A7000 - Malaga to Colmenar Length: Type: Surface: Traffic: Corners: Notes:

HEAVEN

30km Scenic mountain route Excellent Very low - busier at weekends Consistent medium speed with slower switchbacks only at either end Though harder to find it is worth starting from Malaga as the long climb is more fun uphill. End is 695m higher than start. Great for a dawn run - leave Casa Don Carlos 30 minutes before sunrise over the mountain and the light, especially on the east facing part of the route is stunning. Also nice at sunset coming down from Colmenar.

Sat Nav Start: Lat. 36.73613 Lon. -4.41579 Malaga - Camino Colmenar A7000 Lat. 36.90245 Lon. -4.34169 Colmenar - Camino Malaga A7000

End:

Old Oak Lane

The High Pass

Grazalema Loop - The High Pass and Old Oak Lane Length: Type: Surface: Traffic: Corners: Notes:

HEAVEN

61km Combination of scenic mountain route with rolling foothills and white towns. Variable from good to average on the High Pass - nothing really bad. Beware of permanent damp patches in winter where the sun never gets to parts of the road under north facing hills. Variable - High Pass and Grazalema busier especially weekend & other holidays. Very variable from narrow switchbacks and big drops on the High Pass to fast sweeping bends and big dipper style small valleys on Old Oak Lane. A fantastic contrast of high mountain roads through rough gorse covered rocks to smooth low foothills with oak trees and dairy farms.

Sat Nav (set to next Bold place name as you go round) From Malaga you will probably come across through Ronda on the A374 and then A372 to Grazalema. Best way round is probably clockwise. A372 A373 CA5232 Grazalema to El Bosque El Bosque towards Prado Del Rey North to Zahara before Prado Del Rey (when 2km to go on Sat-Nav, reset to Zahara to find correct turning) Zahara to Grazalema (correct road winds up hill around village. Beware of Sat-nav taking you the long way via the main Ronda Road)

CA531

Grazalema: Lat. 36.75864 Lon. -5.36699 El Bosque: Lat. 36.75730 Lon. -5.50698

Junction near Prado Del Rey: Lat. 36.79031 Lon. -5.53878 Zahara: Lat. 36.84031 Lon. -5.39046

EL TORCAL

El Torcal, El Chorro & Malaga Loop

HEAVEN

Sat Nav (set to next Bold place name as you go round) A355 A357 MA444 A343 A7075 MA424 A7075 A357 Casa Don Carlos to Cartama and join A357 NW Ardales Bobastro and on through El Chorro to Vado Del Alamo Valle de Abdalajis and on towards Antequera before Antequera > Vileneuve de la Concepcion Almogia (or A7076 - more rustic, just as nice) Malaga (cruise into the city and see the cathedral & castle) H or hit Home when you come to the Malaga ring road. Cartama and home to Casa Don Carlos

Length: 150km Type/Surface/Traffic/Corners: From dual carriageway to mountain road. Notes: Start from Casa Don Carlos and join the A357 to take a clockwise route. Stop at the cafe/ice cream hut on MA444 and enjoy the view back to the gorge. Take any turn signposted El Torcal on the A7075 after Antequera. Ride and then walk into the strange landscape.

EL TORCAL

Vileneuve de la Concepcion

Zahara

El Burgo Grazalema Ronda

Ubrique Coin Cortes de la Frontera Jubrique

Marbella

Estepona

A Day in the Park & Sunset by the Seaside Length: Type: Surface: Traffic: Corners: Notes:

HEAVEN

Sat Nav (set to next Bold place name as you go round) Start: Casa Don Carlos North - A366 via Alozaina, Yunquerra & El Burgo to Ronda South - A355 to Marbella E15-AP7 Motorway towards Estepona A397 - off Motorway to Ronda from Ronda A374 the A372 to Grazalema CA531 to Zahara CA5232 towards Prado del Rey and El Bosque A373 to Ubrique A373 to Cortes de la Frontera A373 then A369 to Algatocin MA557 to Jubrique and on to Estepona h hit home and follow the motorway to Marbella then A355 to Coin Take the old A7 coast road for a hustle through the Costa del Sol traffic and see the stereotypical ex-pat concrete jungle with its Balti Houses, Pizza Huts and Chinese takeaways. At this point you should give thanks that this lot have not yet discovered what an amazingly beautiful country is just a short car ride away!

