Why this ride
A 233 km round trip from Elche - roughly 3 h 53 in the saddle. On the way it passes Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi, Poyo Inf. de la Cimbarra, La Sarga- Abric I and Palmeral of Elche. The line favours views over speed.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Palmeral of Elche and La Sarga- Abric I
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 233 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 3 h 53
- Journey
- Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
The recorded total and the leg detail need reconciliation. Inspect the leg notes before using this record for timing or navigation. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Palmeral of Elche
Riding into Elche from the dry hills of southern Alicante, the sudden forest of date palms feels like a mistake of geography, as if a piece of North Africa had been set down in Spain. In a sense it was. The palm groves were laid out in their present form during the Islamic period, when Arab settlers brought an irrigation system of channels fed by the Vinalopó river and arranged the orchards in walled plots, with palms on the edges and crops beneath. Tens of thousands of palms remain today in and around the city, the largest palm grove in Europe, and the Palmeral was added to the UNESCO list in 2000.
Read the complete Palmeral of Elche write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Palmeral of Elche is where the day begins. Next is Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi.
2. Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi
The Carabassí is one of the last stretches of wild-ish coast between Alicante and Santa Pola: a line of dunes held together by pine and marram grass, a long beach, and the sea glittering under the flight path of Alicante airport. In the low rocky ground behind it lies a small cave known for painted marks, the Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassí, close to the village of El Altet and a short hop from Santa Pola.
Read the complete Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi comes up 33 km in. Next is Poyo Inf. de la Cimbarra, 32 km on.
3. Poyo Inf. de la Cimbarra
Ten minutes inland from the beaches of El Campello and the high rises of the Alicante coast, the country changes completely. The hills behind San Juan and Mutxamel climb toward the bulk of the Cabeço d'Or, a limestone mountain whose name means the head of gold, and in its folds are small rock shelters with prehistoric paintings, among them the Poyo Inferior de la Cimbarra. The Alicante mountains are known for an unusual local style called macroschematic art, large symbolic figures painted thousands of years ago, as well as for Levantine and schematic panels.
Read the complete Poyo Inf. de la Cimbarra write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
65 km in you reach Poyo Inf. de la Cimbarra. Next is La Sarga- Abric I.
4. La Sarga- Abric I
Alcoy, or Alcoi in Valencian, is a city of bridges, built where three rivers meet in deep ravines, in the mountains of northern Alicante. It was one of the cradles of Spain's industrial revolution, with textile and paper mills powered by its rivers, and its streets have fine modernist buildings from that era. It is also famous for its Moors and Christians festival in April, one of the most spectacular in Spain, with parades, music and mock battles in honour of Saint George. The rock shelters of La Sarga lie in the hills about eight kilometres from the city, toward Ibi.
Read the complete La Sarga- Abric I write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
La Sarga- Abric I, about halfway. Next is back through Poyo Inf. de la Cimbarra, 33 km on.
5. Back to Palmeral of Elche
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Palmeral of Elche write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Poyo Inf. de la Cimbarra sits at 131 km, about halfway. Next is back through Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi.
6. back through Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
back through Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi comes up 163 km in. Next is Palmeral of Elche.
7. Palmeral of Elche
Return visit. Read the place description above.
Read the complete Palmeral of Elche write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Palmeral of Elche closes the day.
Leg by leg
Palmeral of Elche to Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi
Palmeral of Elche → Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi is 23 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi to Poyo Inf. de la Cimbarra
Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi → Poyo Inf. de la Cimbarra is 32 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Poyo Inf. de la Cimbarra to La Sarga- Abric I
Poyo Inf. de la Cimbarra → La Sarga- Abric I is 39 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
La Sarga- Abric I to Back to Palmeral of Elche
La Sarga- Abric I → Back to Palmeral of Elche is 61 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi to Palmeral of Elche
back through Cueva de las Arañas del Carabassi → Palmeral of Elche is 23 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.