Cycling in Gran Canaria: the diverse island that should be next on your to-do list

The destinations for autumn cycling holidays are more limited than the myriad of escapes in the middle of summer – but with maximum temperatures of 28 ° C and two rainy days in October, the "eternal Spring" of the Canaries represents an obvious choice.

Tenerife is a popular hideaway at the end of the season, but the images of the same volcano climbing in six ways may not please everyone – and the reverie of black sand shores could be an understandable deterrent to Lanzarote.

>>> Cycling holiday guides

Gran Canaria, comparatively, attracts runners with the promise of yellow beaches and varied terrain.

Why biking in Gran Canaria?

Gran Canaria is geographically quite intense. For a country with a circumference of 235 km, a lot of things happen and it is unlikely that boredom will set in.

Since 2005, about 50% of the island has been on UNESCO's list of World Biosphere Reserves, thanks to a mix of flora and fauna. Expect to see birds of prey encircle the peaks of the mountains and look for more than the common lizard.

Desert landscapes (accompanied by camel rides) rub shoulders with gigantic pine forests where the humidity is sufficient to house a botanical garden, certainly with the help of fairies gardens.

It is also a popular destination for cycling brands. The weather is (almost) always beautiful – so models do not need to pair their summer outfit with a false smile stuck on their numb lips, and the cliffside corridors offer great images as runners sneak into the rocks .

Five things you can expect to find by bike in Gran Canaria

Weekly cycling went on a week trip to the island – to bring you a report (and because we wanted to have a holiday). Here is what we found …

Ramps steep and mounted without name

Elsewhere – Majorca is a good example – most climbs have a name, kilometer markers and a "victory" sign on top for cyclists (full of pride and energy gel) to pose next.

The volcanic landscape of Gran Canaria means that the roads wind naturally to the peaks and that many climbs are quite brutal without a discernible or "official" name.

The alarm signal was that the road to our vacation home had its own Strava segment and was giving at least one wheel spin a day.

The ordeal of three minutes and 30 seconds (which would soon become very familiar) was shipped. On our first trip, we headed for the "Cl-12-6 Climb" towards La Culata, departing from Trejo.

The road peaked at 20% in the first kilometer and the ramps were made much more difficult by the surface of the road, which continued almost to the top.

We only met another human being on the road. Obviously, it was not a busy road. Of course, the view at the top was worth the hard work – but it was an early sign that we had to expect a test site during our stay.

Some of the roads are incredibly smooth (and not others)

Our second outing of the week allowed us to progressively climb from Santa Lucia to Temisas, to descend to Agümes and then return by the duo GC-65 / GC-60.

This chill-out of a road – a minor blip just 45 km and a claims 2,050 meters (raising eyebrow at Strava base map) – did not seem to have a single road defect.

There was not a disturbed pebble, at the top of a glass like tarmac. The climb was relatively smooth and steady too – easy about 5%, followed by downhill turns and ramps that made the playground a paradise for critical pilots.

The steep ramps of our first day seemed utterly unrepresentative at this stage.

The conclusion we have reached is that the roads frequented by cars are smooth, well maintained, with gentle slopes.

Elsewhere – like the first day's climb (and Valley of Tears below) – expect double-digit percentages and craters on the tarmac, ready to take you.

Diversity is exhilarating

The best example of the incredible geographical diversity of the island would be our "Roque Nublo" loop.

It started with the 25km climb up to the much visited monument – reminiscent of the second eruption that formed the island – and descends on the other side.

After leaving our home for the week in Trejo, we crossed the cobblestone streets of St Bartolome de Tirajana – a great place to stop if you go up from sea level.

Here, the terrain was still characterized by rock formations and desert heat. The GC-60 road that ran most of the way was tarred and relatively stable for about 16 km, followed by a steeper, steeper section after turning right onto the GC-600.

By passing the rock itself (which unfortunately was largely surrounded by horse-drawn carriages), we found ourselves weaving through fragrant pine forests. The life around us was suddenly and completely changed from a dusty paradise to a landscape as evocative but totally different, bristling with dynamism.

Later in the week, we will discover that this haven of greenery is largely made possible by much more rain than is the case down the mountain.

There was a brief respite in the form of some flat roads at the summit, from which one could simply distinguish Tenerife and Mount Teide.

You have to climb the valley of tears

The Valley of Tears (VOTT) is supposed to be the gateway to Gran Canaria. So we had to do it. Unfortunately, time played an important role in our day.

I read fear-inspiring blog posts describing 25% ramps at the start of the 12km / 7km climb, and frankly I did not believe them. This is until my legs are shaking and the uneven surface makes it difficult to keep the bike upright.

Around 25 km, the air around us has become humid. First, just a soft mist, then spit. Somewhere around 30 km, we had to admit it had become a horizontal blizzard rain.

While stopping at Artenara, we tried to camp in a bar, while tourists in duffle-coat carrying umbrellas came out of their temperature-controlled buses and wandered sadly.

