Because sometimes the best part of the trip comes when you get lost.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I… I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference.” ( “Two roads diverged in a forest and I, I took the one less travelled. And that made the difference." ) .
As these lines from the poem The road not taken, by Robert Frost, sometimes it is more accurate to let go and get lost on unexplored paths , itineraries that are not usually the recommended ones, but that reveal places that are worth the detour.
Looking for the mountains in Gran Canaria offers landscapes like this
**CO-4: FROM COVADONGA TO THE LAKES (CANGAS DE ONÍS, ASTURIAS) **
Important: go with your eyes wide open if you do not want to brake suddenly so as not to run over clueless pedestrians who do not know what the traffic regulations are about... We are referring to the around 5,000 cows that populate slopes, valleys and meadows of this little piece of Picos de Europa.
It is approximately 11.5 kilometers along the CO-4 until you reach the Enol and La Ercina lakes (at 1,000 meters of altitude), 11.5 kilometers that become pleasantly eternal due to the tranquility that the place transmits. Animals grazing placidly and shelters for shepherds. The stop is essential, and by the way the photo for Instagram, from the Picota viewpoint, also known as Entrelagos, as it is right between Enol and La Ercina.
To go up in our own car it is important to bear in mind that there are traffic restrictions in high season (Easter, long weekends and summer) and that it is only possible to access the area before 08:00 or after 08:00 p.m. During the day you can get on local taxis and buses.
An arrival at the lakes so spectacular
**HU-631: ORDESA AND MONTE PERDIDO NATIONAL PARK (HUESCA) **
The Anisclo Canyon It is one of the most spectacular enclaves in the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park, in the Huesca Pyrenees. It stretches for around 25 kilometres, following the course of the Bellós river, and can be covered both on foot (at least part of the route) and by car, following the HU-631.
The views you will find will leave you speechless, with deep gorges and limestone walls of great height, pools and waterfalls that emerge and disappear along the way. On one side and on the other, large forests of birch and beech trees.
A-7000: MOUNTAINS OF MALAGA
Any given autumn Sunday on the Costa del Sol has the flavor of fried eggs and potatoes, chorizo and loin, black pudding and pepper. This is the typical dish of the Montes de Málaga, an authentic 'delicatessen' that can be tasted in any of the inns and restaurants that wind the hard shoulder of the A-7000, the road that once connected the Malaga coast with Granada.
These 31 kilometers connect the capital with Colmenar, crossing the Natural Park of the Montes de Málaga, which gives the road a unique attraction , with a sea of pine forests on one side and the other of the road. It has the occasional section of special leafiness, with chestnut trees, walnut trees, poplars, ash trees and strawberry trees that barely let you see the sky.
The Añisclo canyon leaves prints like this
MA-2141: SA CALOBRA (MALLORCA)
In total, 13 kilometers that start from the northwest of Soller and that take us to one of the best coves in Mallorca, Sa Calobra. It is not especially steep but it is especially curvilinear, with 12 curves of 180 degrees and one of 360.
Part of the MA-10, between the town of Escorca and the Gorg Blau reservoir and it is quite narrow, with no dividing line in the center. In high season, when Mallorca is practically taken over by tourism, driving can be complicated. Patience, pay attention to the wheel and enjoy the road.
This may not be the first time you've seen MA-2141. The Wachowski brothers took her to the movies in the movie Cloud Atlas.
**GC-60: FROM MASPALOMAS TO TEJEDA (GRAN CANARIA) **
If the beaches of the Canary Island are impressive, the mountain landscapes of Gran Canaria are no less majestic. The GC-60 allows us to verify in situ the well-deserved spectacular nature of its summits. It starts from the dunes of Maspalomas and reaches Tejeda, a route that must be done slowly huh?
To travel its around 55 kilometers it can take an hour and a half or two hours. It is a mountain road with which to train driving skills. Curve to the left, to the right, to one side, to the other... The reward makes you forget any dizziness: Roque Nublo, the second highest peak in Gran Canaria (1,700 meters above sea level), and a natural viewpoint which is reached through a very well marked and easily accessible path. Those who dare to go one step further can dare with the Snow Peak , the top of the island (1,956 meters above sea level).
VIEWS in Gran Canaria
**N-110: JERTE VALLEY (CACERES) **
From Plasencia to Tornavacas, in the heart of the Jerte Valley, we find another of the most beautiful secondary roads in Spain, the N-110. In this case, it should be noted that The best time of year to live this experience is spring, between the months of March and April, when the around two million cherry trees in the region are in bloom.
The first impression caused by the picture is that of a snowy field and the beauty of the landscape has become so famous that Google searches for the 'Valle del Jerte' practically double when the flowering of the trees approaches.
Taking advantage of the getaway, it is worth getting lost to get to know some of the 11 towns that make up the Association of Municipalities of Valle del Jerte. Tornavacas, Cabezuela del Valle, Valdastillas, El Piornal and Rebollar are my essentials.
GI-682: FROM TOSSA DE MAR TO SANT FELIU DE GUÍXOLS
It is said that it is the most beautiful road in Catalonia and it is probably not an exaggeration, it is worth the redundancy. Cliffs that give unparalleled views of the Mediterranean on a route of approximately 21 kilometers, with 365 curves and the possibility of stopping at the viewpoints that we will find along the way.
Once we get to Sant Feliu, let's not miss the opportunity to discover the monastery of Porta Ferrada , considered one of the best preserved Romanesque buildings in the world.
By car through the heart of Jerte