The Gravelscape Ultra

The Gravelscape Ultra is a 595-kilometre gravel and MTB event through the Sierra Morena near Linares in the province of Jaen, southern Spain, with 11,000 metres of elevation gain across terrain that is almost entirely off the beaten track for international cycling. The Sierra Morena is the low mountain range that forms the northern boundary of Andalusia, stretching east-west from Portugal to the province of Jaen in a broad arc of dehesa forest, cork oak woodland, ancient mining territory, and river canyons. The Linares area in particular has a complex industrial and mining heritage — lead and silver were extracted here since Roman times, and the abandoned mining infrastructure that dots the landscape gives the riding a distinctive and occasionally haunting character. The routes use a mix of ancient mining tracks, forest service roads, and unmaintained rural paths on surfaces that demand 40mm or wider tyres and confident technical riding. The October timing brings cooler temperatures to Andalusia and autumn colours to the oak forests, reducing the heat that makes summer riding in southern Spain punishing. The Gravelscape has built a loyal following among Spanish ultra-gravel riders and is gaining increasing international recognition as one of the most genuinely original and landscape-specific events in the Iberian calendar.