Looks like I'll be in Rute early 2013, anyone know what the biking is like? Map shows its on the edge of a national park, parque natural sierras subbeticas, so signs are promising...
My usual go-to site for Spanish routes is Wikiloc:
http://es.wikiloc.com/wikiloc/find.do?t=&d=&lfr=<o=&src=&act=all&q=iznajar
("Rute" didn't show up a lot, Iznajar is close by and a much rarer word so better for search).
There must be some as there at least a mtb club...
http://btt-rute.blogspot.co.uk/2006/10/fotos-del-grupo.html
Wikiloc has a few.
http://ca.wikiloc.com/rutes/btt/espanya/andalusia/rute
and there's an organised ride..
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.436320986387072.114194.284707001548472&type=3
There's a via-verde - old railway track
http://www.andalucia.com/rural/walking/viasverde-subbetica.htm
and the national park near there recommends mountain biking, so looks promising
http://www.subbetica.com/deportes-activos
Thanks, some good links. Looking at maps, and having been climbing fairly nearby I'm sure there must be plenty of trails. From previous experience not sure the locals will of ridden them 😉
From previous experience not sure the locals will of ridden them
You'd be surprised, despite the reputation for XC riding there are actually a fair number of DH riders around - at least if Madrid is anything to go by.
Lots of very good riding indeed around there, including right at the edge of the village, climbing the steep sierra and various ways back down. Big loop- east to Las Lagunillas, NNW then NE over the Sierra di Rute, all the way out to the road and join a GR that drops into Rute village by skirting the NW side of the ridge, where the olives meet the scrub hillside. Some push/carry in that last bit but still worthwhile.
Also just a few Km north around Zuheros- you should be able to spot the several great trails near and into the gorge on Google earth.
Downhills from Cuevos de los Murcielagos back into Z and also NE to Luque. Probably the best 'hard xc' descent in the area is the trail down the base of the gorge, accessed from the CV-247 dirt road that passes the cuevos above- follow this all the way almost to the end at the ruined Cortijo de Fuenfria (after C. de Barranco) then look for clear trail N through rough rocky ground and into the gorge.
There's a brilliant descent down the escarpment, parallel and to the south of the CV241 road there. Get to it by climbing from Cabra to Ermita de la Virgine, then cross the plateau and descend. Ride back on the Green route- old rail line, past Donna Mencia.
Go up by road to the chapel at the Ermita- there's a short but sweet switchback trail below it to the south, right from the very top, then head out across the plateau.
There's another, more direct and still excellent descent from the last farm on the N side of the high plateau towards Donna Mencia.
And then you've got the wealth of trails on the other side of Cordoba to look at. Explore and you'll have a ball.