SPAIN GRAND TOUR – APRIL 2023
Guide, Jo Stone, and Support Rider, Phil Gardner, give us a day-by-day rundown of the year’s European opener.
Spain Grand Tour Trip Report April 2023
Day 1
Spain Grand Tour 2023 – we are good to go from a very wet Plymouth 
Day 2
Arrived, survived and about to thrive. #stunningviews
Day 3
Playing in the Picos, ‘Pots & Pans’ gorge.
Day 4
What a fabulous day’s riding. Twisties and bendies galore. And the sun even paid a visit.
Day 5
For those who chose the rideout option the day didn’t disappoint. After a blast down the empty highway to reach the hills the main event started: smooth single track roads through woods and olive groves to reach the motorcycle museum. An eclectic collection of all types of transport spread across eight huge pavilions was well worth the ten euros.
After a leisurely lunch it continued up to the peak of Honduras pass at 1440m via a winding road around the hillside before descending back to the plain. By this time it was in the thirties so a quick jump on the motorway got us back to the hotel in quick time for cold beer. Another great days riding.
Day 6
Getting warm now, so up with the sunrise for an early start. Long ride through the hills and the Monfrague national park stopping to watch the eagles on the cliffs. Got stopped again before lunch in Trujillo by a bull standing in the road. Sneaked past when he looked the other way but decided not to stop for a photo.
For the afternoon run we are now well south and the temperature was up to 36 by late afternoon. The hotel has cold beer though so all good.
Day 7
We finally make the southern most point on the tour, Granada. Day 7 was another surprising day with super roads of all standards from gravel farm tracks to motorway (only for 20 mins). This morning we left Llerana with a little bit of rain in the air and once the Garmin sorted itself out we headed for the minor roads in the hills towards coffee, through woods and small Fincas.
After lunch the sun was back out and it was more empty country roads with some going off road before jumping on the motorway for the last 20k into Granada and another superb hotel.
Day 8
Only two of us for the ride out today: me and Mr Garmin, and he went off on different route early on, so only Billy-No-Mates to enjoy one of the best rides of the tour with other like-minded bikers out for a Sunday ride. Once out of Granada the road climbed in sweeping bends, following the landscape up through villages and pine forests on the sort of good tarmac we’ve come to expect in spain.
The road up to Sierra Nevada was much tighter bends all the way up to 2000 metres and then the view opened up to the plain below and the bends all the way down again. Down towards Purulenna passing the Troglodyte houses built into the red sandstone and the final 25km of twisty roads back to the hotel. 230 kilometres with hardly a straight bit all day. Perfect.
Day 9
Heading north again: long day today, 465km, but been a really good day. Warm sunshine and blue sky all day and a bit blustery to keep your attention. Some lovely curvy roads to this morning through endless olive groves then after lunch a climb up onto the plateau and long straight fast roads: click on the cruise control and take in the surroundings which spread for miles to the horizons all round.
Literally thousands of wind turbines as far as the eye could see all facing the wind as if daring it to turn their blades. Not one turning so must be good idle payments for them in Spain.
Last coffee stop in a lovely square in town, then the last 100km run into Cuenca and another super hotel.
Day 10
Day 11
Well that’s it. Day 11, last day, an early start and a hard push to make ferry checkin. As we approach Santander the Picos are clearly visible and how nice it would have been to turn left and do it all again. It’s been a great tour and many thanks to Andy for keeping us all buoyed with his infectious humour, and showing us how fast a Husquavarna really goes when you lie flat on the tank. He deserves an award for doing 2000 miles on that!!
