Touring Altura Portugal to Estepona
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Touring Altura Portugal to Estepona
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
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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.
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.
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Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
Vintage, modern, e-road. It is a big cycling universe.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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.
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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.
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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.
Last edited by Atlas Shrugged; 01-20-24 at 11:58 AM.
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Quite handy when building a route in an unfamiliar area.
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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.
In very unfamiliar country, I supplement with Google maps. Google Street View is not always available in every part of every country.
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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:
Bad scans of some slides of Setenil:
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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.
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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.
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Yes indeed. When are you going? If in summer or anytime close, be prepared for heat.
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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.
Last edited by indyfabz; 02-08-24 at 09:28 PM.