Photo Epic // Sierra de Guara - Spain

During the Arab conquest and Medieval period the Sierra de Guara region in North Eastern Spain was once home to small towns connected by transport trails. Abandon towns, roads, and trails remain in the hillsides to tell the story. With the support of Pivot Cycles, I set out to connect the travel paths from Alqezar to Otin through Cheto and Rodellar.





The small town of Rodellar is known as a base camp for rock climbing and canyoneering. With a population of less than one hundred it is one of the few towns in the Sierra de Guara region to still be inhabited. The unfamiliar looks received on a modern mountain bike lead me to believe the town is not known as a destination for bikes. As I learned, it's possibly for good reason. The mountains here are raw, steep, and untamed. The trails are primitive, at best. Riding up hill on the trails is laughable and the hikes are long and loose. If you're willing to put forth the effort, the rewarded is solitude and silence. In the ten days exploring the region there were few hikers and no mountain bikes seen.








Trails connecting towns follow narrow ridge lines with canyons and cliffs below. Descending off the ridges is worth every heinous climb. It's what I came here searching for. Steep loose trails, high speeds, scree fields, tight switchbacks, and big rocks. Most descents end ripping through abandoned towns and down cobble stone paths. Five foot stack stone walls line the trail for miles guiding you to the next village. The playful nature of the ancient roads makes it tough to stop and take it all in.

---

Photos // Sean Leader - Brendan Leader
Words // Sean Leader
Rider // Sean Leader
Follow Sean Leader on Instagram
Learn More About the Mach 6