Barcelona to England

[stevecooper88]

Hi Everyone, this is my first post. I am hoping to cycle from Barcelona to the North West of England in the near future. I have found a good route to do and i am hoping to do it in a 2 week period. This is my 1st European bike packing trip. I stay in the UK normally. does anyone have any recommendations about the best time of the year to do a trip like this? plus any advice would be great

Thanks
steve

 

[MichaelW2]

Which Pyrenean pass do you plan to use. Some are snowed in until early summer.
You will be averaging 90 miles/day, back to back which is a lot of riding.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Hi Everyone, this is my first post. I am hoping to cycle from Barcelona to the North West of England in the near future. I have found a good route to do and i am hoping to do it in a 2 week period. This is my 1st European bike packing trip. I stay in the UK normally. does anyone have any recommendations about the best time of the year to do a trip like this? plus any advice would be great

Thanks
steve

Hi Steve,
I'd like to be more helpful but the only answer I can give you is the same as @MichaelW2 - you need to cross mountains so that is what defines your timing.

As regards any other advise, sorry, but there simply is not enough information.
Bike, gear, accommodation, route, solo or otherwise information would be helpful.

You're looking at 100 miles a day, give or take, for 14 days in a row. Unless you're used to doing that, then my advise would be to shorten the route or increase the time.

 

[tallbikes]

Hi Steve,
I'd like to be more helpful but the only answer I can give you is the same as @MichaelW2 - you need to cross mountains so that is what defines your timing.QUOTE]

If you go up the coast from Barcelona you can pretty much void the mountains completely, and you get to go through Narbonne national park,

I'v never done this trip but I hope to do it from Dublin to Barcelona hopefully this summer

 

[jay clock]

You don't have to cross any mountains. If you take the coast road on the east of the Pyrenees the max altitude is under 200m. I would leave any time up to mid June but even after that will be fine as you will get cooler as you go north. Personally I would avoid the school holidays. France is great for cheap camping, and hotels are much pricier than Spain. My journals with a load of tours in both countries may help www.jmhr.com

 

[srw]

You're looking at 100 miles a day, give or take, for 14 days in a row. Unless you're used to doing that, then my advise would be to shorten the route or increase the time.

Or ride to Santander and get the ferry to Portsmouth...

 

[jay clock]

Or cycle to St Malo at 56miles a day and train home from Portsmouth

 

[natureboy]

So...have you done the tour? Im planning on doing it next year. Manchester to Portsmouth, ferry to Caen and then Pau, crossing the Col de Portalet. Anyone know what this clind is like?

 

[Brains]

So...have you done the tour? Im planning on doing it next year. Manchester to Portsmouth, ferry to Caen and then Pau, crossing the Col de Portalet. Anyone know what this clind is like?

'clind' = Climb ?

I've walked up the Col de Portalet
With a 20kg rucksack, in August.
It's a long way, its hot, its hard.
I think it took us 2 days.

Personally it would not be my idea of fun to do it on a loaded tourer, but it's doable, as long as you don't mind potentially a day long uphill push

I think we looked for public transport, and found there isn't any!

 

[natureboy]

Thanks Brains. Ill pack light!