Alberche valley and Sierra de Gredos from Sierra de la Paramera
INTRODUCTION
Spain, with Portugal, occupies that mountainous square of south-west Europe known as the Iberian Peninsula. It is a country of variety and contrasts for which many claims are made, but one thing is certain: Spain offers some of the best cycling available in Europe.
Forget the non-stop coastal resorts built for packaged pleasure. The cyclist’s Spain is not that of the costas, those narrow coastal strips trapped between mountains and sea where millions head for their summer holidays, but of the country where Spaniards actually live, work and play. A world of villages, small towns and vibrant cities, wooded hills and snow-capped mountains, wide valleys and narrow gorges, immense plains, Moorish palaces, Roman ruins and Gothic cathedrals, cave paintings and the works of Picasso, El Greco and Dali, sunshine and warmth, orange and olive groves, small shops and family hotels, a place of history and constant reinvention where Europe and Africa meet; a country that, in short, rewards its visitors.
Roads
Spain is almost as large as France, considerably bigger than Germany, and more than twice the size of the United Kingdom. Spain would take third place in a league table of the American states, behind Texas but ahead of California. The population density is higher than that of the Scandinavian countries, but one-third that of the United Kingdom and Germany and one-sixth that of the Netherlands.
As a result Spanish roads are far quieter than those of most other European countries. A spate of recent and ongoing road building means that much of the heavy traffic keeps to the newer, more convenient roads, leaving cyclists to share the old ones with local traffic. Not that ‘heavy traffic’ in rural areas is a particular problem; on mountain roads no more than five cars per hour can be expected.
Road surfaces are generally very good. The vast majority of new and upgraded roads include a metre-wide lined strip suitable for cycling where traffic is heavy, but otherwise the main carriageways are fine. Regional dual carriageways have a wide hard shoulder for cycling and many have cycle lanes with a specially prepared surface.
The general standard of driving is very good. Motorists do tend to bide their time and wait for a safe place to pass, though a suitable spot can take an embarrassingly long time to materialise. Only mopeds and scooters tend to be a noisy annoyance. Police clampdowns have certainly improved the behaviour of moped and scooter riders and have encouraged the wearing of crash helmets. Having said that, 3642 people were killed on Spanish roads in 1999. A quarter of those deaths occurred during the peak holiday months of July and August when most Spaniards take holidays in the country areas. Annual cyclist fatalities ranged from 78 to 122 per year during the 1990s.
Spain is hilly. If it were levelled off it would leave an immense plateau some 600m high, the altitude of its capital Madrid. The highest mountain in peninsular Spain is Mulhacén (3482m) in the Sierra Nevada, and the Sierra de Gredos to the west of Madrid climbs to over 2500m. The mountain passes can also be very high: in the Sierra Nevada the Veleta road reaches 3200m, while in the Sierra de Guadarrama the Puerto de Navacerrada is at 1860m. The roads are generally well graded (particularly the new ones), using distance not gradient to gain height gradually, so do not expect to have to push very often except where climbs are long. Expect roads in the mountains to climb 50 or 60m/km. There are none of the very steep gradients found in England’s Pennines or North York Moors.
With long relentless climbs come long descents, and those lasting 15 or 20km are quite common. Often hard persistent pedalling uphill is amply rewarded with panoramic vistas at the col and scenic revelations during the freewheeling descents. By contrast once away from the mountains the plains can be very flat, and even when undulating allow good, fast travelling.
Climate
Spain can be divided into three main climatic regions: Atlantic Ocean; Mediterranean Sea; the mountains and the plains. See Appendix 1 for temperature and rainfall figures.
The north and north-west are influenced by the proximity of the Atlantic Ocean, particularly in autumn and winter with low-pressure systems sweeping in. Summers are cooler, cloudier and wetter than the rest of the country; rainfall decreases further east. The north-west is known as Green Spain for a good reason; look at the figures for Finisterre and Santander to understand why.
Central Spain has low rainfall, but winter snow can linger on the mountains. Spring is the wettest season, and by midsummer the country has turned from green to brown and feels dry and parched. Summers are hot (and longer the further south you go) and winters can be bitingly cold, particularly in the north. Average midday temperatures for the summer months in Seville reach over 35°C and in Madrid over 30°C. However, while Seville basks in mild winter temperatures Madrid suffers from the bitter cold.
The south and east coasts are influenced by the Mediterranean climate, with lots of sunshine all year round, hot summers and mild winters. The driest area is Almería. It is wetter further north, and also west towards Gibraltar. Barcelona has a wetter autumn than winter.
Cerro Pelado, Sierra de Guadarrama (Route 5)
Deva valley from Invernales de Igüedri (Route 8)
Average temperatures hide the substantial day-to-day variations that can occur. In addition to the air temperature the effect of the heat from the sun should be taken into account. When the average daily maximum exceeds 25°C the heat can become overpowering and cycling uncomfortable. But remember that compared to walking or running cycling creates its own cooling breeze. The cooling effect kicks in above 12km/hr but does not remove the need for protection against sunburn. Only on stopping does the importance of shade become clear. Cycling in the mountains can be cooler; expect a drop of 1°C for every 100m gain in altitude.
When planning a trip think carefully about the best time of year. Depending on how much heat you like consider Andalucía and the south in autumn, winter and spring, Madrid and the centre in spring and autumn, and the north in summer. By chasing the sun it is possible to enjoy pleasant warm cycling all year round. Appendix 1 will help you decide when to go, and every part of Spain has a window of suitability. However, if things do get a little too hot try the following tactics.
Keep out of the sun whenever possible.
Wear light clothing that allows the movement of air over the body.
Acclimatise to the heat in advance: try some rides when it is hot at home. If this proves to be insuffient preparation try overdressing slightly to help train the body’s cooling mechanisms. A body acclimatised to the heat will start sweating at a lower temperature and sweat in greater volume. See ‘Eating and Drinking en route’, below, for information on how to keep hydrated. Heat stroke and exposure are dealt with in ‘Coping with extreme weather’.
You can always avoid the worst of the heat by taking a siesta. Siestas developed in rural Spain when workers conformed to the rhythms of nature: work would start early when it was cool, and as temperatures rose workers would stop to take a hearty meal and a couple of hours’ rest. Work would be finished off in the late afternoon and early evening when temperatures had dropped and the heat was out of the sun. Although this habit has become less popular in big cities, in rural areas and small towns
