A very picturesque route passing through truly beautiful towns and places.

I started very early from Salto. Leaving, I made the obligatory stop at the remains of the Burnt Mill, which I had already seen last year. This time I found the little waterfall there, very nice.

Continuing along the road, about 10 km or so, I found the town of La Invencible.

Its dirt street full of trees, well-kept houses, and above all, an image of peace and well-being made this town one of my new favorites.

Continuing on the same path, I arrived at the bridge over the Salto River, the prelude to Hunter. I never tire of taking photos of this bridge, a magnificent piece of engineering framed by a fantastic landscape. A few km more and I arrived at the Station and passed the place.

Passing the town, I made the "break", turning right to leave the road that, if I continued, would take me to Rojas.

This new direction was perhaps going to be the most difficult stretch due to the NE wind that day. It was hard, a little calmed by the visit to the broken bridge over the Salto River. A place that, if I wasn't in a hurry, I would undoubtedly enjoy the view and incredible tranquility.

Resuming the route and after overcoming an obstacle due to construction that blocked the road, I continued the march along a road that became quite difficult due to the time and the wind. A brief stop at the bridge over the Dulce River, a beautiful view on a bridge that no longer shines much.

A little further and finally, Arroyo Dulce.

Arroyo Dulce seems big. I passed through the main square where I stopped to rest and have lunch.

Following the same road, I reached the station. I was frustrated not to have found the sign or a welcome sign.

Without ceasing to skirt the road, practically a direct and easy path because I now had the wind in my favor, I began the last stretch back to Salto, only having to visit Tacuari, a station practically "eaten" by vegetation.

The last kilometers pass through the return to Salto, this time entering through the campsite and spa. A rest there and then a bit of a city tour to end the visit.

No matter how many times I had heard great anecdotes of people hitchhiking in Ushuaia: this had not become commonplace for me. Even the owner of the hostel, a lifelong local, recommended me to go for a walk doing that, but I couldn't bring myself to do it on my own. Luckily, I am a person who likes to walk, so not getting a free car to go to a certain place was not a problem. And that's what kept me in shape throughout my stay .

It had been more than four months since I had been a quasi-resident in Ushuaia, but the places to visit never seemed to end. I had already prepared a mental list of all the places I wanted to see before I left. One of them was Playa Susana, south of Ushuaia but bordering the entire coast of the Beagle Channel. I had been told that this place was beautiful and not to miss it, so on one of my free mornings I went to see it.

The point was that this beach was 10 kilometres from the hostel, and in an area where perhaps not so many tourists go. That day I didn't have any companions to share the walk, and a taxi to get there cost about $15 (which I didn't want to pay to spend only half a day before having to go back to the hostel to do my volunteer shift). Another option was to take a public bus and walk the remaining 6 kilometres to the beach or hitchhike. But you know how I get on with it.

Finally, I took the bus as far out of town as it would take me, but it was still a long way from the beach. I don't know why I couldn't bring myself to hitchhike, but I couldn't do it despite the occasional car passing by. I guess what I don't like is having to beg for a ride and even more so when I'm alone, so I preferred to save all that and started walking.

The good thing about this section is that, being along the canal, the views were beautiful. This whole neighbourhood is a rather expensive area within the city of Ushuaia. This place is called Costa Susana and has some pretty fancy houses, all overlooking the beautiful canal and mountains. This development is relatively new, so during my walk I came across several houses under construction.

It finally took me a little over an hour to get to the beach. At the entrance, there was a car park with some cars, which probably would have been no problem to bring me there, but I didn't dare to ask for them. Anyway, I had achieved my goal of getting to the beach and seeing it with my own eyes. It was nice and quiet, I quite liked it ❤️.

I had read that another trek to the so-called Cucharita Bay started at Playa Susana. At first I was interested in doing it, but after checking my offline map, I saw that it was about 8 kilometres round trip. I was not tired and could have continued walking without any problems, but at 7 PM I was supposed to be back at the hostel and it was almost 5 o'clock, so I would not have enough time. Instead, I sat on the water's edge for a while and even took a little nap. A good solitary plan to pass the time.

