Bike routes in SE Spain Granada / Almeria / Malaga

alan_a

Hi,

Going to South Eastern Spain near Almeria for a week of much earned sun.

Flying into Malaga, Spending 1 night in Granada then onward to Mojacar.

Can you recommend any must not miss rides in the area?

The climb from Granada to the ski station at Sierra Nevada is obvious, but after that I'm unsure.

Nothing too long or the mrs will be a wee bit annoyed.

Thanks in advance

FJS

The climb of the Puerto del Leon from Malaga, or going down it into Malaga, and the small roads around Olias are nice. Malaga is a surpisingly pleasant city anyway.The terrain west of Ronda is great for cycling too.

The Alto de Velefique, from this year's Vuelta d'Espana, is in the mountains just north of Almeria

megilleland

Based in Mojacar, the area to consider is the Parque Natural Cabo de Gata - Nijar. One of two major natural areas where the coastline of Spain hasn't been decimated by massive tourist development - the other is Cap de Creus in Catalunya. This account of a tour gives some idea of the area and also Granada and the desert around Tabernas.

alan_a

Muchos Gracias

alan_a

Lots of fantastic cycling.

How good are spanish road surfaces compared to the UK? Wonderful.

Struggled up to Sierra Nevada ski station in the rain and the wind. The descent was hellish - never have my hands gripped mt brakes so much for so long, but I had a massive smile om my face.

The roads around Mojacar are great, especiallly the coast road South to Carboneras.

rockroadmojacar

Hi also look at

Mark Lyford runs the site and there are some great routes on there from Mapmyride

http://www.bici-almeria.com/11.html

Grant

andymiller

IIRC, the climb up from Granada to the ski station is a very long way.

There are a couple of rides that local riders do as day rides (or at least they do in May and June - but in August????):

Granada to Alhama de Granada via the reservoir at Bermejales

Granada to Lanjarón on the old main road

Not sure how feasible they are for you, but there are lovely roads from Laroles to Bayarcál and a suberb ride from the Barriada de Alcora to Instinción. The roads through the Alpujarra are all well worth doing. As always a Michelin map is a good investment an road they mark as scenic is worth doing.

In the Cabo de Gata the most scenic routes are IME, unsurfaced, (eg the road down from the tower at La Vela to S. José).

GeorgeShaw

Try the Puerto de la Ragua. Cat 1 Vuelta climb at the eastern end of the Sierra Nevada - 1500 metres in 25km ...

Kinetic PB

rockroadmojacar
Dear Grant,

Wondered whether we should have a chat. See my project http://www.kineticpb.com
All the best

Oliver Watts