The Alto Maestrazgo is a land of height and silence. Broad mountains, open horizons and villages that seem to cling to the stone. Here the landscape does not reveal itself easily: the wind blows freely, the terrain is rugged and distances are felt in the legs. It is no coincidence that this is the most demanding loop of DL Slow. The accumulated elevation gain and the roughness of the terrain reflect well the character of this austere region, where every valley and plateau reminds you that the mountains have always set the rhythm of life.

The first pedal strokes pass between dry stone walls and open pastures, a legacy of the pastoral economy that still shapes the landscape. The track winds through ancient terraces and scattered farmhouses that suddenly appear among the fields. Gradually the land opens up and the sense of altitude becomes unmistakable. In the most exposed sections the horizon stretches out until it meets the unmistakable silhouette of Peñagolosa ¹, the mountain that presides over everything and that, even from afar, seems to organise the landscape around it.

Riding through this landscape is to feel the natural heart of the Valencian Community. Pine forests alternate with open areas where the sky seems to take over everything. Spending the night under the stars around El Planàs ² is a simple yet complete experience: no noise, no artificial light, only the mountains and your own heartbeat.

The route links together villages that have preserved their rural character. First comes Vilafranca del Cid, one of the most important historic towns of the Alto Maestrazgo, where stone houses and narrow streets speak of centuries of mountain life. Nearby appears La Estrella, a small settlement almost frozen in time: silent houses, abandoned orchards and a church that still stands as a witness to those who once lived in these mountains when life here was far harsher. The path then reaches Chodos, hidden on the slopes that look towards Peñagolosa. Further on, Atzeneta del Maestrat opens its quiet streets between fields and pine forests. And finally Culla rises on its rocky spur, its medieval silhouette dominating the surrounding landscape. Stopping in any of these places is to understand that life here has always depended on climate, stone and patience.

From Culla, the route enters a particularly beautiful and quiet stretch. The track passes by the Carrasca de Culla and the Roure Gros, two monumental trees that have stood in these mountains for centuries. Further ahead, the Barranc dels Horts ³opens a corridor of vegetation and rock that contrasts with the open plateaus found along the rest of the route. Gradually the track approaches Ares del Maestrat once again, first passing through the small hamlet of La Llècua, where a few scattered houses still recall the life that once inhabited these highlands for generations. The circle finally closes in Ares, where the journey began.

The Peñagolosa loop is, in the end, a journey through the very essence of the High Maestrazgo: villages that grow out of the rock, mountains that define the horizon, and a constant feeling of pedalling through a land that has preserved its truth intact.