Mondoñedo is a small cathedral city in the north of Galicia, tucked into a green valley of the Masma river between the Cantabrian coast and the hills of the interior. With barely five thousand people it is one of the smallest places in Spain to have a cathedral, and the building is the reason the town exists. It was begun in the late twelfth century and finished over several centuries, with a Romanesque core, Gothic vaults and a Baroque west front with two towers. Inside, there are medieval wall paintings in the cloister and a fine stone choir, and the whole is built from the grey local granite, which turns green with lichen and gold in the evening sun.
The town has the feel of a place that has been left alone. Narrow streets climb from the river, lined with old houses with glazed balconies, and the Camino del Norte pilgrim route passes close by. It was the home of the writer Álvaro Cunqueiro, whose novels mixed Galician folklore with gentle humour, and a statue honours him in town. In the mist that often fills the valley, his world of ghosts, wolves and wandering cooks seems easy to believe in.
The riding in northern Galicia is lush and pleasant. Roads wind over green hills through eucalyptus and pine, with farms and small fields, and sudden views of the valley. Corners are medium in speed and frequent, and traffic is thin outside the larger towns. Rain is common, even in summer, and the roads can be wet and slippery under the trees, so be prepared. In clear weather the colours are intense, the green of the hills against the grey of the stone.
Mondoñedo has fuel, bakeries and bars, and Abadín is a larger village a short way to the south-east. The local cooking is hearty, with stews, pork, and the famous Galician pies called empanadas, and the cheese is soft and mild. Spring and early autumn are the best times, and winter can be wet and cold. The monastery of Sobrado dos Monxes, a Cistercian foundation, is a worthwhile detour for the same ride.