THE TRAIL
Hidden in the shadows of the Spanish Pyrenees sits a small town with a copious supply of world-class mountain bike trails. Welcome to Ainsa, known by mountain bikers as Zona Zero, with 550 km of trails ranging from easy to ultra. Ainsa is a European Geology Park, with an amazing variety of landscapes including glaciated mountains and karst canyons.
Your first ride will be the loop around the Peña Montañesa, the most popular circuit in the area and an emblematic outcrop of the Pre-Pyrenees. This long rocky mountain offers magnificent views of some of the main peaks of the Pyrenees from the south. A highlight will be the ride up to La Collada , the famous pass between Peña Montañesa and Peña Solana, the highest point of the entire circuit at 1552m. La Collada is a beautiful place that makes one forget all the effort required to get there. You’ll have remote views of the Monte Perdido and its canyonland in an extensive panorama. It’s a special sort of feeling after such a big mountain day like this: one part fatigue, one part adrenaline, and one part satisfaction.
On your second day in the Ainsa valley, you will bike through the striking Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, an undisputed highlight of the Pyrenees. In 1997 it was made a world heritage site by Unesco. This park contains the showcase valleys of Ordesa and Anisclo. The Ordesa Canyon is the most famous with cliffs rising over 800m on each side while Monte Perdido (3355m) perches majestically at the valley’s end. The name Monte Perdido (meaning ‘lost mountain’) was given because the peak cannot be seen from the French side of the range. An unpaved road from Nerín leads us towards the highest point of the route – Sierra de las Cutas (2200m) – which offers splendid views of the magnificent Ordesa Valley below. But prior to this, you will have tackled the dramatic Añisclo Canyon, which is over 1000m deep and is framed by spectacular high cliffs combined with a narrow, winding valley.
RIDING SURFACE
The Vuelta Peña Montañesa is above all else a physical test: your arms will ache, your back will hurt and your concentration and commitment will be tested to the fullest. General trails around Ainsa are moderately difficult, swoopy rather than scary, although there are some bits where inexperienced riders will be advised to walk. We will cover all the skills you need to enjoy these big, fun, and sometimes high-tech, mountain trails.
AVERAGE MILEAGE
Expect 55km and 1.550 m elevation gain for the ‘Vuelta Peña Montañesa’ and an optional extra 15km to the foot of the Anisclo Canyon. For the Ordesa Canyon ride, we can arrange to suit all levels of ability, from at least 35km (1500m) to about 70km (2.500m).
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VVR registration nr. 9733
© BEYOND BIKING, 2015