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Showka Hills

80 km road cycling loop869 m climbing2½–4 hoursGPX

Showka, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates · Road

A hilly 80 km road cycling loop from Showka, Ras Al Khaimah through Musseili, Yaif and Sha'biyyat Milāḩ, with 869 m of climbing over Showka climb (533 m) and the As Simsimānīyah climb. Most of it (72.4 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 32.1 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more. The first 38 km has no café, shop or water.

Route contributed by Marcus · Created from a ride on Saturday 15th October 2022

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At a glance

Best for
Hilly days out for confident riders at ease in traffic
Distance
80.3 km
Loop
Elevation gain
869 m
11 m per km
Riding time
2½–4 hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
99% paved · 1% unpaved
Traffic
Mostly main roads
72.4 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 32.1 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Longest gap 38 km
1 shop · 1 petrol station · 2 public toilets · 1 bike shop
Best months
Dec to Feb
Showka climate, 10 years
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start and finish
Showka

Map and elevation profile

Elevation profile

Total ascent
869 m
Distance
80 km
0200400600m0 km20406080 km525 m · highest, at 20.2 kmStartFinish · back at the start

Route description

  1. Showka
  2. Musseilikm 6
  3. Showka climb (533 m)km 15
  4. Yaifkm 26
  5. Sha'biyyat Milāḩkm 30
  6. As Simsimānīyah climbkm 39
  7. As Simsimānīyahkm 41
  8. Sikhе̄barkm 56
  9. Al Wa'abkm 56
  10. Showkakm 80

The route starts and ends in Showka, traversing 80.3 km mainly on motorways and main roads. The ride visits Musseili at 6.2 km, Yaif at 25.6 km, and several other settlements before returning. It uses Al Watan Road for 18.7 km and Sharjah - Kalba Road for 18.3 km with 72.4 km on main roads lacking cycle lanes, including 32.1 km on roads with 80 km/h or more speed limits.

There are four climbs: a 5.7 km ascent from 14.6 km gaining 201 m with a max 10.1% gradient, a 5.8 km climb from 38.6 km gaining 191 m, a shorter 1.4 km climb at 55.8 km gaining 45 m, and a 5.1 km climb from 65.8 km with 150 m elevation. The highest point is 532 m at 20.3 km and the lowest 208 m at 51.7 km. The first half includes 37% of the total climbing. The surface is 99% paved with a short 1% gravel or unpaved section.

Services include a petrol station at 38.2 km, a supermarket at 51 km slightly off-route, and two sets of toilets near 66.2 and 73.9 km. The longest stretch without café, shop or water is 38.2 km from the start. Showka Bicycles bike shop is at the start and finish. The ride passes beneath the 532 m Jabal Ash Shahayrah and 637 m Jabal Al Hinnah peaks near the end.

Why ride this route?

  • Climbs Showka climb (533 m) (5.7 km at 3.5 %) and the As Simsimānīyah climb (5.9 km at 3.2 %).
  • Tops out at 532 m, 20.3 km in.
  • A 5.6 km descent dropping 184 m.

Highlights

  • Climb to 532 m peak at 20.3 km
  • Passes settlements including Musseili and Yaif
  • Longest 38 km with no shop or water
  • Peaks Jabal Ash Shahayrah and Jabal Al Hinnah nearby

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

  1. Musseili 6.2 km
  2. Yaif 25.6 km
  3. Al Qor 28 km
  4. Sha'biyyat Milāḩ 30.2 km
  5. As Simsimānīyah 40.6 km
  6. Huwaylat 50.8 km
  7. Sikhе̄bar 55.5 km
  8. Al Wa'ab 56.2 km
  9. Munay 59 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideFull ascentTop on this ride
Showka climb (533 m)14.6 km5.7 km · 201 m · 3.6 % · max 10.1 %5.7 km · 201 m · 3.5 %532 m
As Simsimānīyah climb38.6 km5.8 km · 191 m · 3.3 % · max 9.4 %5.9 km · 189 m · 3.2 %410 m
Unnamed climb55.8 km1.4 km · 45 m · 3.2 % · max 5.7 %—279 m
Unnamed climb65.8 km5.1 km · 150 m · 3 % · max 7.9 %—485 m

High point 532 m at 20.3 km; low point 208 m. Passes beneath Jabal Ash Shahayrah, Jabal Al Hinnah.

On this ride: the part this route climbs, cut from its own elevation profile. Full ascent: the whole named climb, measured the same way on every ride that uses it (its climb page).

Showka climb (533 m) · full ascent, starts at 14.6 km

5.7 km at 3.5% · 201 m
350400450500m3.7%4.1%3.0%4.5%0 km123455.7 km532 msteepest 4.5%
< 4%4 – 7%7 – 10%> 10%

As Simsimānīyah climb · full ascent, starts at 38.6 km

5.9 km at 3.2% · 189 m
250300350400m2.1%2.4%3.5%7.0%0 km123455.9 km406 msteepest 7.0%

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

This is not a cycle-track route: 90% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 32.1 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.

Roads
49% motorway · 42% main road · 7% minor road · 1% track · 1% other roads and tracks
Main roads
72.4 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
32.1 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
Al Watan Road (19 km), Sharjah - Kalba Road (18 km)
Surface
Paved: 99% of the route is mapped as paved, 1% as unpaved.
Gradient
28% climbing · 27% descending · 45% flat
Steep sections
3.1 km over 5% · 1.3 km over 8% · 0.5 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 18.1% at 0 km
Longest descent
5.6 km from 45 km, dropping 184 m

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

The longest stretch without a café, shop or water is 38 km, from the start. Along the route: 1 shop, 1 petrol station, 2 public toilets and 1 bike shop.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 38.2 kmADNOC · petrol station · 60 m off route
  2. 51 kmnaseem al howailat · supermarket · on the route
  3. 66.2 kmToilets · on the route
  4. 73.9 kmToilets · on the route
  5. 79.4 kmShowka Bicycles · bike shop · 460 m off route

Start and access

Starts and finishes at Showka. Mapped within a short walk of the start, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start and finish

Bikes and repair
Showka Bicycles (600 m)

Know before you go

  • Longest stretch without café or shop for 38 km from start
  • 72 km on main roads without cycle lanes
  • 32 km on roads with 80 km/h+ speed limits
  • Short gravel or unpaved section of 1%

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

About this route

Ridden by
Marcus
Date ridden
Route line
Built from 2 GPS recordings of the ride.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
Best months
Ten years of ERA5 weather for Showka (Open-Meteo).
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added
Page last updated

See something wrong with this ride?

Also over Showka climb (533 m)

Also over the As Simsimānīyah climb

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