Mirador Cabra Montes(sh)

The south side of the Carretera de la Chaba from Almunecar is much more spectacular than the Granada side, as well as more challenging for the racing types, which are plentiful on this road. Consequently there are established points where bike racers often turn around to go back down the south side. One of them is the Mirador Cabra Montes. At this point, most but not all of the climbing is below, but the most spectacular section of the Carretera de la Chaba is still above this point.

But with the help of an unpaved track you can also make this point the highest point of a loop ride, which starts in a town that is glued to the hillside, Otivar. That is what the profile shows below.

1.(00.0km,0020) START-END SOUTH1: Almunecar 2.(10.0km,170m)turnoff to Collado Itr_abo on right 3.(13.6km,370m)profile turns onto narrow side road GR4301 4.(17.8km,620m)Lenteghi, and start of concret path 5.(25.6km,1060m)profile rejoins Carretera de la Chaba (A4050) 6.(26.9km,1080m)TOP: Mirador Cabra Montes 7.(39.5km,370m)START-END SOUTH2: same as point 3

Approaches

From South. In order to show all of the possible elevation gain, the profile starts down in Almunecar on the Mediterranean coast. The section up to point 3 is described on the Carretera de la Chaba s(u) page. Past Otivar a signed turnoff on the right, steeply traverses up the hillside, heading for another town on the on the slopes of these limestone cliffs: Lenteji. Usually, at a point like this, I would make some remark about how nice it is to get away from the cars. But there hardly were any to begin with on the main road. Like Otivar and other villages below, a favorite point in town is its public balcony  the "Balcon de Lenteji", where picturesquely placed benches wait to be rested upon by weary visitors,  among them also the occasional cyclist.

Several unpaved or concrete tracks leave from the village Lenteji. The one I happened to take is the most northerly, and it connects back to the Carretera de la Chaba. The others cross the ridge to the west, and then pick up one of the paved roads above the Rio Guadalfeo.

Back to the profiled route: From above Lenteji a fairly good dirt road continues to traverse up into the hills. It heads for an unnamed pass to the left of the inspiring limestone spires ahead.

Near the top I meet a group of hikers. They are on vacation, an in a vacation mood. "Contador - Contador" they call down to me, in order that I might climb harder. How nice of them - I look nothing like Contador, and  I ride nothing like him. But I have seen the bike racers who could be mistaken for him back on the Carreterea de la Chaba. There are many of them training on that climb, and they would ride circles around me. The hikers give me a bottle of water and we exchange basic information, like where we are from. They are from Belgium. "You have probably heard of Bruxels by now" one of them thinks out loud. - Yes I have, cradle  of standardized vegetable shapes, straight cucumbers, nicely curved bananas and things like that. Also the reason for Mafiosos like Mario Draghi, who impoverishe people who save money. One of the friendly hikers wants to give me a push. I kindly refuse because I fear I might fall off the bike, and I am on my way again.

Along the way there are signs for the "Ruta Lenteji - Guardjamos - Barranca Arroba - Carretera de la Cabra. I finally reach what looked like the pass from below, located between the limestone spires. A small sign stuck in the ground like a "do not spray" sign reads "Tranco Piedra Azaul". But surprise - this is not the top. A concrete path descends only to turn sharp left and traverse up the next ridge. But before I have a chance to really appreciate the remoteness of this landscape, the path termintes at the Carretera de la Chaba. The spot is signed as "Cortijo de Lizardo".

Turning left here, that is back down to Otivar, the road climbs a little higher and reaches a high point, immediately before reaching the Mirador Cabra Montes. This Mirador building looks more like a vandalized bus stop. There is also a big dangerous hole in the ground, that one might fall into while walking around with the eyes glued on the LCD of a camera. - No I didn't fall into it this time. But Miradores are really all about views, including this one, the building is secondary. And the view, given a reasonably transparent atmosphere, is amazing. The sea 1000 meters below - a blue stripe of paint. Above that a line of heat generated clouds, that I imagine must be in Africa. The green hills are dotted with white spots, every one of them a home with a view. Terraced hillsides invite comparisons with Himalayan foothills. There is also a private home in much better shape immediately next to the "vandalized bus stop"

From South. (described downwards). There is more on this side of the ciimb on the Carretera de la Chaba s(u) page. The profile connects back to the north side above Otivar and ends there