When it was time to go back, I confess that I was a bit lazy about having to go all the way back. However, I had no choice but to do it in order to get to my tour on time. But can you believe that while I was walking, a lady stopped her car next to me without my asking, and offered to drive me back to the city centre. She lived in one of those beautiful houses in the neighbourhood and was going in that direction to do some shopping. The lady looked very nice and so it was friends that the journey that took me an hour to make took only 5 minutes by car. I wish I had had that initiative from a stranger to the idea, but at least I had it on the way back and was able to get to the hostel just in time (and not so tired, which was what I was most grateful for) .

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We start our cycle in Capilla del Señor beginning in the Provincial Road number 39. In the roundabout, we keep straight, to see after some 500 yards (or even less) a rural road to our left hand side.

We turn left and start cycling on a dirt road that take us through agricultural fields, and country houses. This road tends to be generally in good shape, unless it had rained the days before, which tends to be a bit too muddy.

We keep going, and after we cross a railway track we find a road on our right hand side away 1km from the tracks that will take us to Cardales.

In Cardales, we take Belgrano Road, towards the south east, when this diverts, we take left to another dirt road, that will take us to the main road through the Industrial Park. This road tends to be a Little bit busy during working days, but would turn quiet on Sundays.

Once we reach the National Route 8 (already in Pilar) we keep straight and turn left onto the Avenida Lopez. 5 minutes later we turn right on a main crossing that will take us to Pilar Railway Station.

Cycling through the rural and semi-rural areas connecting Capilla del Señor, Los Cardales, and Pilar (along with neighboring spots like Fátima, Manzanares, and Parada Robles) offers some of the best classic weekend cycling terrain in the northern Buenos Aires province.

The region combines quiet paved secondary roads, historic railway lines, and hard-packed dirt or gravel agricultural paths (caminos rurales), making it a favorite hub for gravel grinders, road cyclists, and touring enthusiasts alike.

Key Characteristics of the Area

• Terrain: Mostly flat, open pampas landscapes with occasional gentle undulations. Wind can often be a major factor depending on the direction of your loop.

• Road Types: A mix of low-traffic asphalt lanes, smooth gravel/caliche, and dirt tracks (huellas) that can require wider tires (32mm+ or gravel/MTB setup) if there has been recent rain.

• Scenery: Historic estancias, polo fields, small agricultural patches, old railway stations (like Manzanares or Los Cardales), and traditional country almacenes where you can stop for a rest or a snack.

Popular Route Ideas

1. The Classic Triangle (Pilar – Cardales – Capilla del Señor): A broader regional loop often executed by combining stretches of provincial routes, local paved connectors, and low-traffic municipal dirt roads. Total distances for a full loop usually range from 45 km to over 90 km depending on whether you start directly from Pilar/Fátima or weave deeply into the Exaltación de la Cruz rural grid.

2. Los Cardales – Fátima – Manzanares Loop: A popular mixed-surface route (roughly 45 km) that hugs old railway paths, crosses near industrial/semi-rural boundaries, and loops through peaceful tree-lined dirt tracks. It features quiet rural segments interspersed with brief touches of paved access roads.

3. Capilla del Señor to Parada Robles / Solís: Heading north and west out of Capilla del Señor towards Route 192 or towards San Andrés de Giles opens up even more remote agricultural fields with exceptionally light vehicle traffic.

Practical Tips for Riding Here

• Bike Choice: A gravel bike or an all-terrain setup is ideal. While you can stick strictly to asphalt (using routes like parts of Ruta 6 or local paved connectors), the real charm of this zone lies in exploring the dirt grid (los caminos de tierra), which can turn challenging if muddy after a storm.

• Logistics: Many cyclists take the Mitre train line (Victoria–Capilla del Señor branch) or drive out to a secure starting point like Pilar, Fátima, or Los Cardales to begin their rides.

• Support & Stops: While towns like Capilla del Señor and Los Cardales have plenty of grocery stores, bakeries, and cafes, the rural stretches between them are entirely agricultural. Always carry enough water, hydration, and basic flat-tire repair kits.