To access some of the finest Mountain Biking terrain in Europe, you simply walk out the front door of the Sunshine Breaks mountain base, Casa Escocia. The toughest choice you face is deciding which trail you'll take.
Book A Mountain Biking Holiday at Casa Escocia
.jpg)
Click for details of our Mountain Bike Holidays 2008
Click here for dates and prices ... Have a look at our guest book
Click here to watch some mountain bike action ...
Mountain biking is the number one activity here at the Sunshine Breaks mountain base Casa Escocia. Our home here sits at 3,500 ft in height, right on the edge of the Sierra Nevada national park and you only have to walk out the front door to access the slopes of Las Alpujarras on the southern flanks of the Sierra Nevada mountains in Granada, Spain.
What you get at the Sunshine Breaks MTB base:
G
Click here for details on the Accommodation - Casa Escocia
You are more than welcome to bring your own mountain bike or use one of ours. We have a selection of good quality hardtail mountain bikes in a variety of sizes. Brands include Specialized, BH, Proflex and Gary Fischer.
Need a guide?
Not a problem, on our all inclusive holidays we'll arrange for you get shown around the best routes in the area using expert local knowledge. We'll ensure that no matter what your level of riding is you'll have a great time. Many of the routes we use are on good trails which cater for all abilities. How fast you go is up to you and there's never any pressure for you to push yourself beyond what you are comfortable with, unless you want to of course!! We'll sit down with you when you come across and help you plan routes so that you get the most out of your mountain biking holiday.
From Single Track to Open Trails there is plenty for you to choose from and we arrange up lifts for some high altitude start points allowing you to get plenty of downhill action in during your time here. The terrain is varied around Las Alpujarras with a lot of cross country options.
Alternatively, if you simply want to head out and explore for yourself, we'll happily pass on our knowledge of the area to you.
Book Now
A warm dry climate pretty much all year round allows mountain bikers to get out and amongst it on the trails and tracks of this vast mountain area. Many of our guests have sampled what is quite simply some of the best and least used mountain biking terrain in Europe.
See our "Adventure in Traditional Spain" movie, click play below
Click here to Contact Us and Book a MTB holiday at Casa Escocia
Featured Mountain Bike Ride:
Puerto de la Ragua to Casa Escocia.
- Start Height: 2000 metres (6,500 ft)
- Highest Point: 2160 metres (7,080 ft)
- Finish Height: 1010 metres (3,300 ft)
- Approx Time: 2 - 3.5 hours
About the route: The Puerto de la Ragua is a 2000 metre high mountain pass which allows access from Las Alpujarras over the Sierra Nevada to the northern side of the mountains and the town of Gaudix. You can gain access to this high point by vehicle and Sunshine Breaks organise drop offs for mountain bike guests on our all inclusive holidays. The entire route back to Casa Escocia is via good tracks. The initial part of the cycle route takes you uphill for around 15 minutes to a high point of over 7000 ft. The views from here are nothing short of spectacular. The track leads you in a southerly direction and in front of you the slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains make their way down to the Mediterranean Sea which is only about 30 kms as the crow flies. The track then takes you down at an gradient that allows you to go flat out if you want but is not outrageously steep. Slowing only for tight corners and the occasional meeting with some local wildlife, this is good old fashioned mountain bike fun. Staying on the track past the obvious fire break that leads down to the Alpujarran village of Laroles the track takes you back around the mountain and for the next hour or two you follow the main trail up and down as it contours the Sierra Nevada above the villages of Júbar and Mairena. The views change with every turn and you see everything from the Med below to the highest mountain in Spain, Mulhacen which stands at 3482 metres in height (11,420 ft). This appears to be just in front of you and you may be tempted at this point to to jump of your bike and head up onto one of the Sierra Nevada 3000 plus metre summits around you. Alternatively you may choose to carry on with the mountain bike ride and take one of several options back down the slopes of Las Alpujarras to the village of Nechite and Casa Escocia.
Whichever route you choose this last section of the journey will expose you to almost 3000 ft of mountain biking vertical descent. The tracks at some points are more rocky and there are many bumps to get a bit of air as you bombard your way down to the Sunshine Breaks mountain base Casa Escocia ... Mountain Biking at its finest. Thousands of feet of vertical downhill and you finish right at our Mountain Villa where guests are always treated to a much deserved cold cerveza!! Viva Espana.
This has proved to be one of the most popular routes we use due to the starting height, the views, the good tracks and the fact that although it is hard work, it's not too difficult or technical and suitable for most levels of fitness. The downhill sections will please all level of mountain bikers as you really can crank it up. Just watch out for the odd mountain fox, cow, goat or wild boar as you blast round the corners!!
Back to the top ...
Read the Sunshine Breaks Blog which tells the story of a day out along part of this route.
Does the sun always shine when your mountain biking in the south of Spain?
No!!! Believe it or not, despite the fact that the sun shines for an average of 320 days of the year we do get the odd freak spell of weather. This was Easter week 2007!! The conditions worsened after this picture was taken and we had to make a u turn and retreat downhill for almost 5000 ft where we took shelter in the warmth of a local village bar.
For other Adventure Activities in Spain click on this link.
Other Mountain Bike websites recommended by Sunshine Breaks ...
Mountain Bike Borders - A great website for information, news, events and routes in the borders of Scotland
Glasgow Cycles - Online shop and discussion forum courtesy of Craig MacMartin Cycles a great independant mountain bike shop based in Glasgow.
More Dirt - A total resource to mountain biking and trails & routes in the UK
Singletrack - Mountain Bike Magazine - Great mag, great website.
Adventure Activities Spain I Dates & Prices I Book I Guest Book I Mountain B&B