306km - Northern route to Ronda 337km - Southern route to Ronda Everything Varied - no really bad parts. Very variable - Coast to Ronda busiest at peak times Every type A good long days ride, start just before dawn. This is a really good run for a later day after you are really comfortable on the bike and ready for a long blast. Its tempting to shorten the route by approx 1.5 hours by taking the A2302 from Grazalema to Ubrique but try not to, its the best bit. The two optional ways to Ronda really depend on whether you have tried one already and want to swap. to to to to to to to Ronda Ronda Grazalema Ubrique Ubrique Jubrique Marbella 38km (north) 89km (South 30km 57km (loop) 25km (short) 55km 67km

either: or:

Distances: Casa Don Carlos Casa Don Carlos Ronda Grazalema Grazalema Ubrique Jubrique

Tried and Tested - Some of the best roads in Andalucia

This is by no means a complete summary, please email any suggestions with pics if you have them to russell@gsheaven.com to pass on your experiences to future riders. Whether its just a short piece of road or a whole days route, all suggestions welcome. Also any corrections if any of the map data is misleading or inaccurate.

HEAVEN

We hope you enjoy your trip.

A Day of Reservoirs, Olives and Oaks, a Gorge and a Fortress Length: Type: Surface: Traffic: Corners: Notes: 350km (with detours) A bit of everything Mostly good (Some new road building around Teba - Winter 2008) Busier at El Chorro and Ronda. Empty at Teba and East of Sauciejo. A bit of everything A lovely long day trip with great stopping points at El Chorro, Bobastro, Teba and the many reservoirs. Everything from the racetrack north to Osuna to the narrow winding road to Bobastro viewpoint.

Sat Nav From Casa Don Carlos to these locations in order: Alozaina - Alora - (Bobastro - essential veiwpoint detour) - Ardales Teba (ride up the steep lane to the Fortress!) - Almargen - Osuna - La Puebla de Cazalla - (San Antonio del Fontanar - optional reservoir detour) - Villanueva de San Juan - Sauciejo - Almargen - Canete la Real - Ronda - El Burgo - Yunquera - Alozaina - Home

HEAVEN

Africa Atlantic Mediterranean

Europe

Voyage to the End of Europe

HEAVEN

Length: 468km (full figure of 8) - 412km (missing Ubrique) Type - Surface - Traffic - Corners: Bit of everything Notes: A long days adventure, from the mountains around Ronda into the depths of the national park and out to the tree lined roads towards Algeciras. Finally to the wind and sand swept port of Tarifa and the view of the mountains of Morroco and the straits of Gibraltar. Go out onto the causeway to the gates of the Fort and you are at the end of the road for Europe (easy on the sand across the causeway, it steers the bike for you)

Sat Nav Twisty mountain route to Ronda: Alozaina - El Burgo - Ronda Fast mountain route to Ronda: Marbella - San Pedro de Alcantara - Ronda National Park route: Grazalaema - Ubrique - Jimena de la Frontera - Tarifa Faster mountain route: Jimena de la Frontera - Tarifa

A day out to Granada Snow & Surf

HEAVEN

442km (485km via Venta del Fraile) Mountains & the Med Generally very good Highly variable - Granada and Mulhacen very busy at weekends. Corners: Bit of everything - great fast sweepers up to Mulhacen and high twisties over Venta del Fraile. Notes: A big day trip with lots of potential stops but you wont fit them all in so choose carefully or go again another day. Sat Nav Start: C Casa Don Carlos - Malaga - Colmenar (Camino del Colmenar) - Loja - Granada - Pradollano (Mulhacen Summit)...

Length: Type: Surface: Traffic:

Placeta de San Nicolas - Fantastic view across to the Alhambra. Challenging access via a maze of cobbled streets. Great fun in the sun but very slippery if its raining.

Superb Tapas bar just off Calle de Elvira. Left down the second side street from Plaza Nueva

Choice of Scenic mountain route or fast gorge road:

H Mountains via: Venta del Fraile - Almunecar - Casa Don Carlos (Home) H Fast gorge route (mostly motorway): Motril - Casa Don Carlos (Home)

Optional Excursions Granada - The Alhambra Palace Spectacular moorish palace and gardens - must book ahead, sometimes by quite a few days. Entrance is timed in sessions. Granada - Albaicin Hilltop warren of old gypsy houses and narrow cobbled streets. Try to get up to the Placetta de San Nicholas next to the church. Fantastic views over the Alhambra and Mount Mulhacen beyond. Gypsy guitarists and chilled out bars. Fantastic at sunset but its still quite a way home. Granada - Mount Mulhacen Ski Station (Pradollano) Great road up the mountain with lots of fast wide bends. Can be very busy. Road goes beyond the snowline from about November to April. Herradura Beach Stop for a sunset beer on the beach at Herradura - a smaller town with a couple of cosy beach bars and easy parking right on the back of the beach. Nerja - Torre Del Mar Take the coast road for a gentle cruise through some of Andalucias nicer seaside resorts.