Maspalomas is two things that do not quite match: a resort town of about thirty thousand people, and a nature reserve of dunes the size of a small desert. The dunes stretch for several kilometres along the south coast of Gran Canaria, a shifting sea of golden sand blown from the Atlantic, with a palm oasis at one end and a lighthouse, built in 1890, at the other. Camel rides carry visitors across the sand, the wind sculpts new ridges every day, and at sunrise or sunset the shadows are long and dramatic. The reserve protects a rare ecosystem, and walkers are asked to keep to marked paths.
The resort is about sun, and it works efficiently: hotels, apartment blocks, shopping centres and miles of beach, with Playa del Inglés immediately next door. The climate is a big part of the draw, with temperatures that rarely fall below eighteen degrees even in winter and a sky that is often cloudless. It does not have the soul of a village, but as a place to end a ride, it offers fuel stations, supermarkets, bike rental and any amount of food and drink. If you like a drink on a terrace by the sea at the end of a mountain run, this is the place.
The mountain loop that finishes here is a very different Gran Canaria. The island rises steeply behind the coast, with a heart of volcanic peaks, deep ravines and pine forests, and the roads climb in tight bends through villages such as Tejeda, a small whitewashed place under the huge basalt column of Roque Nublo. The highest point, Pico de las Nieves, stands at about 1,950 metres, and in winter it can wear a thin dusting of snow. The road quality is generally good, and the bends are plentiful, so it is among the best riding in the Canaries.
Weather changes quickly across the island. The south is dry and hot, while the north is cloudy and green, and the mountains can be cool, wet and misty even when the coast is sunny. Take a layer for the climb, and watch for the wind, which can be strong on exposed corners. Cyclists crowd the mountain roads on weekends, so be patient. When you reach the coast again, the warm air is a pleasant shock, and the dunes are ready to be admired in the evening light.