Cycling the Coll de Rates? Discover why stopping in Tàrbena offers more than coffee — a living village, history, and connection.

Every month, thousands of cyclists climb the Coll de Rates on the Costa Blanca in Spain.

They know the road.

They know the effort.

They know the descent.

But many never truly meet the village that waits quietly at the top.

Why Cyclists Ride Through Tàrbena Without Stopping

Tàrbena is not a resort village.

It does not shout for attention.

It does not offer fast rewards.

It offers something rarer.

Time.

Set between the inland mountains of Alicante and the Mediterranean horizon, Tàrbena has always been a place of passage — but never only a place to pass through. Ancient paths link it to neighbouring valleys. Dry-stone walls trace centuries of work. Almond trees mark the seasons more faithfully than any calendar.

From the ridges, on clear days, the island of Ibiza appears on the horizon — a reminder that this inland valley has always belonged to wider Mediterranean worlds.

Yet what makes Tàrbena special is not its views alone.

It is the way life still moves here.

Language survives in daily conversation.

Terraces are still worked.

Water is still respected.

People still greet one another by name.

This is not heritage behind glass.

It is heritage still breathing.

A Village Built on Continuity in the Costa Blanca Mountains

After the expulsion of the Moriscos, families from Mallorca repopulated the valley in the 17th century, bringing with them customs, farming knowledge, and a form of speech that still survives today: parlar salat. It is not preserved for tourists. It is simply spoken.

The valley has never tried to become fashionable.

It has only tried to remain itself.

Why Stopping in Tàrbena Matters for Cyclists

Coll de Rates cycling demands fitness and stamina.

When cyclists stop in Tàrbena, even briefly, something subtle happens:

Coffee is bought.

A bakery is used.

A conversation begins.

A photograph is taken.

A memory forms.

Small gestures, repeated thousands of times, can keep a village alive.

Young people leave rural villages when they feel invisible.

Villages survive when they are seen.

Stopping is not charity. It is participation.

A Different Kind of Cycling Rest Stop, on the Coll de Rates.

Tàrbena is not a place to rush.

It is a place to:

• walk a short street without a plan

• listen to a language older than the road

• notice how light moves across the mountains

• remember why journeys were once made slowly

Some cyclists come for a coffee.

Some return later for longer walks.

Some discover local food, trails, or stories.

Some eventually walk with goats through the same landscapes that shaped the village.

And some simply leave with a quieter heart.

All of them leave with more than they expected.

Visiting Tàrbena: A Request, Not a Promotion

This is not an advertisement.

It is an invitation.

The next time you ride through Tàrbena, consider stopping — not because the village needs you, but because you may need the village.

To remember that not all journeys are measured in speed.

Some are measured in connection.

The Gentle Benefits of Walking with Pack Goats in the Mountains of Spain

Euro Goat Trekkers offers ethical pack goat walking experiences with our own goats — raised and trained slowly as part of our family. We are based in the inland mountains of the Costa Blanca, Spain.

When people first hear about walking with pack goats, they often imagine adventure expeditions or long-distance trekking. But in the mountains of Spain, walking with goats can be something far more gentle, human, and meaningful.

It is not only about carrying equipment. It is about walking differently.

More Than Load Carrying

Yes, pack goats can carry light equipment, water, or supplies. This makes walks easier and more comfortable, especially for longer routes or warm days.

But their presence changes the rhythm of a walk. People slow down. They observe more. They smile more.

The walk becomes less about distance, and more about experience.

Companionship on the Path

Goats are social animals. They walk with curiosity, confidence, and quiet awareness. For many people, especially those walking alone or in small groups, goats offer a sense of companionship that feels natural and calming.

They are not demanding. They are simply present.

This presence often creates moments of connection that visitors remember long after the walk has ended.

A Light Footprint on the Landscape

Compared to larger pack animals, goats have a lighter impact on mountain paths. Their sure footing causes less erosion, and their natural behaviour fits well within fragile ecosystems.

Walking with goats encourages respect for the land, not dominance over it.

Perfect for Mountain Terrain

Goats are naturally adapted to rocky, uneven, and narrow paths. Watching them move through the landscape teaches us something important: how to trust the terrain instead of fighting it.

They remind us that mountains are not obstacles — they are living places.

Reaching Quiet Places

With pack goats, walkers can explore remote and peaceful areas of the Spanish mountains without overloading themselves. This allows visitors to reach viewpoints, terraces, forests and hidden paths that feel untouched and authentic.

These are often the places where the deepest memories are made.

Educational and Therapeutic Value

Walking with goats is also deeply educational. Children and adults learn about animal behaviour, responsibility, cooperation, and natural ecosystems — not from books, but from lived experience.

Many visitors also describe the walk as calming, grounding, and quietly therapeutic. The slow rhythm, the animals, and the mountain air work together to reduce stress and restore balance.

Animal Welfare Comes First

At Euro Goat Trekkers, animal welfare is not a slogan — it is the foundation of everything we do.

