Road · United Arab Emirates
An Out and Back Route from Shees Rest Area
A mountainous 74 km road cycling loop from Khor Fakkan, Sharjah through Ghadf, Al Khalabiya and Yalah, with 1,232 m of climbing over Daftah climb (744 m). Most of it (39.9 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 32 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more. There is a 42 km stretch without a café, shop or water (km 14–56).
6 photographs from the road
Videos from this Ride
At a glance
- Best for
- Short, climbing-heavy rides for confident riders at ease in traffic
- Distance
- 73.8 km
- Elevation gain
- 1,232 m
- Riding time
- 4–6 hours
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Bike
- Colnago V5RS
- Surface
- Paved
- Traffic
- Mostly main roads
- Food & water
- Longest gap 42 km
- Best months
- Nov to Mar
- Navigation
- GPX download
- Start and finish
- Khor Fakkan
Map and elevation profile
Elevation profile
- 1,232 m
- 74 km
What it was like to ride
Route description
- Khor Fakkan
- Ghadf
- Al Khalabiya
- Yalah
- شعبيات قبر اليهودي
- Al Jaroof
- Al Tayyibah
- Daftah climb (744 m)
- Daftah
- Khor Fakkan
A 74km route that starts at the Shees rest area just beyond the first tunnel on the road to Khor Fakkan. Heads through Masafi and on to a quiet, winding road that ends in a small village called Al Jaroof. There's a grocery store there for refreshements. Just be aware that they only accept cash.
Why ride this route?
- The shortest of the 7 rides from Khor Fakkan, yet it climbs 1,232 m.
- Climbs Daftah climb (744 m) (6.3 km at 6.4 %).
- Tops out at 768 m, 1 km in.
- A 6 km descent dropping 384 m.
Along the route
Places passed
Climbs
| Climb | Starts at | On this ride | Full ascent | Top on this ride |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unnamed climb | 0 km | 1 km · 198 m · 20 % · max 28.2 % | — | 768 m |
| Unnamed climb | 7.1 km | 4.7 km · 137 m · 2.9 % · max 6.6 % | — | 497 m |
| Unnamed climb | 23.8 km | 1.5 km · 54 m · 3.6 % · max 6.1 % | — | 518 m |
| Unnamed climb | 35.1 km | 1.4 km · 59 m · 4.2 % · max 7.6 % | — | 438 m |
| Unnamed climb | 40.3 km | 2.8 km · 65 m · 2.3 % · max 2.9 % | — | 438 m |
| Unnamed climb | 43.2 km | 1.8 km · 81 m · 4.5 % · max 7 % | — | 519 m |
| Daftah climb (744 m) | 63.8 km | 6.3 km · 402 m · 6.4 % · steepest 500 m 7.6 % | 6.3 km · 402 m · 6.4 % | 763 m |
Daftah climb (744 m) · full ascent, starts at 63.7 km
< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%
Traffic, surface and gradient
This is not a cycle-track route: 54% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 32 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.
- Roads
- 55% major road · 42% minor road · 3% quiet street
- Main roads
- 39.9 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
- Fast roads
- 32 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
- Main roads used
- Masafi-Dibba Road (18 km), Khorfakkan Road (11 km), Sheikh Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Road (6 km)
- Surface
- Paved: 99% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved.
- Gradient
- 33% climbing · 34% descending · 33% flat
- Steep sections
- 5.7 km over 5% · 2.2 km over 8% · 1.6 km over 10%
- Longest descent
- 6 km from 1 km, dropping 384 m
Food, water and services
The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 42 km, from km 14 to 56. Along the route: 11 cafés and restaurants, 14 shops, 2 water points, 2 petrol stations and 3 public toilets.
Food, water and shops in ride order
- 9.6 kmAl Aswaq · supermarket · 50 m off route
- 13.5 kmAl Dahreez · bakery · 50 m off route
- 55.8 kmSupermarket · 60 m off route
- 57 kmAden Mandi Restaurant · restaurant · on the route
- 57.4 kmADNOC · petrol station · on the route
- 60.3 kmMasafi Hospital · hospital · 170 m off route
- 63.8 kmDrinking water · 170 m off route
- 71 kmEmarat · petrol station · on the route
- 71.3 kmMohamed Al Yoha Supermarket · supermarket · 30 m off route
- 72.1 kmGerard · café · 90 m off route
- 72.1 kmDrinking water · 40 m off route
- 72.1 kmToilets · 50 m off route
Start and access
- Where to start · Marcus
- Shees parking area
- Parking · Marcus
- Shees parking area. It's not free. Paid parking starts from 8am. Use your mobile to buy a ticket.
At the start and finish
- Food and coffee
- Alsad Ice Cream - Branch 2 (240 m), Tazej & Khafif Cafeteria (150 m), Lemon & Nenaa Cafeteria (210 m)
- Shops
- Mohamed Al Yoha Supermarket (220 m)
Know before you go
- 42.3 km longest stretch without café, shop or water from km 13.5 to 55.8
- 39.9 km on main roads without a cycle lane
- 32 km on roads with posted limits 80 km/h or more
- 1% gravel or unpaved surface
