Trans Andaluz Mountain Bike Holiday, Spain

Here it is, the ultimate place to place mountain biking trip in Andalucia. This journey will take you from the Mediterranean through two UNESCO biosphere reserves, four natural parks, past the highest peaks in western Andalucia, alongside rivers and lakes, through olive groves, pine and oak forests, to finish at the white sands of the Costa de la Luz on the wild Atlantic coast. Wow, it’s a heady concoction, aimed at getting even the most seasoned Skedaddler grinning.

Accommodation throughout the week will be in tasteful and traditional small hotels, serving fantastic Andaluz mountain fare and within ancient Moorish castle topped ‘Pueblos Bancos’ (white villages). The days are linked with fast trails and ancient roads, lashings of fresh air and slick singletrack. The regular off-road rider with a decent level of fitness should relish this challenge. Days will be full of excellent biking and endurance will prove to be the key. Although riding will not be overly technical, there will be plenty to test your skills.

As we head north away from the busy Costa del Sol, the true ancient land of Al Andaluz is reached. Mountain sides dotted with white villages surrounded by terraced land. You will experience true Andaluz hospitality, excellent mountain cuisine of stews, game and delicious cured meats and cheeses. Not forgetting the fantastic seafood on offer when you arrive at the Atlantic.

Riding highlights throughout this fun packed trip include the 1000 metre descent out of the Sierra de las Nieves, the thrilling ride through the terraces and olive groves to the Rio Grande, the challenge of crossing the Lifa pass with its magnificent views down to Ronda and beyond and the miles and miles of beautiful singletrack in the Guadiaro valley. Put all this with the cheap flights to Malaga from just about anywhere in the UK and lashing of bright Spanish sunshine and we’ve come up with a beauty.

Detailed Itinerary:
Day 1
The local Skedaddle guide will meet you at Malaga Airport (AGP) for the short transfer to the starting destination of Istan. This typical hillside white village is a little way inland, away from the busy coast and high on the banks of the Conception reservoir. Istan is also right on the edge of the awesome Sierra de las Nieves mountain range, which reaches 2000metres above the village and the ideal place to start this Southern Spanish adventure. Bike building and fitting can be done in the gardens at the hotel with splendid views back down to the Mediterranean. The evening meal will be taken at the excellent hotel restaurant, giving you a first chance to try the tasty local cuisine, while we discuss the week ahead.

Day 2
After breakfast we will set off on our first day adventure. We will head deep into the Sierra de Las Nieves Natural Park, which was recently given UNESCO Biosphere status. It’s the highest range in the Malaga Province and is an area strewn with deep ravines, impressive cracks cut through dazzling limestone, with river valleys densely forested with gall oak and Spanish fir. The whole area is littered with tracks and paths making it a joy in which to mountain bike.

The route will take us up the Rio Verde valley on a series of different tracks and paths, running alongside irrigation channels, through magnificent terraced orchards of citrus and olive until we cross the river. We’ll pick up trail that gives excellent views back to Istan and the Mediterranean as it climbs on a twisty trail into the Sierra Real. An exhilarating descent on a thin track that weaves in and out of the deep ravines eventually reaches Rio Verde close to it’s birth at El Nacimiento.

A steady climb through pines up the other side of the valley will bring us to lunch. The legendary Skedaddle picnic lunches are taken out in Mother Nature herself, usually in a beautiful place with great views. The delicious spread that the guides create will consist of local cured meats, fish and sausage and fantastic cheeses produced by the different herds you’ll encounter on the trails. Succulent salads and fruits grown in these fertile valleys will be served, each day will be different, as the local specialities change as we head towards the coast.

After lunch a well surfaced track climbs steadily to the Golondrinas pass at nearly 1000 metres before an exhilarating descent on fast tracks and singletrack to the Horcajos River and it’s beautiful craggy ravine. Following the river downstream we’ll pass small farms and orchards before we reach the white village of Tolox and the nights accommodation. A well deserved sunset beer on the terrace before we hit the shower surely in order!!

