Cycle Touring in Spain - European cycling guide

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Stage 2 - Carratraca to Ronda

Leave the town and rejoin the road from Álora. The road climbs before turning right towards Ardales at the T-junction with the new road. Once over the pass the road descends into the collection of linked valleys that contain the reservoirs that trap the Río Guadalhorce. Halfway down the hill turn right onto what was the old road; this then swings under the new road. Continue before turning left into Ardales, easily identified by its ruined Moorish castle on a rocky outcrop overlooking the town.

Keep straight ahead uphill into the centre of the town, going straight on at the roundabout. The route out of town is signed to El Burgo, and is on the left or southwest side of the wide main street with the orange-treelined rambla (a long, broad pedestrian area). The road climbs out of town before levelling and going up the east side of the Río Turón valley with good views west to the hills, of which Ortegícar is the highest. The road is metalled to start with, but turns into a rough but passable vehicle track before improving to hardcore, then asphalt, before joining the MA445; the road improvements seem to have ground to a halt. Keep going straight ahead to El Burgo, ignoring the left turn to Casarabonela.

The valley is rich with olive groves, which are widespread around here. The road continues upward with a steep climb through pine forest before coming out high above the river with wide vistas. The road skirts to the north of El Burgo, avoiding the low round hill on which it is built. At the A366 turn right towards Ronda.