started Interrail travel with a friend. That shop was de Kampeerder.

    Are pubs not too loud for you? Geo likes Irish pubs too. I not. I won’t go in : )

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