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Showka Loop via Yaif and Jabal Naselah

108 km road cycling loop1,238 m climbing3½–5 hoursGPX

Showka, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates · Road

A hilly 108 km road cycling loop from Showka, Ras Al Khaimah through Musseili, Al Qor and Fashrah, with 1,238 m of climbing over Showka climb (533 m) and Showka climb (484 m). Most of it (87.9 km) is on main roads without a cycle lane, 43.1 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more. There is a 65 km stretch without a café, shop or water (km 42–106).

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

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At a glance

Best for
Hilly days out for confident riders at ease in traffic
Distance
107.8 km
Loop
Elevation gain
1,238 m
11 m per km
Riding time
3½–5 hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Hard
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
93% paved · 2% unpaved · 5% no data
Traffic
Mostly main roads
87.9 km on main roads without a cycle lane · 43.1 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Longest gap 65 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

On the road: Showka Loop via Yaif and Jabal Naselah, Showka

Elevation profile

Total ascent
1,238 m
Distance
108 km
0200400600m0 km255075108 km564 m · highest, at 71.8 kmStartFinish · back at the start

Route description

  1. Showka
  2. Musseilikm 6
  3. Showka climb (533 m)km 15
  4. Al Qorkm 28
  5. Fashrahkm 47
  6. Um al Ghafkm 56
  7. Showka climb (484 m)km 67
  8. Shiakm 73
  9. Minazifkm 79
  10. Showkakm 108

Starting from Showka, the route first passes through Musseili at 6.1 km and proceeds to Yaif at 25.4 km before reaching Al Qor and Sha'biyyat Milāḩ. The first significant climb begins at 14.8 km, ascending 188 m over 5.1 km with an average gradient of 3.7% and a max of 11.5%, reaching 527 m. After descending, there is a shorter climb around 29.2 km and terrain that fluctuates with smaller climbs later on. Major settlements on the route include Huwaylat (42.3 km), Fashrah, Rāfāq, Al Naslah and others, providing occasional points to stop or resupply.

Why ride this route?

  • Climbs Showka climb (533 m) (5.7 km at 3.5 %) and Showka climb (484 m) (3.6 km at 7.7 %).
  • Tops out at 564 m, 70.6 km in.

Highlights

  • Climb starting at 66.6 km with 315 m gain at 8.4% avg gradient
  • Passing Jabal Naselah peak at 56.4 km, 178 m high
  • Longest descent over 4.2 km dropping 201 m starting near 20.4 km
  • Sharjah - Kalba Road ridden for 25.1 km

Along the route

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

Places passed

  1. Musseili 6.1 km
  2. Yaif 25.4 km
  3. Al Qor 27.8 km
  4. Sha'biyyat Milāḩ 33.8 km
  5. Huwaylat 42.3 km
  6. Fashrah 46.7 km
  7. Rāfāq 51 km
  8. Al Naslah 53 km
  9. Um al Ghaf 55.8 km
  10. Wahala 59.7 km
  11. Shia 73.4 km
  12. Harrah 73.8 km
  13. Fayyad 77.9 km
  14. Minazif 79.2 km
  15. Al Qilē'ī 79.8 km
  16. Munay 86.1 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)14.8 km5.1 km · 188 m · 3.7 % · max 11.5 %5.7 km · 201 m · 3.5 %527 m
Unnamed climb29.2 km1.5 km · 42 m · 2.8 % · max 4.8 %—315 m
Unnamed climb64.3 km1.7 km · 46 m · 2.8 % · max 3.8 %—186 m
Showka climb (484 m)66.6 km3.8 km · 315 m · 8.4 % · max 18.2 %3.6 km · 277 m · 7.7 %496 m
Unnamed climb79.6 km2 km · 65 m · 3.2 % · max 5 %—308 m
Unnamed climb92.5 km5.1 km · 148 m · 2.9 % · max 8 %—481 m

High point 564 m at 70.6 km; low point 87 m. Passes beneath Jabal Naselah, Jabal Al Miqsha, Jabal Ash Shahayrah.

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 14.8 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%

Showka climb (484 m) · full ascent, starts at 66.6 km

3.6 km at 7.7% · 277 m
200250300350400450m10%13%0 km1233.8 km484 msteepest 12.6%

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

This is not a cycle-track route: 82% is on main roads without a cycle lane, 43.1 km of it where the limit is 80 km/h or more. Riders should be comfortable sharing the road with faster traffic.

Roads
47% motorway · 36% main road · 10% minor road · 5% other · 3% other roads and tracks
Main roads
87.9 km on main roads without a cycle lane — likely busier
Fast roads
43.1 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
Sharjah - Kalba Road (25 km), Al Watan Road (22 km)
Surface
Paved: 93% of the route is mapped as paved, 2% as unpaved and 5% has no surface data.
Gradient
22% climbing · 23% descending · 55% flat
Steep sections
5.7 km over 5% · 3.9 km over 8% · 2.1 km over 10% · steepest 500 m averages 20.2% at 71.2 km
Longest descent
4.2 km from 20.4 km, dropping 201 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 65 km, from km 42 to 106. Along the route: 1 shop, 1 petrol station, 2 public toilets and 1 bike shop.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 41.8 kmnaseem al howailat · supermarket · 30 m off route
  2. 41.8 kmADNOC · petrol station · 140 m off route
  3. 93 kmToilets · 40 m off route
  4. 100.7 kmToilets · 40 m off route
  5. 106.2 kmShowka Bicycles · bike shop · 500 m off route

Worth a stop

  • 56.5 km — Jabal Naselah (peak, 178 m)

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

  • 64.6 km stretch with no café, shop or water from 41.8 km
  • 87.9 km on main roads without a cycle lane
  • 43.1 km on roads with speed limits 80 km/h or higher
  • 2% of route on unpaved or gravel sections

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

2 photographs from the road

About this route

Ridden by
Marcus
Date ridden
Route line
Built from a GPS recording 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

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Also over Showka climb (533 m)

Also over Showka climb (484 m)

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