Peña Cabarga is one of Spain's toughest cycling climbs

# Peña Cabarga: Spain's Brutally Beautiful Climb

Tucked away in Cantabria in northern Spain, Peña Cabarga is the kind of climb that'll make you question your life choices—in the best way possible. At 560m elevation, this mountain might not sound intimidating, but don't let that fool you.

Starting from the village of Heras, you've got just 5.9km ahead of you. Sounds manageable, right? Wrong. This beast averages nearly 10% gradient the entire way up, with a particularly nasty finale: the last 2km ramp up to an eye-watering 11.5% average, with pitches hitting 19%. It's short, it's steep, and it's absolutely relentless.

The road (CA-412) is fully paved, which is something to be grateful for, though the narrow sections keep things interesting. Traffic is blissfully light up here, so at least you won't have cars honking at you while you're gasping for breath.

This climb has serious credentials. It's featured in the Spanish Vuelta, and champions like Chris Froome and Joaquim Rodríguez have powered their way to victory here. Froome apparently loves this one enough to make it a personal favorite—which tells you everything you need to know about the quality of the ascent.

Reach the top and you'll be rewarded with way more than just bragging rights. The summit sits in the Sierra de la Gándara range with a parking area, communication towers, and the impressive Monumento al Indiano y a la Marina de Castilla tower at 569m. The views over Santander and the Cantabrian Bay are genuinely spectacular.