Don11

I'm hoping to cycle from Altura to estepona sometime in October over a week and was hoping that someone has done the same and would give me an easy enough route and places to stay on the way.. Hope someone out there can help ..
Don

Wildwood 

arupaka
, @Z3nD3n

Z3nD3n

I don't know these two places Altura e Estepona.

Can you point me to it?
This way I can recommend places to stay.

Wildwood 

Oh well,
I have driven from Malaga to Cadiz several times, but so long ago as to be irrelevant for recommendations.

All I can say is I was gobsmacked standing in Europe and looking across the Strait of Gibraltar to Tangier and Africa.

MinnMan

Hmm. I just spent a couple of weeks riding in Ronda, but maybe you are planning to ride on the coast and not wander that far inland? The moment you leave the coast in those parts, it gets fairly mountainous. But also, the roads are quiet and the scenery is gorgeous. I haven't ridden any of the coastal roads in that part of Spain.

Don11

Thanks all, hopefully someone has done this route and will give me their experience 😄

indyfabz

I toured in Andalucia for 7 weeks 23 years ago. Spent 4 nights camping in Ronda leading up to Easter. Came from Ardales over El Puerto del Viento. Did a day ride one day to Setenil de la Bodega to see the houses built under the cliffs. When I left I rode to El Bosque. Great riding all around Ronda.

indyfabz

It’s an origin-destination pair, not a route. And are you talking about Estepona, Spain? Details are important.

Don11

Yes it is Estepona in Spain. I was thinking of doing maybe averaging 60km a day and sleeping in hostels. I was hoping someone has done similar and would share their experience... Thanks for your reply

Don11

Altura Portugal to Estepona Spain

MinnMan

23 years - you have either a great memory or took good notes.

Yes, the cycling around Ronda is fantastic. It's not one of the great cycling centers of Spain (i.e., Girona, Mallorca), but the routes are really sweet.

I was based in Ronda for 2+ weeks. My "easy day" out and back was up to El Puerto del Viento and back down. It's just over a 1000' foot climb. People who live there do that route for hill repeats. I also went through Setenil de la Bodega quite a few times, including a very nice circuit with the far point in Olvera. I didn't make it quite as far as El Bosque (that would be quite a ride out and back to Ronda), but did visit numerous villas blancas to the south (Banaojan, Atajate, Juzcar, etc.).

It was my second time riding in Ronda, and I know I'll be back.

MinnMan

This isn't, to my knowledge, a specific trip that many others are likely to have undertaken. Looking at google maps, the secondary coastal roads seem quite rideable, though I haven't traced out the whole route. Of course, you'll need to avoid the Autovia.. As for places to stay, you can probably do your research with TripAdvisor or similar. There may not be to many actual hostels, but you will likely find budget hotels.

Atlas Shrugged

RideWithGPS is your friend. You can build a route based on roads used by cyclists and bike routes. Search routes built by other cyclists. Pre ride the route with built in google street view.

terrymorse 

RidewithGPS also has heatmaps that show the most popular cycling roads:



Quite handy when building a route in an unfamiliar area.

Atlas Shrugged

Much more reliable information than random internet opinions. Has absolutely saved me a incredible amount of hassle on numerous occasions.

MinnMan

I would say RideWithGPS is 99% reliable. I used it to build all of my routes in Spain this past month. It steered me wrong just once, to a road it thought was paved but very much wasn't.
In very unfamiliar country, I supplement with Google maps. Google Street View is not always available in every part of every country.

Don11

Thank you for all the information... Brilliant

indyfabz

That part of the trip sticks in my mind because it was Easter week. When I got to the campground, it was packed. I basically had a patch of grass for my tent. The owner of the place, who spoke many languages and had once visited Alaska, told me to hang out for the rest of the week because everywhere was mobbed. It was also a memorable ride there because as I was climbing Viento from El Burgo, a got caught by some race team. They were looking at me like I was nuts. I asked one member to help me with my "equipaje" (baggage). He kind of chuckled, politely declined and then rode away.

Bad scans of some slides of Setenil:

choddo

Can’t help the OP (I’ve only travelled around Estepona in golf buggies ) but I am going to Ronda for the first time in a couple of months cycling with friends so it’s great to hear that it’s good riding country.

Don11

Thanks for reply and enjoy your trip
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davester

Although you might be lucky and get some good advice on this forum, this question would probably get more and much better responses if you posted it to the touring forum.

Don11

Thank you

MinnMan

Yes indeed. When are you going? If in summer or anytime close, be prepared for heat.

Don11

October or late September.... I think I start in Malaga and head to Faro via coast....

indyfabz

April is a good time weather-wise, and Easter week is early this year, so you won’t have the crowds to contend with. I arrived on Holy Thursday and stayed until the Monday after Easter on the recommendation of the campground owner. He said everywhere would be mobbed. I had been there in mid-March two years earlier during a train tour of Spain. The place was relatively empty. When I rode in on Holy Thursday I didn’t recognize where I was until I hit the bridge across the gorge because of all the visitors.

Don’t know how long it would be or how much climbing, but maybe map out Ronda-Grazalema-Puerto de Las Palomas-Zahara de la Sierra-Montecorto-Setenil de la Bodega-Ronda.