Cycling Camino del Norte

[johnmccracken]

Hi,

We plan to cycle the north route starting from Bilbao. Our bikes are more towards road rather than mountain and are therfore suited to road or good tracks. Is it possible to cycle this route avoiding motorways since, ideally, we would like to stick to minor roads ?

Also our plan is to book into hotels along the way rather than use the refuges since I understand that the walkers will take priority, is there plenty of hotel acoomodation to enable this ?

Thanks
John

 

[Bridget and Peter]

See the other thread on cycling v walking the Norte.

You can absolutely cycle avoiding the motorways. The previous main road before the autoroute was built is the C643 or similar number. There are even more minor roads too which are well marked, with very little traffic. And much of the E9 coastal path (senta costera) would be ok for road bikes if not too delicate!

What time of year are you planning on going? At the moment there is plenty of room in the albergues (where we were not on our own there were more cycling pilgrims than walkers, I think). You can always try the albergues first. then the youth hostel types places, also called albergues on their tourist signs which have dormitory accommodation too. Although these had school children on activity holidays in them, there was also room for us when we needed it. but yes, there is also plenty of hotel accommodation. This is a holiday area, with the mountains and beautiful sandy beaches.

It was absolutely beautiful last week (before the rain began- on the day we have to cut short our pilgrimage!) with sunshine, thousands of springtime wild flowers, birdsong and tonkling cow/horse/sheep and goat bells, fresh green leaves and blackthorn blossom, blue seas washing on white beaches and rocky headlands, broad river estuaries and trickling streams so clear you can see the fish. Just go for it and DON'T FRET. With an attitude of 'que sera, sera' and being prepared to ask if necessary, you will be fine - no, much more than fine!

 

[johnmccracken]

Hi Bridget and Peter,

Thanks for the reply, we appreciate the help and useful comments. We will check out the other thread you mention.

We don't plan on going until July and now plan to fly to Santander. We are just checking out maps, the michelin 1:140,000 look as if they will do the job to plan the route or would you advise otherwise ?

John

 

[tipperary]

Hi john
I road biked this camino in june 2010. The map you have will be more than adaquate just check that it has been revised within 2 years or so, there are many new motorways taking traffic off the N roads. When i biked i always stayed in albergues. I never had to wait and was glad to get bottom bunks, so there was no pressure on beds.
Buen camino
justin

 

[picosrider]

Hi John,
I see that you have already received some useful advice. I note that you are now planning to ride from Santander. I did the Camino del Norte from there with 3 others in 2005. We cycled all the way on the roads using the CSJ guide for this route. At £5 it is worth every penny. In addition to the walking route it also details the route for cyclists. I can confirm, no problems with traffic although you cannot avoid it, in for example Santander and Gijon/Aviles.
I see that you will use Michelin maps, so did we. They are hard to beat for quality and detail. Their new Zoom series at 1:150,000 are even better. You will need 3 sheets, No.141 Galicia, N0.142 Asturias and No.143 cantabrian Coast. If you live in the UK try Stanfords the map shop http://www.stanfords.co.uk/ I tried Amazon but they did not have all 3 in stock.
Last time we flew from Uk to Santander and flew back from Santiago with Ryanair. Four of us are going again this year (also in July) but going by ferry to Santander, and return by ferry from Santander. I have given up on flying after problems taking bikes on planes over the past few years. Cheap flights are not cheap, add in very busy airports, security checks, bike dismantling and bagging, damage to bikes, bikes which did not arrive, and compare that to walking on and off a ferry with your bike.
One last point about in town traffic. The FEVE railway station is 5 min walk from the ferry terminal. In 2010 when cycling in the Picos mountains we took the train a few stops to get out of Santander and its suburbs. Trains every 30 minutes and very cheap. Similarly cycle into Gijon and get the FEVE train to past Aviles. This avoids the industrial areas and city traffic of these two adjacent towns.
I am in a cycling club and am doing a write ups about our training for this year's camino, and planning for the ride. You might find some of this useful or interesting, see http://anerleybc.org/planning-a-cycling-adventure/
A Picos Rider