Family mountain biking holiday in Spain

Active, fun mountain biking holidays for families with teenage children (14 years and up).

With luxurious accommodation, all domestic chores taken care of, the riding and weather are superb. Our guests share a beautiful cortijo (farmhouse), dramatically perched just above the picture postcard village of Bérchules, in the wildly scenic Alpujarras region of the Sierra Nevada Natural Park of Andalucía. We have four large guest bedrooms that can sleep up to three people each. Groups must contain at least one adult who is responsible for group members under 18 years old and mountain biking will be tailored to the interests and abilities of the group. Of course, not all members of the family group have to ride all the time.

Living here, we know the huge variety of tracks and trails in the Alpujarras. Some are wide and gradually undulating and others are much more technical. Some are on rocky open mountainsides while others are in lush valleys. There are plenty of epic climbs and thrilling descents and, of course, miles of gorgeous singletrack. We tend towards cross-country biking so you won't need body armour but you will need enthusiasm and a reasonable level of fitness. Our guides are Offroad Training Consultancy qualified and tailor the rides to the experience and fitness level of each group, which is a maximum of eight riders plus guide and full Land Rover support for food, drink and spares.

Being centre-based you can unpack, settle in and relax for the duration of your holiday. We are never under pressure to get to the next place regardless of weather, punctures, nightfall etc. There is always the option of getting into the Land Rover. If you feel like a day off the bike you can take it easy at the farmhouse or do something different such as horse riding, walking, a day trip to Granada or simply relaxing! 9.00am Breakfast
10.00am Set off on the bikes, having done a final bike and kit check. Ride some exhilarating forest singletrack.
11.30am Coffee break and magic buns. Carry on riding until lunch…
1.30pm Picnic lunch in a scenic and shady spot.
2.30 to 4pm More fantastic riding, finishing with a thrilling descent to the farmhouse for a refreshing drink.
Evening Relax on the terrace as the sun sets with a drink or two before a hearty dinner. In summer there are quite a few local fiestas to visit if you like late nights and firecrackers!

If the weather is especially hot we may start and finish earlier. We always try to do the majority of the climbing in the cooler hours of the day. The cortijo is dramatically sited on its own mountainside at an altitude 1,700 metres. From the house there are panoramic views of the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada (highest peak Mulhacén 3,482m), the Mediterranean and the Rif Mountains of Morocco.

The spacious, light-filled guest rooms open onto a cloistered Moorish patio with a central fountain. Each room has its own bathroom with a heated towel rail. You can request twin (90cm/3 feet wide) or double beds (180cm/6 feet wide). The beds are firm and very comfortable, with duvets and cotton sheets. Prices are based on two people sharing a room.

We eat in the farmhouse kitchen and relax outside or in the shared sitting room which has wonderful views of mountains and sea from its south facing terrace. In the sitting room there is a magnificent wood burning stove.

The abundant Andalucian sunshine and efficient solar panels ensure that we have a plentiful supply of electricity and more than enough hot water for showering dusty mountain bikers. We also have a generator for power backup and a boiler for extra hot water and central heating in the winter, in addition to the wood burning stove. Water comes from our own spring.