Recommend me roads in Southern Spain

Betty Swollocks

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Ok folks, last year I booked a cheap flight and rented from http://www.motoespana.com/ I did 4000 kms in a week, Pyrenees, Provence, Cannes then Switzerland/France/Italy. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, and found it a very in-expensive way of maximising the time for my trip (being from Northern Ireland and having extra travel time/expenses from the mainlanders).

I have just booked again with the same company (less than £500 for a week's hire of a 1200GS) and plan to head south from Barcelona for my solo trip this April.
I hear the Sierra Nevada and Granada mountains are worth a visit. My usual day is 10 or so hours in the saddle, 250 or 300 miles per day. Prefer to be off the beaten track for much of the time. I have no knowledge of this area, but am trying to put together a rough plan of places to see and do. Any suggestions will be most welcome!
 
I've ridden down there and stayed in my daughter's flat in Orgiva, quiet and away from tourists, and the Sierra's are good to ride ... you'll enjoy it .....
 
The Alpujarras region (between Granada and the coast) is stunning. Very much off the beaten track, lots of little white washed villages gripping tenaciously to the mountain sides.

Lots of tracks to explore and all round very beautiful.

Map

Andres

EDIT: Just read Yamondas post - Orgiva is bang in the heart of the Alpujarras.
 
aldogonales is further down from Ronda it's also totally in the sticks with loads of empty small roads...:thumb2
 
San Pedro on the coast up to Ronda.
The perfect twisty tarmac with a biker cafe half way, a must:thumb2
 
Ok folks, last year I booked a cheap flight and rented from http://www.motoespana.com/ I did 4000 kms in a week, Pyrenees, Provence, Cannes then Switzerland/France/Italy. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, and found it a very in-expensive way of maximising the time for my trip (being from Northern Ireland and having extra travel time/expenses from the mainlanders).

I have just booked again with the same company (less than £500 for a week's hire of a 1200GS) and plan to head south from Barcelona for my solo trip this April.
I hear the Sierra Nevada and Granada mountains are worth a visit. My usual day is 10 or so hours in the saddle, 250 or 300 miles per day. Prefer to be off the beaten track for much of the time. I have no knowledge of this area, but am trying to put together a rough plan of places to see and do. Any suggestions will be most welcome!

Excellent places to visit / ride:

From Granada ride to Antequera and try and go through the Torcal national park on the way.

Ride west through to Campillos - then on towards Jerez

Between these two (Antequera and Campillos - in the Torcal national park) is El Chorro - a natural gorge in the cliffs - and its well worth a visit just for the photo op - but the small roads are worth it in themselves. A lot of the local off road tours end up here for the view / cafes.

on the Antequera - Jerez road, bypass the Ronda turning and continue west turning left to Zahara - great lake side stop for food or bed. Petrified trees sticking out of the water - weird!

Continue on from Zahara south to Grazelema - over the mountain (not the wimpies route LOL) some fantastic twisties and narrow quiet roads. Best views in the area!

From Grazelema on to the main road and turn right for Ronda. Loads to see and do there and its a typical Andalusian tourist trap - but worth the visit.

From Ronda - directly south towards San Pedro on the coast. Perhaps one of the best roads in Europe! 30 miles or more of fast sweeping bends clinging to the mountain sides!!! Just do it once - you'll love it! You're right near Marbella at that point.

My buddie and I did this road (his first time) last year and he had to stop at the cafe at the top - he said he was 'wore out' with the constant bends! I'm really lucky cause this road is about 28 km's from my base in Spain!

There's an alternative to this road which takes you from Ronda to Gibraltar - nice road too!

If you fancy any of these ideas let me know and I can work-up a route for you in Autoroute or MapSource.

In any case have a great one!
 
Folks, thanks for the excellent ideas, I am starting to get excited about the trip now.
Kahuna, I am definately interested in your ideas. Your suggestions are exactly what I am after. I plan to bring my Garmin 2610 and wire it into the rental bike, so any routes would be greatly appreciated. Any ideas what the weather would be like in first week of April?
 
Folks, thanks for the excellent ideas, I am starting to get excited about the trip now.
Kahuna, I am definately interested in your ideas. Your suggestions are exactly what I am after. I plan to bring my Garmin 2610 and wire it into the rental bike, so any routes would be greatly appreciated. Any ideas what the weather would be like in first week of April?

Hi Betty - the weather will be either great or getting great (LOL) in April. Traditionally April is still a little wet and windy but recent years has seen it dry and hot (compared to UK anyway ;-).

