Andalucia - esp Grazalema. Anyone toured there?

[jay clock]

I cycled from Malaga to Faro in October 2009 and it was stunning. Temperatures perfect, stealth camping easy, and gradients fine even for me! see here for the full monty...... http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/malagatofaro

Was also there with a road bike in April this year and did this loop amongst others http://connect.garmin.com/activity/77702468 - ignore the bit on the coast which was flat and ugly. The inland bit from Velez Malaga was lovely (on road bike but would be ok touring in my lazy-arsed view)

 

[onlineamiga]

Hi,


Im familiar with the area as i cycle to Gaucin quite often. Yeah it is hilly! But some great roads. Spanish camp sites are crap. Mainly because Spanish people use them. I dont mean that badly. But the Spanish do not sit down for dinner till 9pm. Which means that they finish dinner at 11pm. Then all the kids have a full stomach and full of coca cola and so need to run it off and are still playing in the play areas till 1am, then finally by 2am people are sleeping...

Us cyclists are sleeping at 9pm and want to be up off and away at 7am!
Theres a slight culture clash going on there!


Look for Hostals in Spain. They are usually tiny small family run hotels, can be sat above bars or ventas. They are cheap and cosey and most of them fantastic and can be 25 euros a night. They are not Hostels with shared rooms bunk beds etc that you would expect. Theyre Hostals (note the spelling difference!) When i cycled through spain and france last year. I found myself Hostalling it through Spain and Camping in France.

Im not sure on the laws of wildcamping in Spain. So be careful. In the summer if they see tents, theyre assuming you'll be BBQing and cooking. Spain suffers forest fires quite badly in the summer. So if you are wild camping in Andalucia in the summer, do not cook! do not light a flame, do not have anything that will create a flame! Do not climb fences as its national park which is protected. Do not camp anywhere near if you see a sign saying "Zona Militar!"
I have wild camped in Andalucia twice and never had any problems. Just hide the tent, get out of the way.


Enjoy As that is what its all about!

 

[Gotte]

Thanks for that, Chaps.
I've been talking to my touring companion, and he likes the idea, but also is interested in Mallorca, which I understand to be a bit of cycling paradise, so, we'll see. Mainly it will depend on which is easiest to get to with bikes and which has stops which fit our millage.
I'll let you know.

All the best