After several laps under the hand dryer, we admitted that the rain would not stop any time soon and that the house was just as far back in both directions. So we stuffed our jerseys of newspaper and went back to the valley crying divinely abandoned.

The surface of the road on the next descent was as crater as the moon, none of us could feel our hands and a dog escaped hairpin and almost caused a pile up.

Despite the rain, the numb hands and the kamikaze dog, the huge pillars of rock on either side and the scenes descending into the valley were both formidable and magnificent.

With the start of the climb to about one kilometer, the sun came out. Ish.

The climb gains 1007 meters on a course of 12 km. Downstairs, we could only look in the air and swear a bit at the bend cornering on what looked like a semi-vertical road.

The first 3 km were a real test of brute force. The pace was out the window – just lifting the laces was a task in itself, let alone doing something quickly. I must admit that I was worried that my slow speed coupled with holes in the surface would just see me swinging.

However, the slope stabilized and there was more descent than expected. True, everyone was followed by a kick in the quads as revenge for taking advantage of a secret freewheel, but at least there was variety.

I can say without fear that this is the most brutal and brutal climb I have ever made.

The rain that preceded somehow helped to make it less painful, however, I was almost thrilled with the trial because I could celebrate the feeling that came back in my hands as much as curse the road.

Corrava's corrected altitude (base map) states that this 51km hike has climbed 16,525 feet of climbing. Again, do whatever you want.

You should probably ride the Pico de las Nieves

Varying weather conditions in our last three days have meant we have never been able to deal with them. Nobody wants to find himself halfway to a mountain, unable to gain traction on the surface.

However, at 44 km and 2278 meters (really ?!), it is a known monster. It is said that the surface is very similar to that of the valley of tears. This is on our list of things to do for the future …

Points to consider …

• We found that the roads seemed to go up and down, which is perfect for small groups and means that route planning is quite easy, but could be a problem for clubs with varying abilities. If you stay on the coast, there may be some flatter roads. May be.
• It should be noted that the sun at ground level at sea level does not always translate in the same way: as evidenced by our day VOTT, the weather in the mountains was different during our stay. Over seven days, we had three days of rain – so it is advisable to wear heated sleeves and cuffs.
• The Gran Canaries look like their guard dogs. The scariest of them is a black bulldog, barking staccato while wearing a rusty chain around his neck (which reassured nothing).

Where To Stay In Gran Canaria

Most tourists from Gran Canaria seem to head south and gather around Maspalomas / Playa del Ingles to enjoy the sun, beaches and beer, or Puerto de Mogán for the first two, but with more coffee and cakes.

We were not looking for miles, so we chose to stay further north, to avoid going up each day from sea level – by selecting Trejo (specifically "Kasalvaro" via Airbnb).

Housing – like many things – was cheap in October; Of course, it's subjective, but it's less than the cost of the flight.

Fly to Gran Canaria from the UK

The flight time from Gatwick to Gran Canaria Airport in Las Palmas was four hours via the orange flying carpet from EasyJet. We took our own bikes (£ 44 each, each way).

>>> Do you have to take your own bike on vacation?

If you choose to rent, Free Motion seems to have a monopoly.

The airport is north, but it only took us 45 minutes to get to Trejo. The tastes of Maspalomas will take a little longer – it's not far, but the roads are windy.

Other things to do in Gran Canaria

Visit Maspalomas

Maspalomas / Playa del Ingles are also in the south and you'll find everything from sandy dune beaches to fashion boutiques, camel rides, snorkelling, jeep tours and discos.

We visited in the afternoon and evening, we parked and headed to the sea to play in front of the house with 100 people eager to please the waiters who walk in the restaurants along the front sea, finally opting for Aquario who tempted us. with fresh fish that has turned out to be very good.

Point of note: we went back to a parking ticket – but the fine for not paying the € 3 was only € 1.80. It turns out that you have to look harder for the payment machines.

Visit Puerto de Mogán

Puerto de Mogán is a seaside town with expanses of blue and yellow sand and an imposing rock bottom.

All the literature says it's the perfect place for a romantic break, and it's true. These are porcelain scones and cups for Maspalonas fries; it's bourbon around beer and bacardi.

The houses next to the harbor seem to be connected by cascading flowering decks – I could not capture any, because the sun was still shining in the corridors of the houses.

It was the perfect place for a part of the afternoon, a golf pub-pub.

The family bakery has won handsomely, with walls adorned with the trio of expressions (and more) and espresso cream.

If you are looking for a more active visit than ours, many water sports are available, from jet ski to pedal boat rental.

Go walking

About half of the island is on UNESCO's list of World Biosphere Reserves – and you'll find a lot of it on foot.

A short getaway home led us to walk in red rock lined paths and, going back up to Roque Nublo, we found trails piled up like layers of a cake; Firefighters meander around the mountain and you could easily spend days exploring this small part.