There is one more place I think you'll be able to fit in with the route I suggested called Mojacar - down in Almeria area - before you get up to Granada. Mojacar is has the town square / restaurants right at the top of a very high mountain / hill - the views are spectacular and its a haunt for other bikers in the area. And I've heard of a great road (which is apparently the highest in Spain) to the top of the Granada Sierra mountains, though I have yet to ride this one myself.

Would you like me to run-up a Mapsource route for you for these stops?
 
roads in spain

Hi betty
My advice would be to ride south from Barcelona to Tarragona and then head west inland to the Poirat region of Catalonia. Stunning mountain roads , virtualy devoid of traffic and well paved. I am a little biased though as I run regular tours to this area, fully escorted from uk or just accomodation with daily escorted ride outs if required. We have extensive local knowledge of this area. This area was recently featured in the march 2008 issue of Ride magazine. Have a peek at our website and feel free to contact us even just for advice . www.cataloniabiketours.co.uk
 
If you're looking for decent maps to source tracks then try this:
http://sigpac.mapa.es/fega/visor/
The satelllite imagery is much clearer than any other I've used (including Google Earth) and you can overlay the satellite images with military maps which are about the best and most detailed you can get for Spain.

It's been done by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fish and Food and during business hours it can be a bit slow. Persevere with it and you'll find some great tracks, but, don't rely too much on the coordinates - I've found they can be 50m out sometimes.

Spain has too many fantastic biking roads to mention but if you want more detailed info about Axarquia in Andalucia then email me, or visit my website at http://www.moto-andalucia.com/index.php. The website is still fairly new and I'm trying to fill it with as much useful information as I can. I'm running another bike meeting down here in September and Tim Cullis will be doing a presentation again if anybody is interested, with a trip to Morocco straight afterwards.

I'm not a business, I don't sell anything, I just like riding my bike in Spain.
 
If you're looking for decent maps to source tracks then try this:
http://sigpac.mapa.es/fega/visor/
The satelllite imagery is much clearer than any other I've used (including Google Earth) and you can overlay the satellite images with military maps which are about the best and most detailed you can get for Spain.

It's been done by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fish and Food and during business hours it can be a bit slow. Persevere with it and you'll find some great tracks, but, don't rely too much on the coordinates - I've found they can be 50m out sometimes.

Spain has too many fantastic biking roads to mention but if you want more detailed info about Axarquia in Andalucia then email me, or visit my website at http://www.moto-andalucia.com/index.php. The website is still fairly new and I'm trying to fill it with as much useful information as I can. I'm running another bike meeting down here in September and Tim Cullis will be doing a presentation again if anybody is interested, with a trip to Morocco straight afterwards.

I'm not a business, I don't sell anything, I just like riding my bike in Spain.

Hi Dakota - sorry I missed your gathering in 07 - I'd appreciate it if you keep me up to speed for future events.

I have my Spanish base over in Olvera on the Cadiz border (on the Antequera / Jerez road) - but sped a lot of time in Teba - just south of Campillos on the 357. I'll be back out to Spain, for a 3 1/2 month stint this time, starting in May. Hope I can get down to meet with you and check out your neighbourhood trails too!
 
I could keep you up to speed about the next meeting in September but I don't think I'm allowed to mention other forums here without upsetting people :). Tim Cullis will be doing a presentation again.

Drop in if you're over our way - the coffee is always on, the wine is always open and the beer is always cooling in the fridge. No need to tell you what great roads and tracks we have out here as you already know!!

I know Olvera well - at least the steep hill in the middle of town that gradually gets narrower. In a fit a madness a few years ago the hubby decided to cycle along the Via Verde. I was in the Landy, took a wrong turn in the village and ended up driving up that steep narrowing hill until my wing mirrors were scraping the houses either side. I think the locals were impressed that a woman driving a 110 could get herself out of that mess.
 
I don't think anyone would object to a link to Horizons Unlimited, many GS travellers on here have attended some of the annual UK meetings in Ripley.

The event Alison (Dakota XT) organised last year was a trial run for a HU meeting in southern Spain and those who attended had a great time with some good trail riding thrown in. Alison and her husband know some great routes.

This year it be a full-fledged HU meeting running 12-14 September.

Tim
 
Kahuna said:
Would you like me to run-up a Mapsource route for you for these stops?
i'd like a copy of that mapsource file if you dont mind..
i am planning to cross from tangier to tarifa, then thru spain to france..
i have never been to spain, so it will be highly appreciated.

byker_tr@yahoo.com
 
Granada. Uhmmmmm. Very, very nice.

Link to Granada



Google Maps simple route (sorry)




Ok folks, last year I booked a cheap flight and rented from http://www.motoespana.com/ I did 4000 kms in a week, Pyrenees, Provence, Cannes then Switzerland/France/Italy. I thoroughly enjoyed the trip, and found it a very in-expensive way of maximising the time for my trip (being from Northern Ireland and having extra travel time/expenses from the mainlanders).

