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Home Travel StoriesTo The Southern Tip Of Europe

To The Most Southern Tip Of Europe

Ride Date 25 Sep 2025

By Andy Gray

Day 13: To Tarifa 214 miles.

Got woken up by the cockerel before it got light! The joys of keeping your own chickens. The hotel was really nice and seemed to be run by a little lady in her 60s all on her own. She spoke no English, I speak no useful Spanish but I got a very nice dinner and beers last night.
 
Left at 09:30 and retraced a couple of roads from last night before stopping at a supermarket in Campillos to get some breakfast and snack for later. Then headed into the Sierra de las Nieves on the MA-5400. This was a small, newly laid road through the pine forests over some smallish mountains. Didn’t see anyone else for miles.
 
Ended up in El Burgo before heading onto some slightly larger roads up and down a couple of larger mountains. The roads through Yunquera and Coin were a serious workout of both me and the bike! Then the road descended into hell, sorry Marbs or Marbella for those not from Essex. Definitely not my idea of fun but I had to take a look. It was so busy with traffic and people that I knew I wouldn’t stay long.
 
Managed to find a parking spot a block behind the promenade and went for a quick walk. I was definitely overdressed in my motorbike trousers, boots and t-shirt in 28C. But I’ve been there and seen it (definitely saw a lot)!!

Headed west before turning inland and up a serious mountain (Sierra Palmitera) towards Ronda on the A-397. The first part was slow as I was stuck behind traffic and there was nowhere to overtake. In the end, I turned local and forced my way past. Then it was a case of playing and not getting caught by any speed cameras. It was a bit wild at one point, I looked in my mirrors and there was a plumber's van on my back wheel. Where he appeared from I have no idea! I’d get a section of broken white lines where I could overtake the cars in front and he’d do the same in his van. Eventually I passed a big enough rows of cars and trucks that he couldn’t get me. Until I stopped for petrol when we exchanged waves. 

Just before Ronda it was time to head SW along another great road, the A-369. This road went through the Serrenia de Ronda and Paraje Natural Los Reales de Sierra Bermeja. I started off seeing mountains in the far distance especially a single pointy peak. When I saw it from another direction, there were two pointy peaks. And when I was under it, there were three that no longer looked pointy. It was an interesting perspective going around the whole range. 

After the earlier roads that had very few miradors (viewpoints), this one was spoilt with them. As well as information boards showing the various peaks which was how I was able to track them as I got closer. 

From Gaucin I headed back towards the coast and the major east/west highway. Originally I’d thought about a quick trip to Gibraltar but realised i needed to queue for customs and there probably wasn’t much to see on the bike. 

Thought I’d try to get a photo of it but I was on the wrong side of the highway for that. On the GPS I could see some roads that looked like they would look towards Gibraltar. Turned out to be a huge “private estate” at Sotogrande based around its own marina and houses with their own berths. Not too sure I was meant to be in there but there was no entry barrier. There was an exit barrier but it let me out. All I got was a very distant shot of Gibraltar.
 
A bit more major road took me through Algeciras with its ferries to Africa then to my ultimate goal of the trip. Tarifa is the southern most part of mainland Europe and I decided it was worth a trip as I’d already been to the northern most point at Nordkapp.
 
Not so much song and dance here as Norway. There is only a pedestrian causeway out to the Isla de Tarifa and you can only get to the locked gates to the island. This is also the meeting point of the Atlantic and Mediterranean seas. It is also always very windy and is well known for the kite surfers who could be seen up close from the causeway. 
 
After this I headed a few km up the road to the rural hotel I have booked for the next two nights. Old farm buildings converted into a hotel with pool. As well as a quick rest, I need to plan a route home!! Walked 2km down the road to a beach resort that has a great pizza restaurant. Glad I took the head torch as it was pitch black walking back. The good thing about the wind is that it kept the biting insects away. 

Covered 2,668 miles to reach Tarifa from home.

