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A bicycle tour of the Mar Menor

A good way to discover this unique costal spot is to tour the Mar Menor by bicycle, using paths, dirt tracks and even a small ravine, always next to the waters edge. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, the perimeter of the Mar Menor is not continuous. In the area farthest north of La Manga, where the encanizadas (cane structures) are, various canals break the shore line and this impede a complete round trip of the Mar Menor.

Length - 56.5 kilometres
Difficulty - There is no difficulty in this route as all of the roads used are on flat ground and are well marked. The only possible thing to take into account is the length of the trip and for this reason may only be suitable for the more experienced riders.
Duration - The trip can be completed in five or six hours
Recommendations - There are no alternative dirt tracks in the north part of the route, between La Puntica and Los Alcazares, riders having to use the main road. Precautions should be taken and bikers should ride in single file and on the hard shoulder.

Description of the route
The excursion has been planned out in various stages, working anti-clockwise, starting from the windmill La Ezequiela, at the end of the Playa de La Mota. The distances between each main area are marked in kilometres, thus permitting each individual to make up his own route.

0.0	La Ezequila windmill. From here there is a marked path that runs between the land that separates the salt flats and the Mar Menor.
2.5	At this point you reach a tarmac road
2.7	Quintin windmill. Arrival at Villa Nanitos. For the next few kilometres you ride on a main road. Be careful of the motor vehicles.
4.2	Town of Lo Pagan. Continue along the promenade
6.9	Town of La Rivera. Continue along the promenade
7.3	On reaching the square, turn right towards San Javier
7.8	Crossroads. Turn left along the road that passes the airport
10.3	Pass the Murcia-San Javier airport and continue straight on
13.2	Los Narejos
15.2	Los Alcazares. By using the promenade you can go through the town without having to use the roads
19.0	Crossroads - Turn left towards Los Urrutias
23.2	Town of Los Urrutias. Once again ride along the promenade. At the end of the promenade, next to the Yacht Club you then turn onto a dirt track running along a small ravine, which borders the south part of the Mar Menor.
25.2	Estrella de Mar residential development. The path passes through an area of dark earth due to the slag brought down by the rain water from the nearby mining area of La Union.
30.0	Los Nietos - The entrance takes you to the promenade which can be used to ride through the town
31.6	Isla Menores
32.6	Mar de Cristal. At the end of the promenade, take the first tarmac road to the left, at the next bend turn off the road onto a dirt track opposite.
34.5	After a pleasing ride through the typical vegetation of this area, you come to the Campsite Villas Caravaning.
35.4	Town of Playa Honda. Ride through the town on the promenade, which ends in a dirt track.
36.4	Marchamalo salt flats.
37.1	The path is cut off by a wall which has been built right up to the waters edge. You will have to push the bicycle around this obstacle. You then cross the residential area of El Vivero and from there take a sandy path which borders the water and takes you to a pier.
38.7	Puerto Bello - You have now entered La Manga. Take the first tarmac road to the right.
39.2	You are then on the main road of La Manga. Turn left onto the bicycle lane.
41.3	Monteblanco
45.3	Casino - The bicycle lane ends here
51.3	Swing bridge in El Estacio
56.2	Veneciola residential development
56.4	End of the road and of the tour. The canals crossing the encanizadas impede the possibility of continuing.

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Cycling in La Manga, the Mar Menor