My first bikepacking adventure

I used three bags to store all of these items:

• Top tube bag: phone, food, car key
• Frame bag: toiletries, charger, spare kit and tools, chamois
• Saddle bag: flip flops, clothing

Bringing so little means making some sacrifices. For example, washing my kit in the hotel shower was a first, but it worked surprisingly well. Wring your clothes out very well, roll them up real tight in a towel that the hotel provides, squeeze them by stomping on them , and then hang them over the towel rack or in a well-ventilated place in your hotel room, and it's dry by morning. Ba da bing ba da boom.

On my phone, I uploaded the GPX track to the Maps.me app, and also downloaded the area on Google Maps. Of course, the GPX track was also uploaded to my Garmin Edge 530. None of this was necessary for this particular route, but it's something I do automatically whenever I go some place new.

👉 For the full route description, continue here.

The Vía Verde del Aceite is built on an old railway line, now repurposed into a long, car-free cycling and walking path. The ride is smooth and steady, with gentle gradients and well-packed surfaces. You're surrounded by endless olive groves, punctuated by viaducts, tunnels, and the occasional sleepy village.

The landscape is beautiful, with endless olive trees on rolling hills, occassionally interrupted by an old Moorish castle or water tower. To be honest, it started to wear a little thin after a few hours. Long straight stretches through identical fields of olive trees can get repetitive, especially with a relentless sun beating down on you in the oven that is mainland Andalucía in Summer.

Still, the solitude was part of the charm. I passed only a handful of cyclists and even one hiker who I assume was hiking the Camino Mozárabe. This ride is not exactly undiscovered, but it does feel untouched. There are destroyed buildings everywhere you go, the wooden panels on some bridges have seen better days, the locals have not (yet) built the infrastructure to receive thousands of visitors, olive farmers going about their lawful business and not interested in the people passing by, it's almost like discovering a new part of the world where time stood still.

Of course, I'm talking absolute bollocks, because the route is in an immaculate state and signposted perfectly, and the locals are well aware of this tourist attraction. Some of the train stations have been converted into cafeterias frequented by locals, there are supermarkets, hotels and restaurants in every village. Time definitely hasn't stood still here, and there's even 4G reception everywhere you go, despite seemingly being in the middle of nowhere. While they don't seem to count on large hordes of tourists coming any time soon, the friendly locals are welcoming to strangers visiting their neck of the woods in their funny lycra outfits.

Also, this area is steeped in history and it's a beautiful area with gems like Jaén and Zuheros on route. Off route, the provinces of Córdoba and Jaén feature spectacular castles (for instance, Castillo de Baños de la Encina not too far from Jaén), and it's home to one of the biggest natural parks in Europe: the Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas. The latter can also be done by bike, hence it's also an up and coming destination of bikepackers.

👉 For the full route description, continue here.

This trip was about testing the waters to see if I actually enjoy bikepacking. The verdict? Yes, in a sense. The core idea of riding light, sleeping in comfort, and not overthinking it, worked beautifully. I wasn't sore, I wasn't stressed, and I didn't spend half the night listening to tent fabric flap in the wind. What I might do differently next time is bring a cycling buddy, or opt for shorter stages. I like the formula of credit card touring, and I currently don't feel the need to do more than that. And especially in Spain, wild camping is not allowed, which reduces the sense of freedom quite a bit. Where's the adventure if you have overnight in a camping site next to noisy neigbors in their camper vans? Might as well stay in a nice hotel then.

Absolutely. If you’re looking for an approachable, low-traffic bikepacking route with real Andalucían charm, the Vía Verde del Aceite is a solid pick. Just be ready for some monotony in the scenery and make sure you have enough food and water between stops. And if you’re new to bikepacking like me, here’s my advice: don’t think too much, overprepare, or wait until you got the "perfect setup". Use common sense and go. Ride your bike, take your credit card, and figure it out along the way. That's part of the fun. Because, after all, where's the fun when a trip goes perfectly as planned? Something needs to go wrong to make it interesting and memorable.