Sierras singletrack mountain bike holiday, Andalusia, Spain

Explore the vast network of technical trails and mind-blowing singletrack of the Serrania de Ronda and its surrounding area.

Prepare to thrill your senses and taste the real, untouched Andalucia, an area steeped in wondrous beauty and tradition. During this week of exhilarating off road riding, we'll weave our way through three of the most spectacular and unspoilt mountain ranges in Andalucia, each revealing its individual thrilling nature.

Smooth flowing and tricky twisty single track feature highly on the ride menu. Endless switchbacks from the Sierra de Pinos or the undulating paths along the Rio Guadiaro, we are sure that this trip has riding to thrill even the most seasoned Skedaddlers!

Accommodation for the week is in two traditional Andaluz, family run hotels, both being chosen for their character, cosiness and of course their close proximity to the best trails. Both serve excellent local food and wine in a relaxed atmosphere to add to your holiday experience.

Close by is the magical Moorish town of Ronda perched above a dramatic gorge with charming cobbled streets. It’s a great place to discover on a tasty tapas tour, with a local sherry or two!

Without doubt it’s a fun packed week of top mountain biking, spectacular Andalucian scenery and tasty traditional food, suiting the regular rider who enjoys a technical test.

Detailed Itinerary:
Day 1
After meeting your fellow 'Skedaddlers' at Malaga Airport (AGP) we transfer to our accommodation situated in the ‘sierras’ close to Ronda (approx. 2hrs). Once checked-in to the accommodation it's time to either 'put your bike together' following its dismantling for the flight to Spain or for those hiring bikes, its a time for sizing up of bikes.

Day 2
Our first day not only gives you the chance to ride some impressive singletrack and exquisite trails but also a chance to experience some of the breathtaking views of Ronda and its serranias (mountain ranges). To commence the morning’s proceedings we ride from our accommodation through Ronda and breathe in its true beauty and charm from its impressive bullring to the stunning ‘El Tajo’ gorge and the charm of a local Pueblo Blanco (white village). Then, we head out for our first taste of riding the serranía. As we descend through the pine wooded single track you will be amazed by the view we leave behind - the stunning town of Ronda perched on top of the gorge is truly breathtaking.

Leaving the town behind us, we climb up the verges of the ‘Guardairo Valley’ with some invigorating descents which wind down the valley and loop back on to the hill top. We then take our final descent to the ‘Cueva de Gata’ (Cats Cave) for lunch and a quick dip in the refreshing pools of water.

After lunch we continue on the ‘Cañate Real’ track which follows the ‘Guardairo River’ & then head towards home on exciting trails which skirt the edges of the beautiful ‘Sierra de Grazalema’.

Day 3
This route takes its name from the ‘Sierra de las Nieves’ (the snowy mountain range). This natural park is situated on the Eastern edge of Ronda, it is one of the two UNESCO Biosphere Reserves that we ride through and boasts some spectacular gorges and the highest mountain in the province of Malaga - Torrecilla which stands at 1,919 metres.

An early morning transfer takes us to the other side of the natural park to a town called ‘Yunquera’. From here we start on a challenging route which is based around the camino (forest trail) of the ‘Sierra de Las Nieves’ which journeys through the heart of the natural park from east to west. We explore a huge range of trails & experience exhilarating singletrack with thundering, sweeping descents.

Day 4
As the name suggests this 60 km ride starts and finishes in ‘Cortes de la Frontera’, a town sandwiched between the beautiful ‘Sierra de Grazalema’, ‘Los Alcornocales’ and one of the ‘Pueblos Blancos’ (White Villages). The ride follows a famous race circuit and explores an impressive range of terrains and tracks passing through some of the villages of the ‘Alta Genal’.

Day 5
Back to ‘Cortes de la Frontera’ where we take on a challenging climb to get the lungs working. We reap the rewards at the top of the climb and breathe in the stunning panorama of the ‘Sierra de los Piños’ which stretches across into ‘Los Alcornocales’. The descent which follows is without a doubt worthy to be included in the top 10 best rides in Spain – simply fantastic! Still grinning the afternoon is spent riding exploring further superb trails of the ‘Los Alcornocales’.

Day 6
Today we head into the second UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and Andalucia’s first natural park - ‘Zahara de la Sierra’. This is a spectacular setting to start this beautiful ride into the wilderness. We continue on into the ‘Sierra de Grazalema’ which is famous for its stunning scenery, wildlife and views, and the twisting and turning trails which we will take full advantage of.

Day 7
Following breakfast we board the support vehicle for the return journey to Malaga (approx.2hrs)

Equipment
We provide everything except personal equipment, clothing and a bike (although we are able to hire bikes at each location.) Apart from your emergency tool kit & spare inner tube you will not be required to take any extra equipment. If you are planning on bringing your own bike we strongly advise a mountain bike with a minimum of 24 gears and at least front suspension as well as tyres with an appropriate level of tread for the trip. It is essential that this bike is in good working order and so if you are not mechanically minded we recommend taking your bike to a local bicycle dealer for a service in good time before departure.

What the price doesn't include
A) Personal clothing and equipment.
B) Alcoholic drinks.
C) Travel insurance (available if required, £26).
D) Bar bills, telephone calls, souvenirs, etc.
E) Bike hire (if required, £140).