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A bicycle tour of the Mining Hills

This round cycling trip which starts and ends in Los Belones, visits Portman Bay - one of the prettiest and yet solitary corners of the Murcian coast - and the famous mining hills of La Union.

Length - 24 kilometres
Maximum ascent - 240 metres
Difficulty - Easy. The only spots worth mentioning are two small hillocks, the first on the way to Portman bay (100 metres) and the second within the mining hills (240 metres).
Duration - 3 hours
Recommendations - Avoid the midday heat. Take care when riding along main roads. Within the mining area, avoid going too close to the wells.

0.0	Los Belones. Start from the Bar Deportivo and take the turning opposite the La Fuente Avenue, that takes you over the motorway.
1.1	Crossroads. You arrive at the village of Las Barracas. When you reach the electric transformer turn right along a tarmac path between some houses.
1.3	The tarmac peters out to dirt, you should be riding parallel to a waterhouse and should pass a rubbish tip.
1.7	Crossroads next to an electric piling. Turn right to cross the watercourse.
2.6	El Puntal riding school. Turn left on to the tarmac road towards a tower and a large watering pond.
2.8	Crossroads. Go straight over and follow the dirt track.
3.2	Crossroads. Turn left onto the road that runs from Los Belones to Portman.
6.3	Crossroads. To your right there is a dirt track that takes you to El Llano. Ignore this and go straight over following the road you are on and you will come to a small hill. Once over the hill you will be able to see the Bay of Portman.
8.5	Crossroads - Turn left towards the lighthouse.
10.1	Lighthouse and beach. From here you can see the awful ecological disaster that the bay has suffered at the hands of the local mining industry, now totally destroyed due to the slag. The beach is now nearly a kilometre further out than its original position. The bollards from the old port of Portman are now no more than grotesque caricatures inland. Turn back until you reach the crossroads.
11.7	Crossroads. Turn right towards Los Belones
13.7	Hillock (100 metres).
13.8	Turn left off the tarmac road onto a dirt track.
16.3	Hillock (240 metres) From here you have an incomparable view of the Mar Menor, of the summit of Carmoli and of the tortured miming area of La Union.
17.8	Crossroads to the right, towards El Llano del Beal.
18.1	Llano del Beal. Go straight through the town, downhill all the way.
18.8	After going under the railway bridge you reach the La Union/Los Nietos road. Turn right here.
21.5	Crossroads that join the La Manga motorway. Turn right onto the service road towards Los Belones.
24.0	Los Belones. End of the route.

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Cycling in La Manga, the Mining Hills