Ian has been riding in this beautiful area of northern Spain for over 20 years… but on the latest Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+, it’s a whole different experience.
Words & photography: Ian Kerr MBE
The areas of the Picos de Europa and the Asturias region in northern Spain have become favourites of those seeking smooth Tarmac and challenging, but brilliant, motorcycle roads… not to mention good weather. The areas are generally motorcycle friendly and have diversity that appeals from coastal routes to mountains and, depending on the time of year, are not too hot and humid
For the past 20 years this area has been a regular haunt of mine for two weeks for a classic motorcycle event based in Colombres, just 50 miles from the excellent Brittany Ferries service into Santander.
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Riding with my good friend – and local resident – Phil Butler, I have got to know the roads intimately and now have no need for maps or sat-nav.
Virtually all those trips have been on old classic bikes, lacking in horsepower with skinny, age-related tyres, so it was a very different experience to be on the latest Yamaha Tracer 9 GT+ with all the latest technology.
Although equipped with a full set of panniers and top box, I added an Oxford tail pack to the pillion seat to make life easier when looking for a camera, oversuit, somewhere to put gloves when stopping, and just generally giving me little extra space should I need it.
After a quick cuppa with Phil, it seemed strange to carry on further down the coast to Gijon, making full use of the radar-assisted cruise control on the autovia to start an adventure southwards to Seville along the Roman route of Ruta Via de la Plata, which is probably the Spanish equivalent of Route 66 in the US, albeit running north/south as opposed to east/west.
The ancient ‘stone’ road runs through four regions and seven provinces and takes in many UNESCO world heritage sites along its 800 kilometres. When you look at a map it is basically the N630, which closely follows the original Roman route, or there is the A66 autovia which no doubt many tourists regularly use to get to the south of Spain and Gibraltar. Although the signs on this motorway do call it the Ruta via de la Plata, I doubt any realise the historical significance and the culture that they are missing by using the faster road. Sometimes known as the ‘silver route’, the overarching organisation is a voluntary association made up of cities located on the route to jointly promote tourism, historical, cultural and economic resources along its length. The name derives from the Arabic word balat, which means ‘cobbled path’, and some of the original Roman cobbled road is still evident along the route.
History shows the original Spanish inhabitants used this natural corridor to the west of the country to be able to trade the length of the peninsula and it was the same route that enabled the Romans to advance northwards later in history. The then-primitive road and its natural extensions created a great communication route that allowed not only troops, but also merchants to travel the length of the country when under Roman rule. The route continued to be used over the centuries and played an important role in the communications network of the Iberian Peninsula in the Middle Ages, during the centuries when Muslims and Christians shared territory, economy and culture, and beyond. As I was to find out, all these various people left their mark and made Spain the diverse country it is today.
The timing of my trip was also fortuitous in that my new two-piece Richa rain suit had just arrived, along with a small Alco Sense Pro digital breathalyser. Now, I don’t drink that much at all, but it is always nice to know in the morning that you are clear, and the beauty of this compact device is that it is easily set to the alcohol levels of whatever country you are in, so there is absolutely no guesswork. If you are over the limit, it will tell you how long you need to wait before you set off, so it’s an excellent addition to not only home life, but also touring equipment (www.alocosense.co.uk).
Regarding the rain suit, I really did not think that I was going to test its capabilities, given May should have been warm and sunny, but it got tested more that I would have liked.
Likewise, despite taking Zerofit’s new Coldskin top for riding in higher temperatures, I ended up wearing its award-winning Zerofit Heatrub Ultimate and Move garments aimed at much colder weather (www.zerofit.co.uk).
Arrival at Gijon saw me meeting up with my guide, Quique Arenas, who runs the very successful on-line digital magazine Motoviajeros aimed at the touring rider (www.motoviajeros.es). Well versed in all aspects of the historic route, he had put together daily rides that took in the best of the route as well as linking us up with the various tour guides in the major towns and cities to ensure I got the best insight possible into Spain’s cultural past.
Overnight stops were to be various motorcycle-friendly hotels that have registered with the organisation, and I was issued with one of their passports that you can get stamped along the way. Although the idea is to promote tourism generally, there is a big push to attract motorcyclists to explore the route and Quique runs quite a few motorcycle tours along the route during the year.
First up was a tour of the underground Roman baths located next to the harbour and the starting point (or finishing point depending on your route) of the original road marked by a statue of the Roman emperor Augustus, along with a sign showing that while we might be at sea level there were some big climbs for the next few days on the way down south.
A quick dash to the hotel (with secure underground parking) before a decent meal specialising in the local dishes saw the end of the first day.
Before leaving Gijon, it was a tour of the original Roman camp at Torres to see the size of encampment and how important the port was to the Romans. Interestingly, it is still a major port for the import and export of coal.
It was then a case of heading south towards La Pola de Gordon and our overnight stop at the Hostal Fontanan, which was an amazing place to spend the night. On the way the route took us through Morcin and Riosa with a quick look around a village with over 100 elevated Horrero buildings.
Although the day started fine, if not particularly warm, by the time we had climbed up the mountains and crossed from Asturias into Leon at Pajares at 1378 metres we were in thick fog and misty rain with snow lining the tops of the mountains. The temperature was just three degrees with very poor visibility. A flick of the switch to select rain mode on the Yamaha made riding manageable, and the Metzeler Roadtec 02 tyres seemed to relish the slippery going. The active suspension was coping well, and the bike was stable at all speeds and obviously unaffected by the rarer air.
