So, La Corraliza, huh? What is it, gravel or mountain biking? Do you need a lot of experience to do it? Will I run out of water during the trip? Where can I find shops and bars? Can I camp? And if I don't want to camp, where can I sleep? What time of year is best? Are there any special precautions I should take?

This section aims to answer these questions and give you an overview of what La Corraliza is like, so you can better plan your trip and avoid any surprises.

Difficulty of the route
Compared to other mountain biking and gravel routes, La Corraliza is not particularly difficult. The surfaces you will be riding on are farm and forest roads, very minor roads, some sections of national or regional roads, and a couple of short trails. The two most difficult sections can be avoided by downloading the alternative routes I have suggested. As for the elevation gain, there are no major mountain passes like those found in the Pyrenees, for example. These are the main climbs you will encounter on La Corraliza:

• Climb to Armillas from Vivel del Río Martín: 5.7 km, 256 m+.

• Ascent to Cortes from the Seco River: 4.8 km 234 m+.

• Puerto de Rudilla (road): 2.2 km 99 m+.

• Ascent to the Sierra de Arcos from Ariño: 5.8 km 349 m+.

• Ascent to the Sierra de San Just from Montalbán: 13 km 684 m+.

• Puerto de Majalinos (road): 7.7 km 319 m+.

• Ascent to Alto de San Cristobal from Montoro de Mezquita: 8.8 km 560 m+.

I think the greatest difficulty of the route lies in the condition of the tracks and paths, especially if there has been heavy rain. But we all know what the weather has been like lately, with extreme weather events becoming more frequent... And the condition of the trails leads us to the eternal debate. Which bike is best?

Gravel or MTB
In La Corraliza, you can find, in the same stretch, the perfect gravel path, stones, deep ruts, and occasionally mud. Nothing extraordinary for what is common in the most rugged parts of the Iberian Peninsula. The ideal bike will depend on your past experience and your endurance. If you have done routes such as Montañas Vacías, Montsec Bikepacking Loop, or CAT700 on gravel, you will have no problem doing La Corraliza without hardly getting off your bike. If you do it on a gravel bike, I recommend a minimum (real) tire width of between 40 and 42 mm, with some tread. I personally started gravel biking on these trails with 47 mm tires with a lot of tread, and I ended up with 42 mm and minimal tread. But if you're concerned about this and prefer to ride more comfortably, then don't hesitate, go for a mountain bike.

Non-stop or in stages
Again, personal preferences and experience are what matter. I'm sure Lachlan Morton could do La Corraliza in one go on a city bike and in flip-flops without breaking a sweat. Personally, I think extreme non-stop cycling has little to do with cycle touring, so my recommendation is to plan your trip to take at least three days. In fact, I've put together a set of seven stages for those who like to travel at a leisurely pace and want to entertain themselves with a bit of sightseeing. But again, what matters is personal preference. If you're into non-stop cycling, go for it!

Camping and/or bivouacking
You will not be passing through any protected areas or natural parks during the route, so you can camp or bivouac without any problems, always within the limits of itinerant camping. You can check the current regulations in Spain at this article: “Wild camping in Spain, is it forbidden? Where and how can I do it?”. The website Con Alforjas also has a very useful article on free camping in general in Spain.

One last tip: along the route you will find lots of abandoned corrals and even some shepherds' shelters, usually in disuse. I do not recommend using them as shelter, as there is a very real danger that the roof could collapse on you.

Where to eat and sleep
In the Services section, you will find a list of all the accommodation and hospitality options along the route. You can sort them by town and type, and I have included email addresses and websites as well as at least one contact telephone number. La Corraliza passes through numerous towns, and in almost all of them there is at least one “teleclub” or social bar. However, in small towns, they may not be open every day or at all hours. If you know you are going to be passing through and want to eat or drink, be sure to call ahead and let them know. You will be doing yourself and them a favor.

In my seven-stage proposal for La Corraliza, all stages end in a town that has at least a hostel, guesthouse, or hotel. You will see that there are numerous rural houses on the list, but many of them only take reservations for “entire houses,” and sometimes for at least two or more nights. Find out before planning your trip. In the near future, I want to add circular routes so that they are more compatible with this type of accommodation.

In small villages, it is less likely to find shops, although the “multi-service” formula is becoming more widespread, which includes a shop and sometimes a bar-restaurant and even accommodation. I hope that this system will develop further and bring a little life to these villages, making them more attractive to travelers like us.

As for water, you won't be covering long distances between towns, and in all of them you'll find at least one fountain. Therefore, if you can carry between 1 and 2 liters of liquids, even in the hottest seasons, you don't have to worry about running out of water.

Health centers and pharmacies
You will find public health centers in Utrillas, Muniesa, Ariño, and Andorra. You will also find pharmacies in Utrillas, Martín del Río, Huesa del Común, Muniesa, Ariño, Andorra, Alloza, Oliete, Estercuel, Montalbán, Palomar de Arroyos, Ejulve, Aliaga, and Escucha. In addition, and as should be standard practice when bikepacking, always carry a small first aid kit with sterile gauze, medical adhesive tape, elastic bandages, painkillers, single-dose saline solution for cleaning wounds, and even quick stitches.

When to go
In general, the same criteria apply as for the rest of the Iberian Peninsula when it comes to bikepacking: it is best to avoid the midsummer heat (between mid-July and mid-August). The best times are between March and mid-June and then from mid-August to mid-October. During these months, temperatures are less extreme and there are more hours of sunlight available. However, the climate here is a kind of Mediterranean climate with continental touches, and the average altitude of the route is around 1000 m. This means that even if it is not winter, you may be surprised by a hailstorm in the mountains that can leave you on the verge of hypothermia. Always dress in layers, and always have a windbreaker, vest, and/or arm warmers and even leg warmers on hand, as well as a raincoat. Keep in mind that heat waves are becoming more common, even in May or from the second half of August onwards, a time when the heat in this area was traditionally less intense. But we live in a world where we have to reckon with increasingly extreme weather conditions, so... get informed and come prepared. By the way, the night skies in this area are wonderful for stargazing. On a new moon night, without clouds, after a while, when your eyes have adjusted... you will feel the immensity of the universe, it is a joy.

It goes without saying, but...
Leave only your tire tracks behind! Gel wrappers, energy bars, old cameras, a broken tire lever... Take everything you brought with you back home. You will have the opportunity to dispose of all your waste in every town you pass through. Refrain from making fires, even with a camping stove. This is not a remote route, so you will be able to eat hot meals every day. Neither the extra weight nor the risk of fire is worth it in this case. Along the route, you will find a couple of places (or more, this may vary) where the path is blocked by a fence to prevent livestock from escaping. Since the entire route follows public roads, the fence can be opened and closed, so be sure to leave it closed! And if you pass near livestock (usually cows, bulls, and/or calves), use common sense: if you can avoid disturbing them, all the better, and if not, proceed slowly and carefully. In the case of sheep, they will be accompanied by a shepherd and may block the path, so be patient with them.