A short route linking two white villages of the Sierra de Grazalema: it leaves Zahara de la Sierra on the CA-9104, climbs the Puerto de las Palomas and drops down to join the A-372 into Grazalema. It is one of the best-known stretches in the Cádiz mountains and is often included in longer white-village rides.
The climb from Zahara is relentless, with tight bends gaining height above the Zahara reservoir and the village, crowned by its castle. At the top the landscape is limestone, scrub and Spanish fir on the slopes, inside the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. The descent towards Grazalema is shorter. The whole ride runs through the municipalities of Zahara and Grazalema, in the Sierra de Cádiz comarca.
It covers about 17 km and around 40 minutes without stops, but with a lot of climbing: from about 460 m to almost 1,200 m at the pass. It is a mountain road, narrow in places and with very tight bends, so take it calmly. Weather at the top can be very different from the valley: fog, wind, rain and cold are common outside summer. Watch for cyclists, loose livestock and gravel on the bends.