Sierra Cabrera, Nijar & Sierra Alhamilla

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Sorbas, Andalucía, ES

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Route-overzicht

bici-almeria.com

cycle trips in south eastern spain

92 km

1.494 m

Mid length ride with a good amount of steady rather than steep climbing

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Routedetails

The ride starts from the @point[Bar Fogon/Hostal Sorbas](d,92384.67) on the A-340 at Bar Fogon in Sorbas. A nice terrace makes a great place to grab a coffee in the morning sunshine before setting off. There is ample free parking if you arrive by car on both sides of the main road. 
As we set off there is a view of the precarious hanging houses of Sorbas atop the gorge to the left. After a quick descent over the dried-up Rios Aguas river bed we take a right turn, signed for Nijar and Carboneras, and start the first of our little lumps of the ride. As you pass a sign that tells you you are climbing the @photo[Sierra Cabrera](751914). Steady and short it is ideal to get warmed up and passes the Urra Mirador with its great views of the Sorbas basin. @slice[Then there is a switchback descent, complete with the truly continental concrete blocks at the side of the road, through the tiny hamlet of Rios de los Aguas, and then a stiff little rise up the far valley side](d,5596.19,9861.47). Next a long period of downhill alongside the A92 motorway and the massive engineering work-in-progress of the AVE high-speed railway with its tunnels and viaducts. 
We then head off the 'main' road and head cross country through to Fernan Perez - @slice[here we use a combination of *camino rurales* and old roads usurped by modern highways](d,18778.99,31601.4). @photo[Camino Rural](751912) Whilst the road surfaces are decent they are not the super-smooth tarmac one becomes used to in Almeria. For the nature lovers among you, keep your eyes peeled for chameleons, bee-eaters, finches, tortoises, snakes and much, much more on these very quiet lanes.
The @slice[*campo* across to Fernan Perez is a marvellous stretch of gently undulating tarmac](d,34367.56,44225.79) through the Cabo de Gata Natural Park - it is ideal for 'big-ringing' it (unless you have a block headwind!) and we once encountered the Rabobank squad practice TTT on it! 
@point[Fernan Perez](d,44130.77) makes a good place to stop for early lunch or a coffee. The bar in the square makes large and cheap *bocadillos de lomo y queso* (pork loin and cheese baguettes).
From here we head north on a straight road through some of Almeria's extensive *plasticos* - large swathes of greenhouses that provide Northern Europe with most of its winter tomatoes. Not the prettiest of sights but from the top of a mountain looking down on the shimmering plastic sea there is a sense of awe, if not ah! Once back across the A92 again we begin the big climb of the day, first up to the village of @point[Nijar](d,59992.74) where lunch should be had if you skipped it in Fernan Perez. The 15km 5% climb of Alto de Nijar will need some sustenance. There are plenty of good tavernas, cafes and bars on the main street through the town. @photo[Nijar food stop](751915)
After replenishing the energy levels the real climb begins. @slice[Alto de Nijar](d,60554.25,73873.96) A real beauty and one of the bici-almeria regular's favourites (although some prefer it when we do the ride the reverse direction!) On the way up you will pass a massive solar farm clinging to the mountainside like a giant reptile!  A series of steady stepped climbs each one offering a tantalising thought that it is the summit, however a closer look at the mountainside ahead always seems to show the tell-tale signs of a road scar snaking up in the distance. Once the summit is reached there is a technical, quick sweep down through Rambla Honda and @point[Lucainena de las Torres](d,80174.15) back to the N340 where we head back east for a 7km dash back to Sorbas where a cold beer at Sol de Andalucia is always welcome after this ride.

Sierra Cabrera, Nijar & Sierra Alhamilla

Route-overzicht

Routedetails

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