Group Ride Sierra Espuña - Guided Rides and Routes

Murcia Bike Hire are now offer guided rides for individuals and groups from November 2018.

Todays adventure started with an 9am collection of 8 cyclists with bikes who requested to climb the Collado Bermejo in the Sierra Espuña from Totana to Alhama de Murcia, with the total elevation for this climb being around 1500m in 21km.

For the middle of November the temperature is around 18 degrees with blue skies and sunshine, which is one of the greatest assets of the Murcia region.

Excited about the journey ahead we began the drive from the Mar Menor Golf Resort to our starting point in Totana, which took around 40 minutes.

On arrival we organised the bikes and made any adjustments before commencing our first accent to the small village of Aledo. on arrival here we stopped for the obligatory coffee, tapas and water top ups, before we begun our accent to the summit of Collado Bermejo.

Very soon into our accent the challenge of the climb ahead became very real with some members of the group beginning to drop off the leading pace. We opted to continue in smaller groups with the ultimate aim of all members going home health and safe, whilst also being able to say that they completed one of the most famous climbs in the Murcia region.

This climb is used annually in the Vuelta de Murcia and has also featured in the Vuelta a España with local hero’s such as Alejandro Valverde and Luis Leon Sanchez using this area for pre-season training.

A climb and scenery that never stops giving is rewarded by standing at the top and taking in the amazing views that this national park has to offer, a truly beautiful place. I’m very happy to write that all riders achieved their goal today, some beating personal bests, for the first time here, some the highest climb and for some the longest climb they had ever completed.

But the challenge isn’t over yet as we now commence the fast decent through the twisty tarmac with switchback sections and small accents to the town of Alhama de Murcia. Here we rewarded the hard mornings riding with a visit to a local tapas, where we could again sit in the sunshine and enjoy a selection of local cuisine washed down with a beverage or two of choice.

During the tapas, where stories of the mornings ride and experiences flowed, the discussion moved to the journey home, Some of the riders were now high on success and had decided they would ride back to the Mar Menor Golf Resort, rather than taking the minibus. Always happy to accommodate we advise the riders on the route home and send a route map for them to use for navigation.

Its then back to the minibus, load the bikes and take the drive home still talking about our morning and looking out for the others as we drive back to resort.