I have just booked again with the same company (less than £500 for a week's hire of a 1200GS) and plan to head south from Barcelona for my solo trip this April.
I hear the Sierra Nevada and Granada mountains are worth a visit. My usual day is 10 or so hours in the saddle, 250 or 300 miles per day. Prefer to be off the beaten track for much of the time. I have no knowledge of this area, but am trying to put together a rough plan of places to see and do. Any suggestions will be most welcome!
 
Thanks for all the suggestions folks. Only 5 days to go!
I convinced a mate in work to do his bike test, which he passed recently. So with a grand total of 20 miles experience since.... he is now booked to come along on a rental 650 GS. The pace will therefore be a little slower, to keep things at his level. By the end of 7 days I will have him up to very satisfactory standard of motorcyclist...... what a place to learn :bounce1:guitarist:bounce1.

Will post some pics when we return to let you know how far we got.
 
Trip done and dusted

Well folks, thanks to those who made suggestions for my trip to Spain. I didnt get to cover the mileage I had thought, as Spain is a bigger place than I imagined. I did however have a cracking time and spent a clean fortune in the process.
My mate Gary came along, having just passed his bike test and a total of about 20 miles experience under his belt. We got collected at Barcelona Airport by mike, the owner of www.motoespana.com I rented a 1200GS and recommended something smaller for the novice.... a 650GS was what he got

garysbike.jpg

I brought along my own Garmin 2610, which I fitted to the bike, but forgot the jack plug to make my comms fit. This proved interesting when I tried to by-pass Barcelona. We ended up passing the bottom of La Ramblas and the Harbour, at evening RUSHOUR :eek: I was happy to bully my way through the traffic but must admit I was worried about G. He later thanked me for the baptism of fire, which he claimed left him ready to deal with anything. We then followed the coast to Tarragona, which was the first night's stop.

Next day I started to get the hang of the sat-nav and asked it to take us onto minor roads. We headed into the terra alta region and rode some magnificent mountain roads and passes, with almost no other traffic.

spain1.jpg


ruins.jpg


We played about until we ended in the clouds and the temp dropped very quickly, so it was a 40 minute run down the motorway into Valencia for the 2nd night. Next day it was more mountains and lots of bends to contend with. We both enjoy the comedy program 'Benidorm' and couldnt resist a look to see if it was really like the TV.... for those who havent been, the answer is Yes!:augie G couldnt resist booking in here for the night

Benidorm.jpg

From there we ended up in Alicante, where I had a snooze on the beach, before heading a little further south to La Zenia, just below Torrevieja, which was our base for the night. I had stayed here last August for the family holiday and dropped in to say hello to a friend.

This was the time I realised the 650 was not a bike for munching miles and wished we had stayed near Barcelona to upgrade it after a few days, as Gary was now riding like someone with years of experience.. We headed for Orihuela and took in a bit of offroading on the way. The sat-nav kept us on minor roads to Agost and and onto Alcoi. I was chuffed with the roads, but, the next section was some of the best biking roads I have ever seen. We carved up mile after mile of bends to Guadalest. I was really worried about G and his lack of experience, as he negotiated the technical bends with ease, the lines were perfect:clap I couldnt resist a photo of his rear tyre when we stopped for a break. He was getting full use of it

spaintyre.jpg

We couldnt find a decent hotel in the mountains so we ended up in Porto de Calpe. Next day was a blast up to Cambrills, where we stayed for two nights. The plan was to return the bikes at 6pm, so I wanted to cram in a coastal ride from Lloret de mar to Tossa de mar, an amazing bit of road I travelled along last Summer, but it was not to be.

That morning I got a phone call to say my father had passed away. I wasnt in the frame of mind to ride the bike, so we returned the bikes early and headed off to the airport.

I really enjoyed the trip and the weather was great, although the exchange rate left something to be desired :eek:
I would really recommend www.motoespana.com to everyone. I got a budget airfare and was collected and dropped off at the airport by the owner, free of charge. We racked up 2000 kms this time on someone else's tyre and service bills. (Last year I managed 4000kms in a week with no surcharge).
 
Thanks Aiden.

The funeral was during your GSers Donegal event, so obviously I didnt make it.

I did head up a few days later for a look. I had forgotten just what our wee Island of Ireland has to offer:aidan

donegal.jpg

The roads were great although the weather was a little cooler:cool:

donegal1.jpg

And the best part of all............. a 1200GS is very nice....... but you cant beat the real thing

1150.jpg
 


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