Sierra de Almenara climb via the Ermita del Ramonete

Where it goes

This is the side of the Sierra de Almenara that faces the sea. You set off from the Ermita del Ramonete area, a district of Lorca with scattered houses among tomato greenhouses, near the coast that runs from Águilas to Mazarrón. It's 16.5 km with +610 m of elevation, all on tarmac, up to about 775 m above sea level.

The first section crosses the farming plain, with greenhouses and crops on both sides. Then the road heads into the sierra and the landscape turns arid, all scrub and rock. The higher you climb, the more Mediterranean you see behind you: on clear days you can make out the coastline of Calnegre and Cabo Cope.

Where it bites

The average gradient is 3.7%, so it's a long climb rather than a hard one. The toughest kilometre is around 7% and comes in the mountain section. It's good for working on your pace in winter: you can stay seated almost all the way.

Where to stop

Don't count on water along the way. Fill your bottles in Ramonete or on the coast before you start. At the top the other sides of Almenara meet, from Lorca and from Morata, so you can climb this one and descend another to make a loop.

When to go

It's a winter climb: from November to March, when it's cold in most of Spain, here you ride in the sun with little traffic. In summer the heat and lack of shade make it very hard; if you go, set off at dawn.

What you need to know

In open areas the wind can be strong, and on the descent there's gravel on some bends. Watch out for junctions with farm tracks.

Getting there

You get there on the RM-332 or the AP-7, taking the Ramonete exit. The nearest train station is Águilas, on the Cercanías line from Murcia; from there it's about 20 km to the foot of the climb. Before taking your bike on the train, check Renfe's conditions.