Heavy rain was the order of the following day, and our hostess felt so sorry for us she even sent us off with a packed lunch!
It cleared briefly as we remained high in the mountains, again with snow at the side of the road and three degrees, but it came down heavily again with the Richa suit proving to be totally waterproof even when stood under a waterfall (don’t ask!).
Riding through the gorges of Valdeteja and Vegacervera gave rise to some spectacular views that would have been even more so with better weather, but that is the risk of riding in higher altitudes.
However, by the time we reached Leon, things had improved considerably and the tour round the city, including the amazing cathedral, was well worth the time spent off the bike.
The last part of the day was on to La Beneza to meet up with the guys from the world-famous motorcycle club. Each year they run a race around the town that was once part of the world championships. Having been there a few years ago to watch, it should be a must on any road race fan’s bucket list; you get closer to the action than the Isle of Man TT.
As I was to find out over dinner with the club committee, they are celebrating 70 years and now run a world championship motocross event on a purpose-built track on the outskirts of town. Walls around the town are adorned with murals and, as one might expect, Angel Nieto’s image (13 times a world champion and once a regular competitor at the event) sits high on one building that is adjacent to the track.
The following day I was treated to a tour of their clubhouse situated in an old railway building and jam-packed with memorabilia including signed items from the likes of Phil Read. It was then on to the day’s route over another mountain pass which included a visit to Guijuelo (famous for its ham), lunch at the restaurant El Pasaje, in Candelario, which I cannot rate too highly, before a stop at a motorcycle museum in Hervás.
Housed in eight halls that look more suited to housing ‘Smurfs’, every aspect of travel is showcased from very early horse-drawn vehicles to cars and motorcycles. It is very eclectic, but from a bike perspective, apart from Spanish makes, Italian, UK, French and Belgium machines are scattered through the circular-shaped buildings and there is even a ‘graveyard’ of bikes awaiting restoration. Quirky doesn’t really describe it, but it’s worth the €10 entry fee! (www.museomotoclasica.com)
With the weather improving it was on to Plasencia for more culture and another superb bike-friendly hotel and more local food, again at another motorcycle-friendly establishment which it seems the whole route is just full of!
Moving on, the Monfrague National Park gave us yet more challenging motorcycle roads and a chance to view the black vultures circulating high above the viewpoints before we headed down to Casar de Caceres, famous for its cheese (they even have a cheese museum) before ending the day in Zafra, another town simply bristling with history and culture.
By now we were on the plains and there was less in the way of elevation. It was still very enjoyable riding and the weather had improved, albeit as everyone kept telling us not to the level it should have been, which is why it is always best to be prepared for all eventualities when touring!
Just when I thought we had exhausted spectacular viewpoints, the journey from Zafra to Carmona threw in a few more impressive viewpoints and photo opportunities like the Mirador del Lobo. And any time spent in Carmona absorbing the history is well worth it.
While my guide Quique left the following day for a press launch, I completed the Ruta Via de la Plata and headed into Seville. This is a popular tourist destination, and while I have been there before, it was interesting to take more time to see the history before heading north again to explore a couple of other significant towns we had bypassed on the way down.
The route from Seville took me up through Fuente de Cantos before my overnight stop in Villafranca de los Barros. Although important from a wine producing perspective and its cultural history, my main reason was to visit the museum located close to the town square the following day.
In 12 rooms you get to see how the town and region has evolved from the Copper age and at the time of my visit they had an impressive display of all 133 copies of Tin Tin magazine in all the various languages in which it was published. But, hidden at the back of the old building, is a brand-new structure housing four floors of cars and motorcycles and it, like the main museum, is totally free.
Having had my fill of vehicles I continued north, passing through Garrovillas de Alconetar, which has a superb example of a Roman bridge, before my final stop at Zamora’s Hotel Ares, another friendly hotel with secure reserved motorcycle parking.
After a tour of the city (more Romanesque churches than anywhere else), the following day, along with a peek at a private motorcycle collection, it was time to leave the route of Ruta Via de la Plata and head back to familiar territory at Colombres prior to the Brittany ferry back home from Santander the following day.
Cutting across country to avoid Leon, I ended up on familiar roads in Asturias, enjoying the extra comfort, speed and handling of the Yamaha in comparison to the classic machine I normally ride. However, what was interesting was the new machine was giving me an average of 59mpg compared with the 60 normally achieved from a single carburettor and a lot less horsepower. Maybe it could be argued – given the historical tour I had just completed – that perhaps I should have used an older bike, but the Tracer GT+ had proved an ideal mount and provided comfort, stability and reliability throughout some very variable riding and weather conditions.
Certainly, it brought a smile to my face when tethered amongst all the BMW GS machines on the ferry, and having watched the riders struggle with the size and weight of the German behemoths, I knew I had made the right choice.
So, if you fancy moving away towards the Portuguese border and exploring a historic route that provides some of the best riding in Europe, along with excellent motorcycle hospitality, then have a serious look at the Ruta Via de la Plata website and start booking. You will not be disappointed. www.rutadelaplata.com
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