Cycling Porto to Finisterre with 2 kids

[Purita]

Hello
We (my husband 2 boys 10 and 9 and I) are planning to cycle from Porto to Finisterre in August this year. We very much enjoyed cycling part of the Camino Frances last year so have some Camino experience.
I have a few questions;
1. Which route would you suggest? I'm thinking Coastal to Tui then to Padron then somehow cutting across to Finisterre, would the Central be more lovely?
2. Any really speacial places to stay.
3. We have 12 cycling days so might be able to stop somrwhere for two nights so kids can have a change, where would you recommend?
4. Do you know the route between Padron and Finisterre?
5. Any knowledge of bike packaging in Finisterre and booking a bus to Satiago for the four of us plus bikes!

I really would appreciate any advice.

Purita

 

[Catahoula19]

Hello
We (my husband 2 boys 10 and 9 and I) are planning to cycle from Porto to Finisterre in August this year. We very much enjoyed cycling part of the Camino Frances last year so have some Camino experience.
I have a few questions;
1. Which route would you suggest? I'm thinking Coastal to Tui then to Padron then somehow cutting across to Finisterre, would the Central be more lovely?
2. Any really speacial places to stay.
3. We have 12 cycling days so might be able to stop somrwhere for two nights so kids can have a change, where would you recommend?
4. Do you know the route between Padron and Finisterre?
5. Any knowledge of bike packaging in Finisterre and booking a bus to Satiago for the four of us plus bikes!

I really would appreciate any advice.

Purita

I would start outside Porto at Matosinhos (take the metro there), ride to Vila de Conde, then follow the standard route to SDC. It''s really not a very difficult route with only a couple of steep hills that you can always walk the bikes down. We rode the bus back from SDC, did not walk to Finisterre. I wouldn't stress it much, you'll have a great time. We walked in April and met a few riders. There weren't that many walkers either until after Tui. Bom Caminho.

 

[JohnR]

I would start outside Porto at Matosinhos (take the metro there), ride to Vila de Conde, then follow the standard route to SDC. It''s really not a very difficult route with only a couple of steep hills that you can always walk the bikes down. We rode the bus back from SDC, did not walk to Finisterre. I wouldn't stress it much, you'll have a great time. We walked in April and met a few riders. There weren't that many walkers either until after Tui. Bom Caminho.

Hi Catahoula, Reading your response to Purita is helpful. My wife and I want to cycle with our boys age 6 and 7 this fall from Porto on the coastal Portuguese route. Wondering how much of the time we will be on busy roads?

 

[JohnR]

Hello
We (my husband 2 boys 10 and 9 and I) are planning to cycle from Porto to Finisterre in August this year. We very much enjoyed cycling part of the Camino Frances last year so have some Camino experience.
I have a few questions;
1. Which route would you suggest? I'm thinking Coastal to Tui then to Padron then somehow cutting across to Finisterre, would the Central be more lovely?
2. Any really speacial places to stay.
3. We have 12 cycling days so might be able to stop somrwhere for two nights so kids can have a change, where would you recommend?
4. Do you know the route between Padron and Finisterre?
5. Any knowledge of bike packaging in Finisterre and booking a bus to Satiago for the four of us plus bikes!

I really would appreciate any advice.

Purita

Hello Purita,

I would love to hear your experience on the Portuguese route. Did you take the coastal route and if so how busy were the roads, how much hill climbing?
Planning to bike a 120k section of the Portugues Camino from Porto or VDLP from Salamanca with our boys aged 6 and 7 fall 2019. We wanted a section of a camino with enough services that we would not have to plan a strict itinerary and that is a beautiful stretch. Main concern besides available services is busyness of the roads and safety for cycling with kids. Thoughts and experiences welcomed. Thanks!

 

[Barbara]

Unless you have a particular desire for this route I would suggest doing a section of the Vélo Odyssey where it runs close to the Camino in France. That would tick your boxes for infrastructure and safety, plus it's a very pleasant route. It runs the full length of the west coast in France, you could choose your section. The bit that runs through the Landes is the flattest (obvious, really) It's mostly on either very quiet roads or repurposed railway lines. You could even start with a boat trip from Royan! The Camino it more or less parallels is the French Littoral. I loved this Camino. You can either continue on to the Norte or turn left up the valley to St. Jean then take any of the Spanish routes you fancy doing.

 

[JohnR]

Thanks for that Barbara! This does look lovely. I will look into it more. At this point we haven't considered going that far north as we are flying into Madrid. Also wondering how the weather is that time of year on this part of the coast. So in your experience there is nothing similar in Portugal or Spain?

 

[Barbara]

Hi John
August and September weather in France is pretty reliable. It won't be as hot as Portugal, and is a bit cooler on the coast anyway. You might get heat thunderstorms, as anywhere in central and southern Europe. Generally though it should be warm to hot, and usually dry. (Even in Galicia, mostly) There are bike routes in Spain but I can't talk from personal experience, as all my cycling in Spain has been on Caminos, and I haven't been to Portugal at all. I have either used the walkers route where that was possible, or taken nearby roads. I use a hybrid road and track bike, not a mountain bike. It's often not possible for me to use the walkers route so I find my own way with a map and GPS.
Flying in to Madrid will be the problem, I suspect. Are you coming with your own bikes? If not then Spanish trains are good, and Madrid is a major hub. They don't all take unboxed bikes. It's not a specially cheap journey to Bordeaux, though it is to Salamanca.
With four of you an option would be to hire a small van to transport yourselves and bikes, especially if you can get a one way hire. How had you planned to get to your starting point? I take it you already have a flight booked? Where are you coming from?

If you are renting bikes then the Vélo odessey is well set up for you to hire at several places. I suggest you get the IGN map of bike and green lane routes for France if you think of doing it.

924 VOIES VERTES ET VELOROUTES DE FRANCE

La carte générale des Voies Vertes et Véloroutes de France à l’échelle du 1 : 1 000 000 est réalisée en partenariat avec l'association française pour le développement des véloroutes et des voies vertes (AF3V). Elle permet d’avoir une vue d’ensemble des différents itinéraires traversant la France...

ignrando.fr

Or take a look here
af3v.org.

Free interactive maps of bike routes and how complete they are. Some are only about fifty percent. The Vélo odessey is 100% done.

This site is more about organised tours but should give you a few ideas for Spain

Bicisenruta.com

And this is from the tourist board
m.spain.info/es
Has some useful stuff generally as well as cycling.
bikemap.net
has information on Spanish bike routes.
I take it you already have done research on Portugal. If not then bikemap has useful stuff here, too.

Hope this helps
Cheers
Barbara

 

[JohnR]

This is a great help.Thanks Barbara! I am going to look further into your suggestions. Overloaded for the moment and heading to sleep.

 

[risajs]

This is a great help.Thanks Barbara! I am going to look further into your suggestions. Overloaded for the moment and heading to sleep.

Hey there John,
I am in the midst of planning my camino bike ride with my two kids, age 7. Did you end up doing your ride? If so, which route did you choose? How did it go.... I have so many questions. Thanks
Risa