Planning to ride Sa Calobra - route advise please

s@intsteve

Hi folks,

I'm off to Majorca with the family in two weeks, I'm staying in Playa de Muro and planning on riding Sa Calobra. I've never ridden in Majorca before and was wondering if anyone has got any good routes that avoid the main roads that you could share with me?

I've had a look at google maps and have an idea of the route that I was planning to ride - take Ma-12 to Alcudia then pick up the Ma-3460. Follow this road to the Ma-13 then turn right on to Ma-2201 to Pollenca. Then follow the Ma-10 before finally joining the Ma-2141. Reach the bottom then turn around and reverse the route back. Is this a good option?

Also any other good warm up rides in the area that anyone would recommend?

Thanks for your help.

Steve

JackPozzi

There are other people on here with far more route knowledge of Mallorca than me, but this is the route I ended up doing for Sa Calobra last year, was a pretty nice ride and I can't remember any major roads, certainly nothing that spoiled the ride.

https://app.strava.com/activities/117945725/overview

s@intsteve

Thanks for this, much appreciated.

random man

Here's my route from last year -

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/378876921

The road through Sa Pobla - Buger - Castanet is more scenic -

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/380012055

s@intsteve

Cheers for the reply

hector88

Your route looks good. The descent off the Col de fermenia is my favourite on the island. Tarmac is utterly perfect, and the profile of the road allows for a fast descent without needing the brakes too much.


It's also worth checking out the ride to the formentor lighthouse. Lovely route, good climbs and apparently they've resurfaced the road since last year.

JohnW52

I was up Sa Calobra on Thursday at the end of two fantastic weeks on the island. I would agree with others that the best way to do it would be to get yourself to Campanet and then across to Caimari, up the Col de Sa Batalla to Lluc, then left along the main road to the turning, down and then back up Sa Calobra, back to Lluc and then straight down the Col de Femenia to Pollenca. That way round is much better than doing it anti-clockwise, as the Sa Batalla is a beautiful climb, mostly in the shade of trees, whereas the climb from Pollensa is a long gradual drag.
It's possible to turn left off the Campanet road to Caimari and cut off a few kilometres of the main road from Selva.
Make sure you stop at the garage/cafe at the top of Sa Batalla. You will not be alone - on Thursday there were probably 150+ cyclists there at any one time.
On the whole ride you're likely to see far more cyclists than cars at this time of year, even on the more main roads.

durhamwasp

Yep, definitely climb up the Batalla on the way to Calobra! Lovely climb!

s@intsteve

Thanks everyone for the replies. Time to start planning some routes

tramuntanacycling

s@intsteve wrote:

Hi folks,

I'm off to Majorca with the family in two weeks, I'm staying in Playa de Muro and planning on riding Sa Calobra. I've never ridden in Majorca before and was wondering if anyone has got any good routes that avoid the main roads that you could share with me?

I've had a look at google maps and have an idea of the route that I was planning to ride - take Ma-12 to Alcudia then pick up the Ma-3460. Follow this road to the Ma-13 then turn right on to Ma-2201 to Pollenca. Then follow the Ma-10 before finally joining the Ma-2141. Reach the bottom then turn around and reverse the route back. Is this a good option?

Also any other good warm up rides in the area that anyone would recommend?

Thanks for your help.

Steve

Check out our route guide, but until then, your most scenic route from Playa de Muro would be to go through the farmlands around Sa Pobla, up to Buger, down to Campanet and across to Caimari, up Coll de Sa Batalla to join the ma-10 and onwards to Sir Clobberer. Coming back I would go past Lluc, down the Coll de Femenia to Pollenca and then towards the Pollenca Golf Club and take the lanes to Alcudia then straight back to back to Playa de Muro.

There are great places to stop on the route I have suggested. Please remeber that you will want to reach Sa Calobra before the tour buses to make the most of it.

Enjoy!

tramuntanacycling

hector88 wrote:

Your route looks good. The descent off the Col de fermenia is my favourite on the island. Tarmac is utterly perfect, and the profile of the road allows for a fast descent without needing the brakes too much.


It's also worth checking out the ride to the formentor lighthouse. Lovely route, good climbs and apparently they've resurfaced the road since last year.

Great advice.

t4tomo

Rather than start a new thread I will piggy back on this.

my mate & I head out most years for a cycle day ahead of a lads weekend. we stay down in south west rtaher than Pollenca. so last year we rode upfrom the coast to Es capadelia, then did a loop around Galilia Puigpunyent, Esporles, Banyalbufar, Estellences Andrax, Es cap and back. Very scenic and whilst a good work out, not too taxing.

