Calais to Faro, Portugal 2016 'cos I'll be 70!

[PatBluesman]

Gooday, I'm 70 in 2016 and want to show the world I can still cut it!

Yeah the route is as above, I've got a buddy who wants to see Portugal. So the plan is for him to follow me down in his caravan, set up doss sites and pretty much look after me back-up wise. When we reach South tip of Portugal he'll keep my bike with him and, after a few beers, I'll fly back.
Have looked at the EuroVelo routes and a few other things but could really do with some help please with routes, stage distance for a fit 70 yr old and anything else you feel you might like to throw my way.
Thank you lots mates. Pat.

 

[robjh]

Sounds like a good plan Pat, have a great ride.
Funnily enough I've thought of a London-South Portugal ride to do when I retire, since I first went touring in Portugal in the 1980s. I'm not there yet by a few years, but it's still on the plans.

Keep us posted about your progress when you do it.

 

[Blue Hills]

Sounds great.

Yes, keep us posted.

You don't hear that much about Portugal - in my book that makes a place interesting.

 

[Shadow]

What a wonderful idea! I think your biggest hurdle on choosing a route is how to go through Spain. It is very hilly. Most Brits do not tend to realise this as they do not venture much beyond the coast. It is something like the second most mountainous country in europe! To avoid some hills you could go across northern spain and then through Portugal - this way you get to see the different regions of portugal, not just the south coast. This way also avoids the central plain of spain. Any idea of time of year you are planning to go/arrive?
Paging @RichP - look at his sig line for his trip thru portugal a couple of years back.

 

[PatBluesman]

Sounds like a good plan Pat, have a great ride.
Funnily enough I've thought of a London-South Portugal ride to do when I retire, since I first went touring in Portugal in the 1980s. I'm not there yet by a few years, but it's still on the plans.

Keep us posted about your progress when you do it.

Thanks Rob I sure will.

 

[PatBluesman]

Sounds great.

Yes, keep us posted.

You don't hear that much about Portugal - in my book that makes a place interesting.

Thanks mate, will do.

 

[PatBluesman]

What a wonderful idea! I think your biggest hurdle on choosing a route is how to go through Spain. It is very hilly. Most Brits do not tend to realise this as they do not venture much beyond the coast. It is something like the second most mountainous country in europe! To avoid some hills you could go across northern spain and then through Portugal - this way you get to see the different regions of portugal, not just the south coast. This way also avoids the central plain of spain. Any idea of time of year you are planning to go/arrive?
Paging @RichP - look at his sig line for his trip thru portugal a couple of years back.

Thanks for info mate, I'm not sure I got the time to go the route thru Portugal that you suggest as I play in a band with gigs to consider.
Figuring on going late March, thru May. Hopefully I can get across Spain before the 'devil's anvil' kicks in mid June/July. PAT

 

[steveindenmark]

Faro is not much of a place to head for and I think Sagres is probably the most Southern point. But Cap St Vincent is a good point to head for and then ride along the Algarve coast to Faro.

It's only a thought.

 

[StuartG]

You might want to check out the FNRttC 2014 tour for the trip from Caen as far as Bordeaux. Cherbourg, Caen or even St Malo may be a more convenient ferry crossings than Calais.

Rolling countryside in Normandy, absolutely flat after that. Eight days @ about 100km/day. Our geriatric division didn't waver. Thence round the mountains at Hendaye and over the plains of Spain (cue Julie Andrews). Except it doesn't and IME can be fiendishly hot and dry. What time of year were you thinking?

 

[bigjim]

Do not ride along the Algarve coast to Faro! Well not from the Spanish border anyway.
I rode from Porto to Faro a couple of months ago. The coast road, there is only one, is a nightmare.

 

[rich p]

What a wonderful idea! I think your biggest hurdle on choosing a route is how to go through Spain. It is very hilly. Most Brits do not tend to realise this as they do not venture much beyond the coast. It is something like the second most mountainous country in europe! To avoid some hills you could go across northern spain and then through Portugal - this way you get to see the different regions of portugal, not just the south coast. This way also avoids the central plain of spain. Any idea of time of year you are planning to go/arrive?
Paging @RichP - look at his sig line for his trip thru portugal a couple of years back.

It's @rich p, Shadow, and the other one (RichP) is often flagged instead of me!
Hi Pat, I did Faro to Santander and my report is on the bottom of this post if it's of any help.

 

[mustang1]

Sorry I can't contribute anything to this thread but just to let you know that I needed a apock-me-up thread this afternoon and this is it!

Its great you're gonna do this. Good luck!

 

[chrtho]

The coast road, there is only one, is a nightmare.

I tend to agree with this. I rode UK-Portugal a few years ago and basically took the most direct route down the French coast, inland a bit into the Pyrenees then diagonally across Spain making a bee-line for Lagos. Every time I ended up on any coast I'd quickly divert back inland to escape the crowds and traffic of the endless built-up tourist strip. Only a few miles inland and it's blissfully quiet.

 

[steveindenmark]

It does depend what time of year you go. I have never been in the high season. Out of season it is quiet.

 

[PatBluesman]

I tend to agree with this. I rode UK-Portugal a few years ago and basically took the most direct route down the French coast, inland a bit into the Pyrenees then diagonally across Spain making a bee-line for Lagos. Every time I ended up on any coast I'd quickly divert back inland to escape the crowds and traffic of the endless built-up tourist strip. Only a few miles inland and it's blissfully quiet.

Cheers mate for that, would be real boost to know some detail of your route please, was it main or side roads etc