Blue skies, signle track road with good tarmac, dry grass but green bushy trees atop a hill
Roads to myself with decent surface.
Fluffy clouds and blue skies, vast scene across hills, olive groves and a narrow smooth road snaking away
Mountains, trees and bushes, big scenery and jagged mountain tops in the distance
Sandy beach, palm trees, holiday makers, looks like a typical holiday brochure shot
Marbella.
A budding pine cone, looks a bit like a small dirty tennis ball
Who knew what young pine cones looked like?
A sign showing text and a map of a route heading through mountains
I’m going to follow that red line.
A large town sprawls across a flattish valley, there's a few hilltops around
Ronda.
An information board about the Ronda area and something about birds too
Another vast mountain scene with several peaks although one peak stands out
Remember that single peak in the distance...
We see an almost triangular peak zoomed in somewhat
Bit closer...
A small white painted spanish town nestled in the valley among the mountains
Atajate
Lush green plant with green-yellow fluffy seed balls
No idea what these are, they were a lot larger than chestnuts.
2 distinct pointy peaks dominate a range of mountains
That one peak is now two.
The 2 peaks seem softer, almost forming a ridge now
And not as pointy.
Across a mountain range in the far far distance we can make out the pointy triangular Rock of Gibralter
Zoom to the middle to see Gibraltar.
From the road we see a rocky outcrop, jagged and sharp
That pointy peak looks totally different up close.
A marina with small sailing boats. The typical 3-4 storey apartment blocks behind
A sign with Puerto Sotogrande woring and a map of the layout of the area
Not sure I should be here!
In the hazy distance the outline of the rock of Gibralter, rough hardy ground
And all I got was a crap photo.
A few hills and valleys, then the sea, and more hills across the water
That’s Africa 14km away.
Kite surfers in the water's edge, the beach and white buildings and apartment blocks
A kit surfer getting massive air
A catamaran ferry coming into harbour
Peculiar stylished tower or micro castle atop a hillock. There's sand and a public area
Castillo de Santa Catalina.
Andy in a pool, a few deck chairs and a lot of plants around too
Cool down time.
The small pool, the bright but now low sun, and of course mountains
A pizza on a table, a guest, a few chairs and tables and the evening is getting dark
Pizza and beer.
An illuminated sign reads dunas beach resort, in the dark we see a few buildings
A signs reads Hotel Cortijo Las Pinas Apartamentos
No knob jokes about the place I’m staying at.

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A long Ride to Gien Big miles already on Andy's first day on the road. He's just getting settled into the ride and making his way south through France.
Smiling In The Rain It's a soggy wet day through France for Andy, but that won't dampen his spirits. He stumbles upon 2CVs and climbing walls, straight roads and twisties.
Into The Pyrenees With improving weather Andy is still heading south. It's all terribly positive, even the diversions are opportunities to explore. The Pyrenees continue to impress.
An Easy Day Around The Pyrenees Andy is taking it easy today. Just a casual bimble around The Pyrenees, across mountains and valleys, you know, the sort of easy ride we all do on a lazy day. Ever more delightful images too.
Stuck In The Cols - Painful! Andy is enjoying all the mountain passes on the French side of The Pyrenees - until he's "Route Barre" from getting back to the campsite. He's got the sniffles too.
Poor Poorly Andy The sun is shining, the air is warm, the surroundings are lovely. Andy is rather under the weather himself, it's not the best couple of days.
Andy's Local Ride Feeling a little better Andy's having an easy day exploring The Pyrenees. Scenery aplenty while dodging some rain.
Back On The Road And Heading South Again Having mostly recovered Andy's back on the road making big miles through ever more stunning scenery. A few notes then pictures aplenty that'll make you wish you were there.
More Wonders, Weird Food It's another day filled with fabulous things for Andy. Knights and bends in the road, mountains and flat bits, and a posh hotel with a sunset.
The Omnipresence Of Olive Groves Andy's definition of a shorter ride is only 250 miles... sheesh. This time between the fabulous scenery and glorious weather it's olive groves as far as the eye can see.
To The Most Southern Tip Of Europe Andy reaches the final destination of this trip. "You can see Africa from 'ere".

Reader's Comments

Upt'North ยน said :-
Very nice Andy. I remember warmth, does any else remember our distant friend?
Look like Chestnuts to me. But not of the horse variety.
Upt.
03/02/2026 16:51:33 UTC

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