The Carretera de la Cabra (the Goat´s Road, in English) is one of my favorite climbs to cycle at the Costa Tropical. And I´m not alone in that, the Vuelta a España actually came by this route as they were going up to Granada last year (2018).
As it is the old road from the coast to Granada city, it has a 36 kilometers climb of a steady gradient, with the highest point at 1,358 meters above sea level.
In the past, the road was used by mule drivers taking fish from the coast to the markets in Granada city, taking almost two days and traversing the mountain at night to avoid the daytime sun.
From coast to mountain
Nowadays, it´s a route favored by cyclists and some cars doing the picturesque and touristic route from Granada to the coast or the other way around.
I tend to start the climb from the town of Almuñecar (putting my bike in the car as I drive from Salobreña to Almuñecar), but I could also start from my own house in Salobreña, making my way over the hills of Itrabó and joining around Otívar.
But, let´s say you´ll also start from Almuñecár, the first couple of kilometers is among lush avocado plantations as you go up to the small towns of Otivar and Jete. After Otívar, the landscape starts to get drier and the mountains start to get an ´Alpine´ feel to it. You keep on going up, pashing a little water fountain on the way to fill up your bottles of water as you pass by an abandoned fuel pump. You continue to the barren plains of the Vega of Granada and finally end up at the famous El Suspiro del Morro pass. I tend to go up to the highest point, and from there on turn around and enjoy the ride down.
During your ride, the landscape will change drastically and you´ll be able to see the sea and look as far as Motril and Nerja.
If you do this ride in the hot summer months, make sure you go well in the morning, to not get trapped cycling uphill in the midday heat. If you go in spring or fall, make sure you bring a jacket for the ride down, the wind can get a little chilly.
Do you want to know a bit more details before you climb the goats?
The full climb is 36km in length, but the actual main section of the climb starts after 16km (this is also where Strava starts counting, for those who compete, with themselves).
The average gradient is 5%, though there are some short downhills which give you just that bit of motivation needed to continue. The road flattens after 25km for three kilometers before the last push up to the summit.
Conclusion: if you´re into cycling, make sure you rent a bike (for example from Costa Tropical Cycling in Almuñecar) or bring your own, and do like the goats do.
Do you want to know more about cool routes in the area, check out my other post on cycling in the Alpujarra.
