The vast, arid plains in Spain can be beautiful, but secretly I am more of a fan of green nature. Especially the fact that there are many sunshine hours in the winter months in Spain made my boyfriend and I decide to go to the Spanish coast this year with the camper. We have been increasingly appreciating the arid landscapes, but when we slowly approached the Sierra Espuña and the landscape started to become more fertile and greener, we were really happy. What a beautiful, green oasis in the middle of this arid landscape. Of course, this is a place you can’t pass by without cycling. And it’s a good thing we did; the vegetation in the Sierra Espuña is absolutely recommended. But beware; cycling in this area is also fantastic. That’s why we also share a route tip for cyclists at the bottom of this article.
Text by Maks Groeneveld | Photography by Jeffrey Wiese and Maks Groeneveld
Regional Park Sierra Espuña
The Sierra Espuña is a protected nature park in the region Murcia, in the southeast of Spain. The area extends over an area of approximately 25,000 hectares. It is the greenest area of Murcia and that is why many nature lovers come here. The park is also called the ‘green heart of Murcia’ by the Spaniards. There are some restaurants and picnic areas where – especially on a beautiful weekend day – the Spaniards come together with their families and friends. However, there is a certain tranquility in the Sierra Espuña, and that seems to come especially from the fact that the area is so Extremely well maintained. There is no waste anywhere and outside the more crowded picnic spots you can cycle or hike in the area in complete peace and quiet.
Read more about cycling in the Murcia region here.
Climbing the Collado Bermejo from Aledo
No matter which way you climb it; you must have climbed the Collado Bermejo during your cycling holiday in Murcia. The most popular route is from Alhama de Murcia (20 kilometers with 1152 meters of elevation gain), but we set off from a parking lot near Aledo and decided to cycle up from that direction. The climb is then about 12 kilometers with 600 meters of elevation gain. When you leave the highway and enter the natural reserve, you start with 2 straight, flat kilometers. You immediately feel like you are in the middle of nature here. And then the real climb begins; Some sections are quite steep – up to 12 to 15 percent. The views are breathtaking, however. The climb includes some hairpin bends with beautiful views over the road you have already traveled. The higher you go, the more you see of the green landscape. I didn't expect to find such a beautiful wooded area in this region. There really isn’t a clear top, because it’s not like you’re climbing a mountain clearly. Yet there is a nice viewpoint at the top. From there, cyclists will use the descent to reach the village of Alhama de Murcia. However, for gravel lovers there is another – insanely – amazing option…
Rocks in the Sierra Espuña
On Komoot I saw several fences for gravel paths. The first section would start at the top of the Collado Bermejo. Once there, we immediately saw the beautiful unpaved road winding along the edge of the hills. And fortunately; the fences are there purely to prevent motorized traffic. It wouldn’t be strange if motorists or motorcyclists wanted to access gravel roads in the area, because The gravel roads are wide and in perfect condition. I let some air out of my tires, which I had inflated a little harder for the climb on the paved road. Then it’s pure driving and enjoying; 9 kilometers downhill on a gravel road like this is fantastic!
No coffee with cake, but a refreshing drink with ’tostada’ in Spain
We are back on the paved road, near an information center. There is a tour bus parked in front of the building. Oh no, are we still going to encounter a lot of tourists here? Fortunately, that’s not a problem; the area is so vast that it still feels peaceful. We have followed the route along Restaurant ‘Fuente del Hilo’ Nice. It turns out to be a cozy place with a terrace, right in the middle of the forest, with places to store the bikes. Judging by the number of mountain bikes, this discipline is also well-suited for practice here. Definitely order one here.‘tostada‘; a nice Spanish toast with tomato, avocado and other goodies to continue the rest of the journey.
After the restaurant we descended a short distance towards Alhama de Murcia, the starting point of the most popular climb to Collado Bermajo. If you climb the mountain like us from Aledo, you descend this way. The gravel road is actually an alternative way. For example, we also met cyclists on the terrace who we encountered during the climb.
Part two of the route: another 10 kilometers of gravel!
We only descend a short distance down the road. Then we turn onto a new gravel path. This road – just like the previous long gravel road – is again wide and super well maintained. That allows us to keep the pace up while descending. Only a few stretches are a bit more technical. For example: you have to be a bit more careful here because of large loose rocks. Otherwise, you can just enjoy the beautiful nature. We haven’t seen anyone on this road since January. It’s strange, we think. In January there are so many cyclists in Spain, but why don’t they cycle in this region? There are so many beautiful roads, both on the road and on gravel. You can create many beautiful routes here.
Tips for cycling in the Sierra Espuña and Murcia
As a cyclist, you can go anywhere in the protected nature park, but you can also cycle outside of it. There are beautiful roads throughout the Murcia region. Thanks to the Mediterranean climate The summers here are very hot, but the winters are mild and usually dry. We even cycle briefly during this climb, in January! Although many professional cyclists and recreational cyclists train in the winter months on the northern Costa Blanca, Murcia is a good, quieter alternative. Places like Totana or Alhama de Murcia are good starting points. From here you can not only discover the Sierra Espuña, but also take a longer trip towards the slightly flatter coastal area.
Our route tips
On the Komoot page below, I’m sharing a gravel and road route with you. You can optionally mark off the gravel route on the 21 kilometers of the route. Don’t forget to stop by the restaurant along the way too.
Would you rather take the road bike? Then follow the route. This route will also take you to the Collado Bermejo, But now you keep driving on the nice asphalt road and you descend all the way to Alhama de Murcia. Turn the route around if you want to cycle up from Alhama de Murcia. The climb then becomes longer.
Both routes take you past the restaurant Fuente del Hilo.
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.