Why the region of Murcia should be on every gravel rider’s winter list

Getting there

The area of Murcia was a clean canvas for me. Nestled within the southeast of Spain between Alicante and Almeria, it has a fantastic community of greenways on former railway strains, which helped me map an preliminary route for a 5-day bikepacking journey.

I used the cities of Cartagena and Murcia as begin and end factors; each are nicely linked by practice. In between is Caravaca de la Cruz, one in all solely 5 holy cities on the planet, which might be a fantastic halfway level so as to add some tradition to the journey. With the assistance of Jose Peran and the native vacationer board of the Area of Murcia I deliberate a visit to discover this stunning a part of Spain additional.

Travelling to Cartagena was hassle-free. I packed my Kinesis Tripster AT gravel bike in a cardboard field and took it with me. The bike is my first alternative for many of my travels, because the aluminium is much less fragile. Anticipating some tough gravel tracks, I fitted a brand new set of Schwalbe Overland tyres, which have served me nicely on my latest travels in Scotland, Canada and Norway.

As her e-cargobike wouldn’t be allowed on a airplane, Louise employed an e-bike regionally from The Osados, Jose’s firm. The Lapierre E-Explorer was a good selection for the journey, with chunkier tires and sufficient battery for many days. Each of us had baggage from the Carradice Journey Vary, and I used Apidura’s Racing Sequence for a further body and prime tube bag, in addition to their Hydration Backpack, which is my go-to alternative for carrying my digital camera tools.

The closest worldwide airport with direct flights to Edinburgh was Alicante, served by Ryanair and Jet2 with frequent connections. Jose gave us a elevate in his van to Cartagena, the place we spent the primary night time on the Sercotel Alfonso XIII Lodge. Should you journey by public transport, then beginning in Murcia is the higher alternative, because the regional capital has frequent bus and connecting practice providers to and from the airport. Getting from Murcia to Cartagena by practice is tremendous straightforward, and in comparison with UK fares, low-cost as nicely.

setting off into the warmth

After a wholesome breakfast we had been off. For 2 folks used to Scottish summer time temperatures it was nonetheless very heat on the finish of September, however the cloud cowl on the primary day helped us to manage nicely with the recent climate on our means from Cartagena to Aledo. With 1,300m of climbing packed into 86km this was the hardest day of the journey, so sadly we didn’t have sufficient time for a correct go to to the second largest city within the area.

Quickly after leaving town boundary, we discovered ourselves within the Parque Regional Sierra de la Muela, Cabo Tiñoso y Roldán – a coastal pure space with a large number of trails, numerous wildlife species and hanging views. Each of us had been wanting ahead to heat summer time temperatures and a break from the latest weeks of heavy rain in Scotland. And this was precisely what this journey delivered as quickly as we hit the paths. Like in Scotland we nonetheless had many of the routes utterly to ourselves. The driving supplied every part from extra technical singletrack sections to clean gravel roads. Not like in our residence although, the sections on tarmac had been satisfying as nicely, as drivers in Spain are very accommodating to cyclists.

The Cafe-bar El Rincon del Retal in Las Palas was our first lunch cease, serving a really pleasant Paella and wonderful espresso. Subsequent to nice biking routes, meals is the second most essential ingredient for a profitable bikepacking journey for me, and the Area of Murcia delivered on this. As one in all Europe’s largest growers of fruits, greens, and flowers, and host to essential vineyards, the realm has no scarcity of nice native produce. Between the extra mountainous and barren uplands we cycled via olive groves, previous wine plantations, and almond timber.

About midway via the primary day we joined the Campo de Cartagena Greenway, one of many many greenways within the area. Think about driving on an excellent clean straight gravel monitor for about 15km – a paradise to cycle. On the sting of the greenway, we noticed a great deal of chupaeros. These small snails, that are rising in orchards, particularly in fennel fields, are typical for the delicacies of the Area of Murcia, though harvesting them within the wild is banned.

We crammed up water bottles and swapped bikes in Totana, because the frequent climbs had taken their toll on Louise’s battery, which was now at 3%. Though the ultimate climb of the day to Aledo was totally on tarmac, it was about 10km lengthy and really steep in sections. Drawing on expertise from my singlespeed previous, I cycled most of it with out help. Each of us had been relieved once we arrived on the Mirador de Aledo Lodge at nighttime after the primary day within the saddle.