Our pack goats join us as young kids. We bottle-feed our male goats from six weeks of age until they are four months old, and they grow up as part of our family. From the very beginning, they walk freely in the mountains with us, learning the landscape, the paths, and the rhythm of the valley.

We do not begin pack training until they are fully mature.

• At two years old, they may wear empty, lightweight packs to become familiar with the feeling.

• At three years old, they begin carrying very light loads.

• Only at four years old do they gradually reach a maximum of 25% of their body weight — never more.

We never force our goats to walk. They are not led. They walk with us because they choose to.

They wear collars only so that we can attach a bell to each goat, allowing us to hear the herd moving gently through the landscape. The bells are not for control — they are for awareness, safety, and connection.

Our goats are companions, not tools.

They are respected, listened to, and allowed to express their own personalities. If a goat does not wish to walk, it simply stays behind.

This relationship of trust is what makes walking with pack goats truly special.

This slow, welfare-first approach is at the heart of every walk we offer in the Costa Blanca mountains.

Supporting Creative and Professional Work

Pack goats can also support photographers and filmmakers who work in natural environments. By carrying camera equipment gently and quietly through mountain terrain, goats allow wildlife photographers to reach remote locations without disturbing the landscape or the animals they hope to observe.

In these moments, goats become part of the creative process — helping humans document nature while remaining part of it.

It’s a quiet way to carry gear through mountain terrain without disturbing the landscape — especially in remote corners of the Costa Blanca.

A Different Way to Walk

At Euro Goat Trekkers, we see walking with goats not as an activity, but as a relationship.

It is about:

• Walking together

• Sharing the landscape

• Learning from animals

• Moving at a human pace

In a fast world, this gentle way of walking feels quietly radical.

Walking with pack goats in the mountains of Spain is not about conquering nature.

It is about walking beside it.

And sometimes, that makes all the difference.

Alternative Family-Friendly Outdoor Activities on the Costa Blanca

When families visit the Costa Blanca, they often look for more than beaches and busy attractions. Many parents search for experiences that are calm, educational, and meaningful — places where children can move, learn, and connect with nature in a gentle way.

The mountains of the Costa Blanca offer exactly that.

Our walks take place in the quieter inland landscapes of the Costa Blanca, in and around the valley of Tàrbena — along mountain paths, terraces, woodland edges and ancient valley trails.

Beyond the tourist centres, there is a quieter world of walking paths, terraces, forests, small villages, and living landscapes. Here, outdoor activities become less about entertainment, and more about experience.

At Euro Goat Trekkers, we offer gentle, family-friendly goat walks in the inland mountains of the Costa Blanca.

 It’s a calm, nature-based experience designed for children, parents, couples and small groups who want something authentic and unhurried.

Where are we? Our walks take place in the quieter inland landscapes of the Costa Blanca, in and around the village and valley of Tàrbena — a place shaped by terraces, mountain paths and long relationships with the land.

A Different Kind of Outdoor Experience

Families often ask:

What are good outdoor activities for children in Costa Blanca?

Are there eco-friendly activities for families in Spain?

Where can we find peaceful nature experiences?

The answer is often not found in large attractions, but in slow, human-scale encounters with land, animals, and place.

Gentle walks, simple observation, shared stories, and time outdoors allow children to develop curiosity, confidence, and respect for the natural world.

Educational and Eco-Friendly Activities

Educational outdoor experiences do not need classrooms. They happen when children:

• Walk through mountain landscapes

• Observe animals behaving naturally

• Learn how ecosystems work

• Understand responsibility and care

• Feel safe and welcomed in nature

These moments stay with them far longer than any screen or ride.

For Families, Couples and Visitors

These experiences are not only for children. Many adults and couples also look for:

• Peaceful alternatives to busy tourism

• Local, authentic experiences

• Slow travel opportunities

• Meaningful connection with place

The Costa Blanca mountains offer space to breathe, walk, and feel present.

A Gentle Invitation

At Euro Goat Trekkers, we believe that outdoor experiences should be calm, respectful, and human. Our walks with our herd are part of a wider philosophy — one that values connection, kindness, and learning through presence.

For many visitors, walking with goats becomes a surprising doorway into something deeper: a slower rhythm, a shared smile, a memory that feels quietly special.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are good outdoor activities for families in Costa Blanca?

Gentle nature walks, animal experiences, and eco-friendly activities allow families to enjoy time together while learning and relaxing.

What can children do in Costa Blanca during school holidays?

Children benefit from outdoor experiences that combine movement, animals, storytelling, and calm exploration.

Are there eco-friendly activities in Costa Blanca?

Yes. Many small local initiatives focus on nature, sustainability, and respectful tourism.

What are peaceful alternatives to busy tourist attractions?

Mountain villages, walking paths, and small guided experiences offer a more authentic connection to the region.

Euro Goat Trekkers offers this kind of gentle outdoor experience with our herd, here in the Costa Blanca mountains.

The Costa Blanca is not only a holiday destination .It is a living landscape.

And sometimes, the most meaningful experiences are the quiet ones.

*All photographs in this blog that include children, have been kindly donated by the parents.