Gravel Biking: The Sierra Nevada Gravel Tour and Farmhouse-Based Gravel Holidays

6 Days, Multiple Departures

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Gravel Biking: The Sierra Nevada Gravel Tour and Farmhouse-Based Gravel Holidays
  • About
  • Gallery
  • Itinerary
  • Location
  • Things to keep in mind

Highlights
Highlights of this unique, expertly-guided, high altitude, point-to-point gravel tour around the Sierra Nevada mountains include:

Epic riding on endless gravel roads, with views of the high plains, snowy peaks and the Mediterranean sea

Exploring both the north and south-facing slopes of this little-known range, where you are more likely to see a flock of vultures than another bunch of riders

Staying in hidden white villages, where time stands still

Enjoying local wines beneath the stars in deep, rural darkness

The jewel in the crown: conquering the other-worldly Veleta Pass, at 3269 metres above sea level

Riding into the captivating city of Granada, beneath the Moorish Alhambra palace

While you're riding, we take care of everything else

The Route & The Riding
This is a challenging mountain gravel route; about 80% light to chunky gravel and 20% quiet tarmac/asphalt roads. The total distance is 216 kilometres, with 6130 metres of climbing. The daily distances are not huge, but there is a lot of climbing and riding at high altitude. We will be in remote areas. You need to be a reasonably fit, experienced cyclist.

You can comfortably ride this route with a rigid gravel bike, but we recommend at least 40mm tyres. A good alternative is a converted hardtail mountain bike, with or without drop bars, and short-travel fork.

About

Detailed GPS routes

Accommodation at the Pure Mountains farmhouse

Breakfast at the farmhouse every day

Packed lunch every day

Three home-cooked evening meals at the farmhouse

Málaga airport transfers

ACCOMMODATION

Accommodation at the Pure Mountains farmhouse

FOOD

Breakfast at the farmhouse every day
Packed lunch every day
Three home-cooked evening meals at the farmhouse

I just back from a fantastic 4 days of mountain biking with team. Jenny and Tim are expert trail guides, riding coaches, and wonderful hosts. Each day was spent on different hillsides and on different trails with perfectly set up quality mountain bikes that we chose to hire. The Alpujurras mountain landscapes are beautiful in all directions giving plenty to take your mind off the climbs and plenty to distract you on the downhill sections if you're not being careful!! We felt very well looked after, not least every day at lunchtime when we sat down in the woods to be spoiled with a wonderful picnic lunch, the very best of luxury mountain biking!!
Thanks, Jenny & Tim, we certainly hope to ride with you again.


David, Ower, UK (As seen in TripAdvisor Jun 2022)



Gallery
About The Host

Jenny 

Job: Founder and guide

Bike Experience: Cycling all her life. 20 odd years of mountain biking. Endurance and enduro racing. OTC qualified guide.

Loves: Finding and sharing new trails, the first beer after a dusty ride.

Hates: Mud and traffic.

Hobbies: Rescuing stray dogs. Improving Spanish.

Previous Life: Lawyer in Bristol, UK

Tim 

Job: Founder and guide

Bike Experience: All sorts of mountain biking. Keen MTB marathon and stage racer. Winner of the category at La Rioja Bike Race 2017 and 2018. Winner of pairs category at Costa Blanca Bike Race. Third in category at Iron Bike and UK Mountain Bike Marathon Championships. OTC qualified guide and leader trainer.

Loves: Fixing bikes. Mountains. Making beer.

Hates: Grey skies.

Hobbies: Cycling.

Previous Life: Actor, trapeze artist, sailor, mainly in the UK.

Itinerary

Day 1

Transfer from Málaga airport to Lanteira, an intriguing village on the north side of the mountain range. We stay in a charming hotel overlooking a gorge, on the outskirts of the village. Over dinner in the renowned restaurant, we will talk about the adventure ahead of us.

Day 2

From Lanteira, we ride up into the wilderness and follow an undulating gravel road, traversing forested mountainsides, with glimpses of the endless high plains to the north. At 2100m, we crest the mountain pass of Puerto de la Ragua, which leads us to the south-facing side of the range, known since Moorish times as La Alpujarra. We descend to the pretty village of Mairena, where tonight’s accommodation is a stylish take on the traditional Spanish hotel, with a great restaurant.

Distance 58km, with 1430m of elevation.

Day 3

From Mairena, we take a short road ride to Válor and then climb up to a spectacular gravel road at 2000m. From here, we have views of the highest peaks, the Mediterranean, and, on a clear day, the Rif Mountains of Morocco. We follow this road in and out of several valleys and finish at Márcula, the farmhouse, perched above the village of Bérchules, at 1650m. We will enjoy a home-cooked dinner and stargazing from the terrace and, equally importantly, have a chance to do our laundry.

Distance 50km, with 1700m of elevation.

Day 4

A gentler day today.

We ride from Márcula, partly on gravel, partly on asphalt/tarmac, to Trevélez, which is Spain’s highest village and the world center of jamón serrano. From Trevélez, we take a stunning gravel road into the spectacular Poqueira Valley. We stay in a charming hotel in Capileira, chosen by National Geographic as one of Spain’s most beautiful villages. An early night is advisable!

Distance 40km, with 1000m of elevation.

Day 5

This is the queen stage!

Today we head up from Capileira, climbing gradually into the famous lunar landscape of the Veleta Pass. At 3269m, this is Europe’s highest cyclable pass. It used to be Europe’s highest driveable road but was closed to vehicles when the area was declared a National Park in the 1990s. Crossing it by bike will be a memory to last a lifetime. We then have a huge descent to our final destination, the romantic city of Granada. Time for a cava and tapas celebration of our amazing adventure!

Distance 68km, with 2000m of elevation.

Day 6

Transfer to Málaga airport.

Location
Things to keep in mind

Your luggage is transported in the support vehicle, which is on hand to provide picnic lunches, spares, and moral/physical support if needed. You only need to carry a day pack.