One other wonderful thing about bikepacking in Spain: Late arrivals don’t current an issue in any respect. At 8pm we had been greeted with a heat welcome by the lodge proprietor, and an hour later we had been the primary friends to be handled to a three-course meal and an exquisite bottle of white wine. Sitting outdoors in 22 levels, a sky filled with stars, palm timber and savouring scrumptious seafood, we had been more than pleased with our journey.

Day 2

We might see the mountains of the Sierra Espuña Regional Park from our lodge room within the morning. We packed our rain jackets and ample meals, as our route on day two included 1,130m of climbing and 52km, with a forecast for heavy rain within the afternoon. About 9km into our journey we hit the primary of many wonderful trails, nestled in between an in depth pine tree forest. Whereas the air was heat and dry, the mountains had been tremendous nice to cycle. Laborious to think about that this was as soon as nothing however a barren desert. It was Ricardo Codorníu, a forestry engineer and ecologist, who began reforesting the realm in 1889, which earned him the title ‘apostle of the tree’. After a fast cease within the customer centre, named after him, we continued our journey, fortunately with none of the forecasted rain. We topped one other wonderful day on the bike with a go to to the lodge pool, wanting on the mountains we had simply explored on two wheels.

Day 3

Breakfast within the morning of day three was an omelette and bruschetta toast, served with a robust black espresso. Quickly after we joined the climbing and biking route between Totana and Caravaca de la Cruz, which connects the ends of the Campo de Cartagena Greenway and the Noroeste Greenway, which might be our route on day 4. As we speak’s cycle principally adopted the signposted route, crossed an unlimited territory filled with environmental, scenic and cultural range. But it surely was the final part, about 10kms from the holy metropolis, that basically blew our minds. All of the sudden we discovered ourselves in a steep sided gorge, and to our astonishment, with a river which was not dry, however carried water, a novelty on the journey up to now.

This was Cueva Negra (Black Cave). Other than the beautiful pure magnificence its actual significance lies within the discovery of two bones and 6 human tooth, most likely from the Heidelberg Man (Homo heidelbergensis), who seems to be the direct precursor of Neanderthal Man.

The final stretch into Caravaca de la Cruz was equally beautiful, driving on champagne gravel via expansive fields. Forward of us was the holy metropolis, our view dominated by the Basilica of Vera Cruz, which homes the Cross of Caravaca, a relic that, based on Christian custom, is believed to be a fraction of the True Cross.

Speaking to the native mayor we realized extra concerning the celebration of Horses of Wine, now listed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Every year in Might the custom culminates in a race on 2 Might, the place elaborately dressed horses are run uphill by 4 males who should maintain on all through the race. Strolling the quiet streets of the gorgeous city and having fun with one other fabulous meal was most likely the right antidote to this fairly dangerously wanting spectacle.

the ultimate push

The following morning, we met our information for the day on the Almunia Lodge, who accompanied us on the following 100km, totally on the Noroeste Greenway, into Murcia. Jose, who had helped me plan the route, is the native IMBA (Worldwide Mountain Biking Affiliation) consultant, and organises excursions together with his firm The Osados, on the route. I wager nobody is aware of the greenway higher than him, and he was comfortable to share his native data with us. The driving was completely different from the earlier days, with extra cities and villages alongside the previous railway line, which all invited for a cease. Whereas Louise’s battery life was a priority on the primary day, right now we ended up with loads of life left once we arrived on the Occidental Murcia Agalia, our last lodging in Murcia.

Whereas up to now we had adopted Jose’s ideas, we scoped out a route from Murcia to Cartagena and took the practice again to our lodge. Compared to the earlier 4 days we had simply spent within the saddle, the 75km-route to the practice station was much less thrilling. Our practice fare again was 6 Euro, and we agreed that the primary part within the El Valle y Carrascoy Regional Park was way more stunning than the rest of the route.

To prime off a tremendous biking vacation, I added on a loop within the mountains of the El Valle y Carrascoy Regional Park, which was about 30km lengthy, once we returned to the lodge, whereas Louise made the many of the rooftop pool. And each of us had been pleased with what turned out to be probably the greatest bikepacking journeys we had collectively.