This year we are going to tackle Sa Calobra so figured, as its supposed to be pleasure not torture given distance from Andratx maybe drive up Soller or Fornalutx and then go over Puig Major and onto Sa Calobra and back to Sollor /Fornalutx. Tick off 2 marquee climbs on one day so to speak.

So is it madness to attempt these two on the same day or actually not too bad?

Whilst Puig is a bit longer than Sa Calobra its quite a gentle gradient I believe. It still look as fair amount of vertical ascent in day though, like more than when I did Mont ventoux, return to Bedoin via Gorge de Nesque (although to be fair that was pretty much all downhill after the first 2 1/4 hours).

Thoughts from you locals?

durhamwasp

Don't think you should have any problems doing both of those in a day.

s@intsteve

tramuntanacycling wrote:

s@intsteve wrote:

Hi folks,

I'm off to Majorca with the family in two weeks, I'm staying in Playa de Muro and planning on riding Sa Calobra. I've never ridden in Majorca before and was wondering if anyone has got any good routes that avoid the main roads that you could share with me?

I've had a look at google maps and have an idea of the route that I was planning to ride - take Ma-12 to Alcudia then pick up the Ma-3460. Follow this road to the Ma-13 then turn right on to Ma-2201 to Pollenca. Then follow the Ma-10 before finally joining the Ma-2141. Reach the bottom then turn around and reverse the route back. Is this a good option?

Also any other good warm up rides in the area that anyone would recommend?

Thanks for your help.

Steve

Check out our route guide, but until then, your most scenic route from Playa de Muro would be to go through the farmlands around Sa Pobla, up to Buger, down to Campanet and across to Caimari, up Coll de Sa Batalla to join the ma-10 and onwards to Sir Clobberer. Coming back I would go past Lluc, down the Coll de Femenia to Pollenca and then towards the Pollenca Golf Club and take the lanes to Alcudia then straight back to back to Playa de Muro.

There are great places to stop on the route I have suggested. Please remeber that you will want to reach Sa Calobra before the tour buses to make the most of it.

Enjoy!

Great advice and website. So many options to choose from now! if only I had two weeks

JohnW52

t4tomo wrote:

Rather than start a new thread I will piggy back on this.

my mate & I head out most years for a cycle day ahead of a lads weekend. we stay down in south west rtaher than Pollenca. so last year we rode upfrom the coast to Es capadelia, then did a loop around Galilia Puigpunyent, Esporles, Banyalbufar, Estellences Andrax, Es cap and back. Very scenic and whilst a good work out, not too taxing.

This year we are going to tackle Sa Calobra so figured, as its supposed to be pleasure not torture given distance from Andratx maybe drive up Soller or Fornalutx and then go over Puig Major and onto Sa Calobra and back to Sollor /Fornalutx. Tick off 2 marquee climbs on one day so to speak.

So is it madness to attempt these two on the same day or actually not too bad?

Whilst Puig is a bit longer than Sa Calobra its quite a gentle gradient I believe. It still look as fair amount of vertical ascent in day though, like more than when I did Mont ventoux, return to Bedoin via Gorge de Nesque (although to be fair that was pretty much all downhill after the first 2 1/4 hours).

Thoughts from you locals?

I'm not a local but I've been there enough to suggest another alternative. If you drive to Bunyola you can start with the Coll de Soller, then Sa Calobra, then turn left at the top to Llouc, down Sa Batalla, cut across from Selva through Lloseta. You can then do a southern loop round the mountain back to Bunyola or if you're still up for it have a go at the Coll d'Orient and the Coll d'Honor back to Bunyola.

The Puig Mayor gradient from Soller is a bit less than Sa Calobra but it is another 3km longer so I found it harder work.

Mark Alexander

Check out our route guide, but until then, your most scenic route from Playa de Muro would be to go through the farmlands around Sa Pobla, up to Buger, down to Campanet and across to Caimari, up Coll de Sa Batalla to join the ma-10 and onwards to Sir Clobberer. Coming back I would go past Lluc, down the Coll de Femenia to Pollenca and then towards the Pollenca Golf Club and take the lanes to Alcudia then straight back to back to Playa de Muro.

There are great places to stop on the route I have suggested. Please remeber that you will want to reach Sa Calobra before the tour buses to make the most of it.

