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Cycling the Ruta de la Plata

john newman

Kiwi Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Frances (2015)
Le Puy (2016)
Vézelay (2019)
Norte (2019)
Hi all
3 of us are taking the Ruta de la Plata by e-bike from Sevilla to Gijón (starting on the 25th April).
Does anyone have any advice about accommodation to stay in (or avoid) along this route with particular reference to overnight bike storage and battery charging, and general bike friendliness. (We’re using the Cicerone book as a guide).
Thanks
John
 
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Are you on pilgrimage or is this a bike trip? If you are just biking, I would encourage you to use accomodations that are not specified as pilgrim only. You can see that on the Gronze.com website. Otherwise enjoy!
 
Get the Peregrino Online Via de la Plata Premium. Costs a few Euros and has up to date information on alternative routes for cyclists with downloadable .gpx files bicycle friendly accommodation and bicycle repair shops along the way.
If you start in Seville, hotel Simon is right next to the Cathedral, is very friendly and part of the Friends of the Camino association.
 
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Thanks for those resources, Xali1970 and corned beef.
John
 
Corned Beef said:
Some non-Camino information from someone who’s been on this route.

Spain End to End – e2e.bike

e2e.bike
Click to expand...
This looks like a good app from the quick scan I did. Of all the well known Camino routes, the VdLP seems the perfect one to bike! The majority is relatively flat, the stages are long (for walking), and few people will be in your way, needing to use your bike bell.
 
Thanks for your encouragement Chrissy. My thinking was the same as yours. I’m a big fan of bike bells, being mostly a walker! I know that I’m too weak and old to cycle the VDLP so it’s the only way I’ll get to do it.
 
Altus BALI Sleeping bag liner
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
That app gets a 4.8 on Google Play but the last review was 2020. The Buen Camino App is the one I use for riding Caminos and Carlos, the owner / developer, has always answered queries in good time.

El Posado, run by Cesar, in Grimaldo was excellent accommodation. Have never had difficulty with bikes on any Camino though charging ebikes is an unknown so feedback would be valuable.
 
john newman said:
Thanks for your encouragement Chrissy. My thinking was the same as yours. I’m a big fan of bike bells, being mostly a walker! I know that I’m too weak and old to cycle the VDLP so it’s the only way I’ll get to do it.
Click to expand...
My husband is an E-bike fan and owns several. He does not/can not walk long distances any more, and this has been a perfect solution for him as he loves the outdoors and nature. In fact we leave tomorrow for our annual "pilgrimage" to Orange Beach on the Gulf for two months. The huge state park there has over twenty miles of paved biking/walking trails and boardwalks, so keeps us both outdoors for two months in winter...he bikes the trails, I walk them. We take short beach walks together in between.
 
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J Willhaus said:
Are you on pilgrimage or is this a bike trip? If you are just biking, I would encourage you to use accomodations that are not specified as pilgrim only. You can see that on the Gronze.com website. Otherwise enjoy
Click to expand...
Some pilgrims go by bicycle. I don't know what you think, but I know what the officials of the cathedral in Santiago think. They think some pilgrims go by bicycle. My wife has done the camino on foot and by bicycle. She says bicycle is more difficult.
 
I'm sure on some of the trails this would be true, especially if you don't ride the roads village to village, but it seems the VdLP would be doable on a bike or E-bike.
 
john newman said:
Thanks for your encouragement Chrissy. My thinking was the same as yours. I’m a big fan of bike bells, being mostly a walker! I know that I’m too weak and old to cycle the VDLP so it’s the only way I’ll get to do it.
Click to expand...
Yes get a loud bell please. The VDLP can be hypnotic and soporific especially for single pilgrims. Often you are walking long distances with little to see in terms of scenery. I would imagine the weather will be good and not too hot but I started in late October and I had 9-+ temps every day for over a week. It seemed even hotter. Add the heat and minds can be across the universe. Please really slow down when approaching pilgrims and have fun and be safe. Download the AlertCops app. It will put you in touch with an English speaking person who can dispatch the local police to wherever you are. It will track you by the GPS on your phone.
 
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I cycled the Ruta two years ago and the Via last year and had a great time on both. I stayed mostly in Alberques and all were very bike friendly with good secure storage, although I took the precaution of locking the bike too. I also used the John Hayes guide plus Google Maps and Gronze.com and that was all I needed. I used a basic hybrid bike so can´t help with any ebike info although I saw quite a few ebikers so assume charging is not an issue.

There is a lot of great biking info on this forum so I won´t repeat it. Highlights for me; ride through the El Berrocal estate / national park on the way to Almadèn de la Plata although I recall there is a very steep climb at the end, the beautifully restored old Jewish town of Hervas slightly off the main route and the spa town of Baños de Montemayor for a sauna in the public baths. And yes the Alberque in Grimaldo after a long climb is well worth a stop to give you a sense of being in the middle of nowhere but with a great friendly bar attached and a long descent towards Plasencia the following day . But really the whole ride was great.

Oviedo is well worth a stop over and finally seeing the sea and Gijon in the distance.

Buen Camino, your post has already go me thinking and planning again.
 
Thanks Jesnat for your very useful information
John
 
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