After trying my hand at a mini version of the Dakar Rally, another unexpected treat lay a few miles up the road in the shape of the N420 to Cuenca. If this road wasn’t going to be enough to make today a good driving day, then the A23 motorway from Zaragoza to Teruel certainly was a great hors d’oeuvres to the main course!
How can a motorway drive be enjoyable? It’s surely the worst way to see a country, and in that respect this motorway was no different from any other. But what sets it apart from every motorway I’ve driven in England was the lack of traffic, lack of roadworks and lack of a poor surface. In those hundred miles I’d be surprised if I saw 50 vehicles on my carriageway, no roadworks and a billiard table smooth surface. I would go for mile after mile without seeing anything else, could you imagine such a scenario on a motorway in England, surely not? I therefore arrived at my planned stop fairly relaxed, which was just as well as things were about to change.
Just west of Teruel is Rambla Barrachina, a place I’d earmarked as a ‘must visit’. The very narrow turning from the main road onto a dusty track made me a little cautious, but I had previously viewed the turning on Google Street View, had I not then I would surely have missed it. The satnav did a surprisingly good job and I recklessly put my trust in it. Had I been driving anything with a ground clearance more than that of a dachshund then I have no doubt I could’ve tootled along with gay abandon. But to avoid a visit to Lloyd’s bodyshop on my return, I had to carefully plot a route less likely to create scraping noises from Herman the German’s belly, there was no escape without a scrape, but only underneath.
I made a good decision to park up where I did and continue my exploratory mission on foot. The incredible colours of the rocks really drew me in, it was still cold, maybe around 0c and there was frost on the plants hidden from the sun’s rays. I scrambled up some small hills to get better vantage points and this was when I wished I’d brought my grippy off-road trainers. Walking on the fells in my home county I always wear the appropriate footwear but I only had my ‘road trainers’ with me on this trip and consequently grip on the loose surfaces was poor to non existent. Going up is always easier, coming down I ended up using the 3-point method – two feet and my backside. But I eventually returned to the car unscathed and left with very fond memories of being in such a remarkable natural environment.
Once back on a proper road it was west to Cuenca on what I can only describe as one/two of my now favourite roads. Firstly the N330 squeezes between dramatic sandstone gorges and no frills villages which I could imagine will be baking hot during the summer months. Turning right at Torrebaja I joined what must be a hooligan’s paradise, a 70 mile private race track! It was unbelievable for pretty much every reason a driver or biker would want. Wide 2 or 3 lanes of smooth road surface that undulates on a scale that makes the A6 over Shap seem like a bump in the road. Some great bends and barely another vehicle to be seen, no speed cameras nor police (will check my post when I’m home) and seriously, the 90kph speed limit could be doubled in places, not that I did of course, honestly officer.
All in all it turned out to be another day where I did too much of everything. Arriving at Cuenca I walked much further than I intended and returned to my hotel in no fit state to party all night, but today will be logged under the ‘very enjoyable’ heading.
