Gilan, on the Caspian shore of Iran, is the wet side of the country, a strip of rice paddies, tea terraces and thick forest squeezed between the sea and the Alborz mountains, and the Titi label sits in it, about twenty-five kilometres from the town of Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh and not much further from Langarud and Rudsar. The air is damp, the hills are green, and a morning mist often lifts to show tea bushes lined up like green corduroy on the slopes.
The forests of the Hyrcanian region, which run along the southern Caspian, are a relic of the old broad-leaved forests that covered much of Eurasia before the ice ages, and UNESCO recognised them in 2019. Oak, hornbeam, beech and the ironwood tree grow here, along with leopards, brown bears and a rich bird life, though a visitor will mostly see mushrooms, mosses and mud. The castles named on your ride are mountain strongholds of Gilan's past, reached by long climbs. Rudkhan Castle, near Fuman, is a brick and stone fortress with dozens of towers laid across a wooded ridge, and the walk up takes a good while on steps.
The riding is the main attraction. The old coastal road along the Caspian is flat, humid and busy, with many villages, markets and small towns, while the roads climbing into the hills offer tight bends and great scenery, though also slick surfaces, fallen leaves and, often, fog. Rain can be heavy at any time of year, but especially in autumn, so a good waterproof is as important as sunglasses. Landslides are possible after storms. Spring brings blossom and rich green, while late summer is hot and sticky.
Gilan has its own cooking, with smoked fish, walnut and pomegranate sauces, garlic and herbs, and the aubergine dish mirza ghasemi, served with bread. Tea is grown at Lahijan and taken in small glasses, often with sugar lumps. Astaneh-ye Ashrafiyeh, with about forty thousand people, has fuel and shops, and Langarud and Rudsar are also larger towns with services. Roads through the villages are narrow, and local drivers can be fast and impatient, so ride carefully, and check the rules for foreign travellers before you plan a trip.