Expect beautiful valleys & gorges, spectacular mountain passes, dramatic scenery and lots and lots of climbing .
While Gran Canaria is not considered the most popular destination for cycling in the Canary Islands, with Lanzarote & Tenerife being more common choices, I was told that the cycling here was pretty special and indeed it was. I was also told, to expect lots of climbing, and that much is true. There are basically no flat routes from Maspalomas at least, unless you wanted to go up and down the seafront. Every main route out of this town, including along the coastal road, involves some form of climbing most of it up into the mountains.
I was cycling with my (much faster husband) on this holiday. So I opted for an ebike and my goodness I’m glad I did! it just made all these steep mountain climbs much more accessible to me and indeed much more enjoyable.
We hired our bikes from Free Motion who were recommended to me, and I will certainly recommend them to others.
Day 1 - Pilancones National Parc from Maspalomas (2011 feet/613m ride elevation)
Check out my route on Komoot - https://www.komoot.com/tour/2096838717
Picked up the bikes and wanted to try them out so we opted for a shorter route up to Ayaguares in the Parque Natural de Pilancones. It’s a steady climb up to the peak of the route, dramatic gorges before we started heading up the switchbacks to reach the highest point at 490m - before a very steep and fast descent as you come down and see the beautiful views of the sea in the distance.
Day 2 - Presa de Soria and return (3468 feet/ 1057 m ride elevation)
Check out my route on Komoot - https://www.komoot.com/tour/2098144854
Today was another iconic climb in Gran Canaria up to Preso de Soria. Once again, cycling through spectacular and dramatic gorges, & plenty of steep switchbacks onward and onward until we reach Soria at 650m above sea level & a traditional Canarian lunch at café de Fernando.
Day 3 - Rolling coast ride to Taurito (2530 feet/ 771m ride elevation)
Check out my route on Komoot - https://www.komoot.com/tour/2099849759
Today we took the coastal route out of Maspalomas towards Taurito. This is a beautiful rolling route with the beautiful azure coloured sea, hugging the coastline the entire way. Plenty of lumps and bumps along the way, but a very smooth rolling road. There’s a road closure due to landslides at Taurito, so this meant a turnaround after a quick milkshake, & back the same way. Very pretty & a different day to all the mountain passes.
Day 4 - San Bartolomo de Tirajana climb / descent Santa Lucia (4616 feet / 1407m ride elevation)
Check out my route on Komoot - https://www.komoot.com/tour/2102248738
This was definitely my favourite day. This route is one of the most stunning routes I’ve done and I’m going to add it to my top 10. Absolutely beautiful gorges, mountains, valleys, mountain passes - up & down. Epic scenery & amazing roads.
There really is something about cycling & when you look up - all you can see is the snaking road weaving up & up - thinking am I going up there? Yes!
Every time you come around another bend you just want to stop and take another photo - it really is that beautiful and dramatic.
Day 5 - Pilancones in reverse (1959 feet/ 597 m ride elevation)
Check out my route in Komoot - https://www.komoot.com/tour/2103435724
Decided today to do first day's route but in reverse. The elevation is the same, but I would say this way around was much tougher as it was a lot steeper in the first part of the climb.
It is great though to get a totally different perspective on the views.
Then stopped for a great cafe con leche and apple cake in a little tree lined terrace - Bar Ayagaures. Before a long descent back down to the coastline.
Day 6 - Lunch up in Fataga mountain village (3278 feet/ 999 m ride elevation)
Check out my route on Komoot - https://www.komoot.com/tour/2104831494
For the final day of cycling we decided to head back up to Fataga for lunch. A little mountain village on the first part of the climb we did on the San Bartolomo ride. The amazing thing about this route is you climb to the magnificent viewpoint and then you go down some very steep switchbacks - knowing that you’re going to have to come back up these after your lunch break - you then climb up to Fataga for a nice lunch and then turn around / go down for miles & then back up the very steep switchbacks, just stopping for a brief selfie at the aloe vera farm!
It was definitely worth it though - this valley really does have stunning vistas the whole way along. Decided to round my miles up by riding along the seafront on the very smooth rolling tarmac of the Maspalomas roads.
Summary
Six amazing days of cycling. 200 miles & 17,862 feet elevation.
Would I recommend Gran Canaria for cycling? Absolutely ! beautiful vistas, spectacular gorges & mountain passes & if you love switchbacks (up and down!) and climbing you will love Gran Canaria.