Almeria, Spain: Road, tested
This month Mike Armitage heads for the hills on the south coast of spain. Fond of corners, striking scenery corners. stray dogs and more corners? Get over...
Tjhere are plenty of reasons to head to Almeria. It’s on the edge of the Cabo de Gata-níjar Natural Park, ocially the driest place in Europe, and at this time of year averages °C. Hotels are cheap as it’s out of holiday season, and beaches are empty for the same reason. There’s a pleasant race track, too. But it’s the knotted and eerily quiet mountain roads that are the region’s standout feature.
Head from Almeria past Ratamar on the two-lane A7, and scoot down the AL- for Níjar. You’re after the AL- which climbs towards Rambla Honda in a relentless barrage of twists, flicks, hairpins and corkscrews. The change after the main road is amazing: this tight route is almost single track in parts, with no barriers between you and a deep plunge into a Spaghetti Western landscape. At this time of year the only trac is the occasional local in a Seat. It’s high though – it may be shorts ‘n’ shades on the coast, but even in March it can be single-figure temperatures up here. There will always be a stray canine wanting to run alongside, too.
All second and third gear and tight turns, a middleweight with chunky midrange, fuss-free agility and a commanding view of the road works best. I was riding here this month on BMW’S new FXR (see page 60), and its flexible drive, fluid handling and sure-footed confidence were spot on.
After the tourist-pleasing white buildings of Lucainena de las Torres, the narrow ALP- and fast N-¤a take you to Sorbas and link to the A-. The descent back toward the
coast finds smooth, grippy, flowing roads; the FXR was great, but a Triumph Speed Triple RS would be sensational. This road’s Armco, white lines and chiselled rock give a Californian feel as the tarmac scythes south, giving way to silvery slopes and dry river beds as the terrain levels out.
If you fancy steadier exploration, turn off at Peñas Negras onto the AL-¢£¤ and embrace the isolation as it meanders through the mountains toward Mojácar. Something local for lunch on the coast, then it’s more California-esque grandeur with epic sea views from the AL-¢£¨ as it clings to the hillside heading south. Nip back inland on the N-¤©£ and you’ll find the other end of the A-££ª – which means you can do all the hills again in the opposite direction.