Day 3
On well rested legs we’ll pedal north up onto a ridge with great views across the park and surrounding area, then descend on a series of fantastic fast trails dipping and twisting into the deep valley of the Rio Grande. Past ancient water mills the trail fords the river before the testing climb up through the orange groves to the white village of Yunquera, perched beneath the impressive Cabrilla Mountain. When you reach the village you ‘ll understand why the Moorish founders chose that hillside. The village has a terrific commanding position and is the perfect place to take a coffee break with a view.

A track climbing steady heads straight into the mountains and then drops on some sexy riverside singletrack through tall pines and boulders. Another swooping decent down off ‘dust hill’ will bring us to the enchanting picnic area at Fuensanta. A late (Spanish style) barbeque lunch is just the ticket to re-energise us for the last climb of the day to Puerto de la Mujer (Pass of the Woman).

It’s a truly beautiful area of towering limestone and huge pines, and the slice of singletrack to come will have you buzzing all the way to our hotel in El Burgo. This village feels like the twenty first century has passed it by and it offers excellent old fashioned hospitality. The hotel is a converted 18th century village house, a piece of pure Andaluz. The home cooking is delicious traditional mountain food. Yum!

Day 4
After a re-fuelling breakfast we will head out on what could possibly be the toughest day of the week!!! We pick up a lovely trail immediately from the village that heads up alongside the picturesque El Burgo River, passing smallholdings and dams in the shade of thick forest. At an area aptly named Buenavista we’ll pick up some tricky twisty singletrack down through forest and through the riverbed. This excellent path climbs, dips and traverses along the valley side before it begins to climb for real.

The climb is a great test of technical skill, so for those who like a challenge we’re sure this will put a smile on your face! There is no rush to get to the top so we can enjoy the open mountainscape of terrific views, with the only sounds being the bells of goats and perhaps even eagles. The path leads into a 4x4 track and the going becomes a little easier as we head for the Lifa Pass, our summit. The reward at the pass is ample looking don onto the white town of Ronda and beyond to the Grazalema Mountains. It’s a great place for lunch too with maybe a leg-resting siesta!

Fast thrilling downhill will speed us towards the Ancient city of Ronda. Our route through the town will pass the best sights, including the oldest bullring in Spain and the Puente Nuevo over the impressive Tajo Gorge. Some lovely smooth singletrack will lead us under the cliffs of the town to the Guadalevin River. We’ll head to the pine forests just outside the town and have some fun on the excellent flowing singletrack that the local bikers have created and then drop down fast trails to the Guadiaro River.

One last climb into the beautiful limestone of the Grazalema Park, concluding in a fun switchback descent to our destination of Montejaque. The village is in a stunning setting nestled between huge craggy peaks. The hotel is right on the lively village square, a perfect place to consider the epic ride behind us over a glass of tinto.

Day 5
After a good breakfast we set off in the morning sunlight, through the bright whitewashed lanes, with a day of truly fantastic mountain biking ahead. A short stiff climb to awaken our lungs and legs will give us great views back to the village and the Guadiaro valley, which is the main stage of our riding today. The track joins up with an ancient traders route, which today is perfect singletrack with a few rocky sections to test the skills and nerve!?

Once in the bottom of the valley we will follow the river downstream, past the Cueva de la Gata - a magnificent resurgence cave to the village of Benoajan, a perfect stop for a morning coffee. The trail to come has to be one of the best stretches of singletrack in Spain. Firstly an 8km stretch of mainly smooth singletrack twists along the riverbank to the village of Jimera de Libar. If that isn’t enough for you then the following section of 10km of fast flowing trails and singletrack to the next village of Estacion de Cortes should be!

A steady climb to the beautiful hilltop village of Cortes de la Frontera will bring us to a deserving lunch stop.In the afternoon we head into the Alcornocales Natural Park, described by well known British botanist David Bellamy as ‘perhaps Europe’s last real wilderness area’. The rolling mountainsides are covered in the continents largest cork oak forest and it’s likely that we will see deer and wild boar, as well as griffon vultures and a variety of eagles soaring overhead.

