Or can you ride gravel from the northern part of the Costa Blanca in Spain? We actually thought not. When people think of the Costa Blanca, they probably think of the well-maintained roads and beautiful climbs where many pros and recreational cyclists train for the upcoming cycling season. That’s also how we knew the area after being here earlier with the race bike. But this year it’s different; we’re coming through the Costa Blanca on our way with our camper and gravel bikes. Time to discover if we can create beautiful gravel routes on the Costa Blanca!
Text by Maks Groeneveld / Photography by Maks Groeneveld and Jeffrey Wiese
Gravelling on the Costa Blanca, a good idea?
The southern part of the Costa Blanca – around Alicante – actually has more to offer for the gravel biker. In that area you will encounter some narrower, less well-maintained roads that lead off into fine gravel paths outside the built-up areas. On the northern side, that is not the case; in that region the roads are either in top condition, or you end up on paths where even a mountain bike requires good technique. Think of singletracks with lots of loose rocks. In fact, these are more like hiking trails.
But be careful; we have experienced that there are There are actually opportunities for great gravel routes On the Costa Blanca! We created three routes. We started from the village of Alfas del Pi ourselves, but because Benidorm and Altea are more popular destinations with more accommodation, we have already adjusted the starting points so that the routes are easy to drive. Of course you can start the routes wherever you want..
Read more about cycling on the Costa Blanca here.
Gravel route 1: winding towards the reservoir and back along Benidorm
This route soon leads you onto a fantastic, peaceful road – the CV-758 from Benidorm. We hardly saw any cyclists here, which we found unimaginable because What a lovely path this is! Although this is a beautiful, paved road for cycling, we like to get to nice places quickly this way and have done a few kilometers. We end up on the side of the hills where there is a little more rain, and we can see that, because it is much greener here.
After about 8 kilometers on this road, you get to experience a nice stretch of gravel. This section is not recommended after a rainy day, by the way. Our tires completely got stuck in the mud. Normally, this is undoubtedly an beautiful strip. You can continue the route on unpaved terrain here, but when we heard some dogs barking very loudly and aggressively (from behind a fence), we decided to change the route for safety's sake and cycle along the highway to the next beautiful trail. In principle, you can cycle along the fence with the dogs on a single track, but in this case we would be happy to share the route with other cyclists. ‘dog-proof’ route With you. The choice is yours.
And then comes the most beautiful part of the route! Just before crossing the river ‘Riu de Sella’, you take a narrow winding path. And here it’s really a delight! Short climbs alternate with especially many descents. Logical too, because you continue following the narrow (in fact invisible) riverbed towards the reservoir. The gravel path along the clear blue reservoir ‘Embalse del Amadorio‘ offers fantastic views. After the dam, you are halfway through the route. You cycle along a narrow country road, and through a tunnel you go under the AP-7. From here you cycle alternately through industrial areas, but also over gravel tracks alongside the railway towards Benidorm. You see the high buildings getting closer and will notice that you are once again in more touristy areas.
Gravel route 2: gravel race towards Castell de Guadalest
This gravel route leads you through gravel to La Nucia, and a little north of the town of Polop it’s time for almost 10 kilometers of gravel! At the time we were cycling here, all the roads in this area were passable. Expect a lot of loose rocks, but with 45 mm tires this is perfectly doable. This is a route that will really surprise you; how could there be such a place Beautiful gravel area right in the middle of the well-known cycling route to Castell de Guadalest?
After about 20 kilometers on the route, you will come to the road that leads to Castell de Guadalest. This picturesque village is especially known for its beautiful location between the mountains and the sea. Castel de Guadalest‘, built on top of a rock. The castle dates back to the Moorish period (11th century). Although part of the castle has been damaged by earthquakes and wars, the remains are still beautiful to see. You can visit the castle after you have taken a narrower path towards the dam. Ride up and down the dam for the most beautiful view, after you have continued along the dam. Tip: You can cycle all the way around the dam too! This is a nice, paved path where there may be some loose stones, so it’s a good idea to do this on a gravel bike. Continue along the path over the dam, and you’ll automatically find yourself back on the route in the colorful village of Beniardà.
The route takes you to Castell de Guadalest, where you can stop for a coffee or tapas. Then you descend via the motorway.
Gravel route 3: Adventurous route with views of Puig Campana
Gravel route 3 is perhaps the most beautiful, and certainly also the most adventurous of the three routes. The route takes you – just like the first route – through the village of Finestrat over the beautiful CV-758 highway that comes from Benidorm. In Finestrat you no longer cycle straight ahead, but turn into the countryside. From there you ride alternately over narrow paved sections on which you can make nice kilometers, and beautiful gravel sections. It is a beautiful route that takes you right through the nature. You literally cycle a tour around Puig Campana. With a height of 1,406 meters, this is the second-highest mountain in the province of Alicante. Unfortunately, it is not possible to cycle up, but fortunately we found this beautiful route where you can literally admire the mountain from all sides!
You end up on the road that you descend from Castell de Guadalest in route two. From this road, you quickly take a left. That road leads you to the same gravel paths that you climbed up in route two. You almost feel like you are in the middle of beautiful nature throughout the entire route. And not unimportant: This route is also completely ‘dogproof’. We’ll just report it, because anyone who wanders off the beaten path and seeks adventure might just find themselves face-to-face with some less friendly four-legged friends.
Do you see the mountain area in the background in the photos above? That’s where you cycle all the way around via gravel route 3!
Questions & tips
Do you have any questions about this route, or have you been there yourself? Share them here. We read everything and usually respond within a few days.