GPS Off-Road Tour Guide to the Ghost Villages of Northern Spain

Book including code for data download

GPS Off-Road Touring Guide to the Ghost Villages of Northern Spain

For this GPS Off-Road Touring Guide, we spent two months exploring adventurous trails across northern Spain in our Land Rover. We set out in search of abandoned, uninhabited villages that have been left to decay. The result is a collection of 33 off-road routes leading to 40 ‘ghost’ villages in remote areas of the Pyrenean foothills. We drove and documented every route ourselves.

This 4×4 touring guide features 33 detailed off-road route descriptions together with the corresponding waypoint lists. We follow mountain ridges with impressive panoramic views, discover isolated ruins deep in the forests and find opportunities to spend the night far away from civilisation.

Information about the history of the villages and what life was like there in the past adds another fascinating dimension to the 4×4 touring guide. Tips on off-road driving and navigation complete the guide.

Each route is given a difficulty rating (SG), making it easier to assess the route in combination with the vehicle classes (FZK). We have also rated the routes using a star system based on our impressions of driving enjoyment, scenic beauty and the overall experience. These star ratings are, of course, highly subjective.

With the data download, you will receive the following for each route:
– all GPS tracks and waypoints (GPX)

The ‘GPS Data’ folder contains two subfolders. These include the track and waypoint list for each off-road route in two different file formats: a KML file for viewing in Google Earth and a GPX file, the standard exchange format for navigation software and GPS devices.

More Information about the Touring Guide to Northern Spain

During the summer months, All-Terrain (AT) tyres are sufficient for driving the 4×4 trails. Many of the routes do NOT require four-wheel drive, although vehicles should have short overhangs and sufficient ground clearance. Many of the off-road routes are also suitable for larger 4×4 lorries. There are very few height and weight restrictions.

Overall, the routes in northern Spain can be classified as easy to moderately difficult, making them ideal for off-road beginners.

There are 33 routes, including 21 suitable for vehicle class FZK 3 and 15 suitable for vehicle class FZK 4.

In midsummer, 21 routes can even be driven without four-wheel drive. However, sufficient ground clearance and good approach, departure and breakover angles are essential. This means that, with appropriate care, the routes can be driven in short-wheelbase vans without underfloor tanks or similar equipment.