The trails weave in and out of thick forest eventually picking up the GR-7. This long distance footpath stretches from our final destination of Tarifa, all the way to Athens! But don’t worry as we’re only going as far as the next village today.To end the days ride a mixture of singletrack and sweeping trails will drop us down to the Jimena de la Frontera, a village topped by it’s wonderful 13th century castle. A couple of sundowners on the roof terrace at the hotel will just be the ticket. The restaurant here is superb and the local game stews are definitely a must try; though there are veggie options available!!

Day 6
To warm the legs up we’ll climb back into the forest park past smallholdings towards the Lomas de Camara peak where the views of the trail ahead are magnificent. We’ll ride through ancient oak forests, on contouring tracks, dropping down to streambeds before climbing to the next viewpoint. As we ride alongside the picturesque Guadarranque Reservoir we’ll catch glimpses of Castillo de Castellar, a classic Moorish fortress village perched on the hillside across the water. This is a great place for a lazy picnic lunch, with possibly a siesta under one of the huge oaks!

After some lovely twisting tracks we will begin a testing climb on afternoon legs to the summit of the Sierras de Montecoche. A terrific switchback path will take us down to the shores of the Charco Redondo Reservoir. A fast trail will take us around the water before a last descent to the small town of Los Barrios and our beds for the night.

This is a terrific day of wilderness biking where we will hardly meet a soul, let alone see a building. We wish to keep traffic in the forest to a minimum enabling us to appreciate the peace of the area. Therefore we will be taking our own supplies for snacks and lunch. However the landrover will never be too far away should we need it in case of an emergency!

Day 7
Our final day mountain biking of this superb Andaluz adventure is an absolute classic! We begin by climbing past the Matavacas Reservoir, on and up the side of the Fraile hills following a steady track. We’ll head through pine and oak as the trail loops around switchbacks offering incredible views across the bay of Algeciras to Gibraltar. As the gradient eases we will contour through wild forest. At the highest point an exhilarating descent awaits us, firstly on some excellent flowing singletrack with the odd rocky step section to test our mettle. The route drops and twists through thick forest and then open pastureland above Rio de la Miel (Honey River) before climbing to the village of Algamasilla for a well deserved cafe con leche.

Next off we head into the Straits of Gibraltar Natural Park. This is a beautiful stretch of wild mountainous coastline that has fantastic views across to the majestic Rif Mountains in Morocco. The fast trail heads in a southwesterly direction towards our destination, then takes a swooping descent to the shores of the historical channel to the fishing hamlet of Guadalmesi. A delicious beachside lunch will be ready and waiting our arrival, and maybe a revitalising dip will fit the bill for some of us.

Re-energised we pick up a great trail that undulates close to the shores. Long stretches of singletrack flow around the headlands until we meet the eastern old town wall of Tarifa. Our final piece of riding will take us to the Isla de las Palomas. This is the most southerly point of mainland Europe as well as the natural divide between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Yeah, you’ve made it. Congratulations!! A 'couple' of celebratory drinks while we watch the sun set over the Atlantic is a memorable way to finish this tour.  Back for a shower at the hotel in the heart of the old town and then out for some tasty tapas and drinks in the exciting bars that Tarifa has to offer.

Day 8
Time to pack those bags for the last time after a relaxing breakfast, before we head back and say our goodbyes. The route described in this tour is an example of the day to day riding. Certainly being a place to place trip some of the route will be obligatory, however the local guides will add and take some parts out to suit the groups abilities, weather and other variables throughout the week, to ensure the group has an fun packed and enjoyable trip.

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) Evening meals and alcoholic drinks.
C) Travel insurance (available if required, £26).
D) Bar bills, telephone calls, souvenirs, etc.
E) Bike hire (if required, £140).
F) Entrance fees to museums.