All the routes included in the Way of El Cid are fully signposted. Every year we inspect the hiking and MTB signs along 1,400 km of paths and trails, carrying out an average of between 2,500 and 3,000 improvements and repairs.
Despite these inspections, some of the signs may become damaged or disappear due to weather conditions (many paint marks fade because of heavy rain), accidents, acts of vandalism, tall grass or work carried out by farming machinery. For this reason we strongly advise downloading the tracks and route guides for each section as they are completely free of charge.
Although many towns are signposted and there are panels featuring street maps situated at the entrance, the greatest problems with signposting are currently to be found in the actual towns themselves, where it is sometimes easy to get lost. We therefore recommend using the guides and tracks.
If you experience any difficulties at any point on the Way, please email us at info@caminodelcid.org. We will try to solve the problem as quickly as possible.
Please respect the signs you find along your way. Pulling down or changing the direction of a sign means that those behind you may get lost.
Bdenas, Teruel.
Hiking signs
The hiking signs comply with standard signposting:
- Red and white bands: these indicated that you are on a path approved by autonomous mountain federations as a Sendero de Gran Recorrido or long distance track (abbreviated as GR). The Way of El Cid has its own GR, No. 160, and has been approved in the provinces of Guadalajara, Zaragoza, Teruel, Castellón and Valencia.
- Yellow and white bands: this indicates that the Way of El Cid is following a Sendero de Pequeño Recorrido or short distance track (PR).
- Double red band: for all other paths.
As for the signs you may find along the way, here is a list of the most common:
- Sign posts. These posts (1) indicate the direction to be taken and contain details of the distance from the town and the journey time.
- Markers. These indicate that you are on the route and generally feature the Way of El Cid Consortium logo, as well as two bands or lines in colours that depend on the type of path you are following.
- Stakes. These have a similar function to the markers, although they are smaller and therefore more economical and easier to replace.
- Paint markings. Low installation and maintenance costs, they are also highly versatile and have a low environmental impact. Most appear on their own or with some kind of inscription.
- Plaques and adhesive vinyls.
- Panels marking the start of a route stage. These provide practical information about the stage including profiles, journey times and a description of the natural and historic spaces, etc.
MTB signposting
MTB cyclists use the hiking routes except on particularly difficult or technical stretches where specific detours have been designated to avoid the various obstacles and which then return to the hiking route. A mixed signposting system is used for MTB cycling routes:
- On stretches coinciding with the walking route – approximately 1,200 km in all – the hiking signposting system is used.
- On MTB detours or specific stretches – a total of some 200 km – specific MTB signposting is used.
The MTB signs comply with the international criteria adopted in Spain by the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA - España), namely two circles and a red triangle. You will find the following types of signs:
- Explanatory panels at the start of each MTB stage.
- Explanatory panels at the start of each MTB detour.
- Markers, posts, vinyls and paint marks.
Road signs
Road routes are generally easy to follow and the detailed information included in the leaflets is generally sufficient. Apart from in the province of Valencia, all road routes are signposted at strategic points and crossroads. You will therefore come across direction and location signs.
Urban areas
Depending on the town you are in, you may find location panels, panels indicating sites of interest or information about the town, interpretation points for the sites of interest, information relating to events included in the Poem of the Cid and urban road signs. Most of these signs are currently in Spanish.
Rev. ALC 04.07.18