Enjoy![/quote]

I've been staying at the Club Pollentia between Alcudia and port Pollentia for years.
The above rout is a good one. If however you also want a rolling ride. Head to Arta, then the maze that is Petra. It has an awesome square with a dozen great cycling restraints totally geared to cycling. A word of warning, there's a Rapha shop. Credit cards beware.

s@intsteve

Hi all,

Well having taken on board the advice, I rode out to the Lighthouse at Cap Formentor today. What a great ride that is. The road was billiard table smooth, the climbs where challenging but not lung busting and the views where amazing. Sa Calobra next on the to do list :-)

Thanks everyone for the advise.

t4tomo

JohnW52 wrote:

t4tomo wrote:

Rather than start a new thread I will piggy back on this.
blah blah

So is it madness to attempt these two on the same day or actually not too bad?

Whilst Puig is a bit longer than Sa Calobra its quite a gentle gradient I believe. It still look as fair amount of vertical ascent in day though, like more than when I did Mont ventoux, return to Bedoin via Gorge de Nesque (although to be fair that was pretty much all downhill after the first 2 1/4 hours).

Thoughts from you locals?

I'm not a local but I've been there enough to suggest another alternative. If you drive to Bunyola you can start with the Coll de Soller, then Sa Calobra, then turn left at the top to Llouc, down Sa Batalla, cut across from Selva through Lloseta. You can then do a southern loop round the mountain back to Bunyola or if you're still up for it have a go at the Coll d'Orient and the Coll d'Honor back to Bunyola.

The Puig Mayor gradient from Soller is a bit less than Sa Calobra but it is another 3km longer so I found it harder work.

You've confused me, if we start with Coll de Soller, we've still got to get over the Puig Major to get to Sa Calobra havent we? I think you've just added a the 3rd of the big 3 to the Route.

Solis

t4tomo wrote:

JohnW52 wrote:

t4tomo wrote:

Rather than start a new thread I will piggy back on this.
blah blah

So is it madness to attempt these two on the same day or actually not too bad?

Whilst Puig is a bit longer than Sa Calobra its quite a gentle gradient I believe. It still look as fair amount of vertical ascent in day though, like more than when I did Mont ventoux, return to Bedoin via Gorge de Nesque (although to be fair that was pretty much all downhill after the first 2 1/4 hours).

Thoughts from you locals?

I'm not a local but I've been there enough to suggest another alternative. If you drive to Bunyola you can start with the Coll de Soller, then Sa Calobra, then turn left at the top to Llouc, down Sa Batalla, cut across from Selva through Lloseta. You can then do a southern loop round the mountain back to Bunyola or if you're still up for it have a go at the Coll d'Orient and the Coll d'Honor back to Bunyola.

The Puig Mayor gradient from Soller is a bit less than Sa Calobra but it is another 3km longer so I found it harder work.

You've confused me, if we start with Coll de Soller, we've still got to get over the Puig Major to get to Sa Calobra havent we? I think you've just added a the 3rd of the big 3 to the Route.

I'd class that route as 2.5 climbs, its a long drag up from Soller to Cuber but the climb up the Col de Soller from Bunyola is pretty tame.

JohnW52

Yes, sorry, you do still have to do the Puig Major as well but as Solis says Soller from the south is not a big hill. The advantage of the circular ride is that you won't re-tracing your steps back into Soller. And don't forget you would be coming back over the Puig, admittedly not from sea level.
I just did a quick map of the two routes. Solar to Sa Calobra and back is 69km and 2,123m of climbing. The circuit from Bunyola is 109km and 2,491m. Bigger certainly but not hugely so.

t4tomo

JohnW52 wrote:

Yes, sorry, you do still have to do the Puig Major as well but as Solis says Soller from the south is not a big hill. The advantage of the circular ride is that you won't re-tracing your steps back into Soller. And don't forget you would be coming back over the Puig, admittedly not from sea level.
I just did a quick map of the two routes. Solar to Sa Calobra and back is 69km and 2,123m of climbing. The circuit from Bunyola is 109km and 2,491m. Bigger certainly but not hugely so.

Ah food for thought then, I hadn't realised Soller from that side was less of an ascent, but thinking about it of course it is as Bunyola is inland and not at sea level! Plus as you say, you dontI'll map it on ride with GPS and see what the crew thinks. Will also afford the treat of breakfast in Fornalutx, which would be hard to justify if we'd only started in Soller!