Cycle Touring in Spain. Harry Dowdell

is not exhaustive, but finding somewhere to sleep is generally not a problem. However, when heading for towns with a single hotel, reserving a room in advance by telephone is strongly recommended. This is even more important on public holidays, Friday and Saturday nights throughout the year, and during the peak Spanish holiday months of July and August.

      If this guide has done its job readers are now ready to head off on their bikes to discover something of Spain. However, some may wish to have like-minded company, a degree of support or to experience the lie of the land before doing their own thing. Appendix 7 lists some companies that organise cycle tours in Spain along with some questions as to the degree of support required.

      Alhama de Granada overlooks the gorge of the Río Alhama, with several water mills (Route 3)

ROUTE 1

      Serranía de Ronda

      The objective of this tour is to visit Ronda – popular with tourists and an excellent base for exploring, set amongst the limestone hills – via a number of pueblos blancos (white villages). By contrast the return takes in the spectacular El Chorro Gorge and follows the Río Guadalhorce back to Málaga.

      Yunquera

      The route can be divided into five stages and is a good introduction to cycling touring in Spain, and is covered by the Instituto Geográfico Nacional 1:200 000 Mapa Provincial of Málaga. (A small part of the route lies in Cádiz, but the Málaga map is sufficient.) The Michelin 1:200 000 map no 124, Zoom Costa del Sol, is recommended, and the Rough Guide to Andalucía describes the area well.

      Málaga tends to be slightly wetter and warmer than Almería (to the east) but drier and slightly warmer than Cádiz (to the west). Inland temperatures are not moderated by the sea and are often higher outside winter, but the temperature drops approximately 1°C for every 100m of climb and the mountains are generally a bit wetter than the coast. The highest point of the ride is the Puerto de Ventas (1190m); Ronda is about 730m above sea level. The table (left) gives climate details for Málaga, and will enable you to work out the best time for your trip.

STAGE 1

      Málaga airport to Yunquera

Start	Málaga airport
Distance	59km (36.6 miles)
Climb	835m (2740ft)
Cycling time	4hr 55min
Type	Fairly hilly

      Málaga’s modern airport, situated 8km south-west of the town, provides a convenient entry point into Spain.

      Leave the airport terminals as described in Appendix 5, keeping right as the road splits in anticipation of the MA-21, and join it following signs for Torremolinos and Marbella. Keep on this busy dual carriageway for 1.5km before turning right, and head due west along the A-404 skirting to the south of the centre of Churriana. Follow the road signs for Alhaurín de la Torre, then Alhaurín el Grande, and then Coín; the route passes through these three small towns on roads numbered alternatively A3-66 and A-404. The road climbs up and away from the coast and is at first busy, but gradually quietens and becomes more suburban, then rural. After Alhaurín de la Torre the road is even less busy; enjoy the more relaxed cycling with pleasant views to the north. All three towns have shops, bars and restaurants. Coín has experienced less recent development and has retained character, and is a good place for a break. There is also a good bike shop on the right as the town is entered.

      Leave Coín, following road signs to Ronda. The next 20km to Alozaina is rural and peaceful, with olive and almond trees as far as the eye can see, and occasional orange groves and characteristic eucalyptus trees lining river banks and valley bottoms. Ignore the left turn to the spa town of Tolox. Once across the not-so-large Río Grande the road climbs more steeply, with superb views. Oranges (naranjas) are often on sale by the roadside. These will have been been ripened naturally on the tree, and are simply delicious. Zumo de naranja is the freshly squeezed juice of ripe oranges and is exquisite, although its bottled form is a poor substitute. Most bars possess a squeezing machine, a welcome sight for the passing cyclist.

      Alozaina is located just beyond the turn for Yunquera and is worth a detour. Built on a spur, with a viewpoint at the far end, it provides an opportunity to review the route so far. Returning to the Yunquera road the route now twists and turns up through rocky pinewoods on a relentless climb, the toughest cycling of the day. The road levels somewhat after the Puerto de Jorox (590m) – the village of the same name can be seen below – before climbing again towards Yunquera. The village is bypassed by the main road, so turn left at the cemetery and follow the narrow streets to find the Hostal Asencio.

      Sierra Prieta viewed from the Sierra de las Nieves

      Yunquera is a typical Andalucían pueblo blanco, its white church set on a rise surrounded by white houses on the edge of a precipice. For the cyclist, thirsty, hungry and drained after a hard day in the heat, it is a welcome stop, particularly in the early evening, when the farmers return from the fields on their ponies, saddlebags laden with black and green olives – a pleasant contrast to the harsh country experienced earlier.

      Staying on in Yunquera

      Although charming, the village will not detain you for long. Cycling excursions are limited to the mountain tracks in the Parque Natural de la Sierra de las Nieves: take the road towards El Burgo and turn left after the first steep rise.

STAGE 2

      Yunquera to Ronda

Start	Yunquera
Distance	36km (22.3 miles)
Climb	820m (2690ft)
Cycling time	3hr 20min
Type	Hilly through mountains

      Today’s stage is through sparsely populated mountains so stock up with bread and other groceries in Yunquera, or at El Burgo in 12km.

      The road climbs sharply from the pueblo before getting the chance to warm up. It continues up through impressively terraced olive groves to the Puerto de las Abejas (Pass of the Bees) at 820m. The road now descends via gentle curves through enormous cultivated fields before a short climb to El Burgo, set back from the road and built around a domed hill. This is the last chance to top up with water: the next few hours are through dry limestone mountains with no roadside springs. El Burgo has two places to stay, including the Posada del Canónigo.

      The route ahead is through the Serranía de Ronda proper. Having crossed the Río del Burgo at El Burgo, the road continues to climb along its northern bank. It soon reaches the treeline and runs through pine forest on a well-graded and hence very bendy road, the hardest going in Route 1. There is plenty of