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Stage 5
The final stage – a day of emotion! Time to just get the race finished, but also a day tinged with sadness that the adventure is nearly over. Enjoy it!
Both courses head around and behind Moclin castle, before dropping steeply through the olive groves.
The route crosses the GR-3408 at the river, before ascending steeply, past an old cortijo, known locally as Peter’s house.
An old hunting track takes you below the Atalaya de Tozar and into the village. Here the Ultra and Challenge routes split. The Challenge route heads straight through the village and into CP1 at Bar Marcelo. The bar is also the village shop – ideal for runners in need of chocolate or jelly-sweets!
Meanwhile, the Ultra runners head downhill on a jeep track, before looping around and through the olives, on a private track, past a natural fuente, and back to the village and into CP1 at the Bar.
The routes conjoin, heading uphill out of the village and over the Sierra de Limones, dropping steeply on an olive grove track toward the Embalse [Reservoir] de Colomera. Be alert; do not miss the right turn over the olives and onto the track of the Puerto de los Lobos Harteros.
The ascent is steep and loose in places, but short. The reward on reaching the top - a stunning, winding, single track descent through the pine woodland. Views are toward the Sierra de los Hornos and Sierra Nevada behind. Eventually the trail becomes track as you head past goat farms towards the village of Colomera and CP2.
A rolling farm road takes you toward Berbe Alto and the second division of the routes. The Challenge head right on the Camino Mozarabe towards Olivares. The Ultra continues straight, over the GR-3413, and through the olives onto the low Camino Mozarbe, past the Bar Las Vegas and into CP3, where both courses again meet.
The route heads back out of Olivares and onto the Camino Mozarabe before heading left at the Cruz de Tiena and up the trail you all love to hate. [You’ll understand this cryptic message on route!]
After crossing the GR-3408 you simply have to go a little further uphill, before dropping downhill and speeding over that well deserved finish line. Job done!