GR-300 20101211

Sign posted biking route GR-300 around El Atazar Lake with starting point in village El Berrueco.

Details:
0,0km - El Berrueco. Start from in front of local school were I could park the car. First route goes down to the lake where the sign posted path starts to the north exaclty by the lake. This section is completely flat until 9th kilometer. From there a little climb and downhill to the dam.

12,1km - the dam. The path crosses the river by the dam and climbs up with the road. After 700m turns left to the dirt road until village Robledillo de la Jara and up to the pass at 1130m. All this section is ascent by dirt road.

18,1km - the pass. The dirt road continues with a downhill to the valley through the forest area until the small bridge over the river. From here, mixed up and down section starts until El Atazar village.

26,9km - El Atazar village. After the village dirt road continues with rather flat section until the forest. The road becomes path at some point and fun descent starts to reach another dam on the lake.

34,5km - another dam. The route goes along the river with completely flat section until 40th kilometer, where ascent starts. The rest of this part is mixed with ups and downs by the dirt road until Patones de Arriba. Unfortunately at this point I had a small break in my bike - the string from rear derailleur broke. I had to pull it to the fixed gear and I was left with only the front one :-/ The ride from this point became very difficult and demanding (or even impossible) on the climbs, though lots of section until end of the loop, I had to do by foot :-(

49,5km - Patones de Arriba. A beautiful traditional stone village with narrow, traffic-free paths along dark stone hauses! Amazing place and unexpected discavery during my ride :-D I had a little trouble with finding the correct way out of the village (confused firstly with hiking path) but finally managed to find it starting by the river. As large part of the path from the village is ascent (until 54th kilometer), I had to walk for large part of it. Later, with downhill and asphaltus, the malfunction didnt bother me so much.

64,7km - back to El Berrueco.


The route is not fully following GR-300 sign posted route. The variantions begin from the second dam, but I dont regret as I visited Patones de Arriba :-D Level moderate for the distance and about 1,5km in vertical (although I felt it like difficult due to broken rear derailleur). Amazing views over whole Embalse de El Atazar!