Horta de Sant Joan – Nonasp – Faió

A long and pleasant descent, with some small passes, and a last and forceful ascent to reach the end of the stage. This could be the summary of the stage, although it would not reflect the delicate beauty of this section of the route. For a long time, you cycle along very pleasant tracks and rural paths, next to the river Algars, discovering a very little-traveled area, where Mediterranean mosaic agriculture is still present and mixed with nature, drawing exquisite landscapes. It is close to towns such as Arenys de Lledó, Caseres and the now depopulated area of ​​Pinyeres.

Nonaspe is a good place to stop. It is here, next to the village, where the Algars delivers its waters to the river Matarranya. The last buttresses of the Ports mountains are gradually abandoned and the route enters the canyons that the rivers dug in the sediments of an ancient prehistoric inland sea. These cliffs of whitish and brittle rocks end up drawing a landscape of attractive and surprising roughness that contrasts with the softness of the riparian forests.

The descent ends when you find one of the tails of the Riba-roja reservoir. In 1967, the waters of this reservoir drowned the old town of Faió. Today, only the old bell tower sticks its head out of the water. The new village was built on the plateau of that old sea and must be climbed. The CV-103 road offers the less steep option. The signposted route climbs a ravine that descends directly from the village to the reservoir, following a dirt track that has a very steep slope and requires very good legs.