Pino Rey Pass, Caudiel

We are on Pino Rey Pass, a crossroads in the heart of the Sierra de Espina and a key point in the historical road that connected the towns of Montán and Caudiel before the CV-195 road was built. It is hard to imagine the living conditions in the villages in the area, the consequence of the age-old isolation resulting from the complex geography in the interior of the province of Castellón.

This is the most demanding part of the Way of El Cid, which tests the legs of the most experienced travellers, because in scarcely 6.5km the road climbs 560m. Once the col has been reached, the spectacular views reward the effort and invite a pause in the route to recover strength, prepare for the descent, and let ourselves be entranced by the scenery.

The Sierra de Espina marks the watershed between the Mijares and Palancia river basins. Its forested landscapes are evolving because the relaxation of centuries-old human pressure, in which the original forests were reduced to isolated patches, is now allowing the woodland to recover its dominion on the red sandstone soils. They are colonised first by rockrose and heather, which in time gives way to deciduous and evergreen oak and pine trees.

• Access by car: the pass is not accessible by a tarmac road, and can only be reached by all-terrain vehicles.
• Access for people with limited mobility: there are no infrastructures adapted for people with limited mobility.
• Legal protection: it forms part of the Site of Community Importance ES5222004 (Upper course of the River Mijares), the Special Protection Area ES0000468 (Serra d’Espadà) and the Site of Geological Interest IB012 (River Mijares Canyon). 
• Seasonality: it can be visited at any time of the year.
• Recommendations, what to see and do: it is interesting to visit Mas de Noguera, where we can learn at first-hand about the agricultural-environmental conservation work carried out there, as well as enjoying its accommodation and food.

Rev.: PAB 10.05.23