London - Barcelona

[popeycymru]

I'm doing London to Barcelona in July.. Aiming for around 12days.... Not an experienced cyclist although a pretty fit rugby player. What are the best routes to take? Heard the first leg London to Portsmouth is one of the hardest. Where is the best place to cross the Pyrenees??

 

[defy-one]

We used to do the london to portsmouth leg as teenagers,then go camping on the IOW for 2 weeks. It's not bad at all.

 

[popeycymru]

What's the best route defy-one?

 

[StuAff]

The route I've usually used is: out to Richmond, half a lap of the park, Kingston, Esher, Cobham, Ockham, Guildford (via bike path alongside the A3), Godalming, Haslemere, Petersfield, Buriton. Then you've got a choice of either going up a short but quite nasty climb then onto Rowlands Castle and Havant, or going west towards East Meon and then south via Clanfield and Horndean. That way's longer but has only one long easier drag, and gives you the great view at the top of the hill.

 

[defy-one]

The route I've usually used is: out to Richmond, half a lap of the park, Kingston, Esher, Cobham, Ockham, Guildford (via bike path alongside the A3), Godalming, Haslemere, Petersfield, Buriton. Then you've got a choice of either going up a short but quite nasty climb then onto Rowlands Castle and Havant, or going west towards East Meon and then south via Clanfield and Horndean. That way's longer but has only one long easier drag, and gives you the great view at the top of the hill.

What's the best route defy-one?

As above with the nasty climb,but it was worth it to see the castle. Must do that route again with the lads .... good times

 

[Yellow7]

Hi Popeycymru. I rode to Barcelona from Le Harve in 2006 & 2008, & from Milton Keynes in 2007 (always finishing at friends in Majorca via the Barcelona ferry).. I pre-plotted the route in Microsoft's Autoroute to get the ball rolling then purchased IGN maps (Institut Geographique National) from the hertford map centre, but I think these may have changed, these maps are intended for cycling (1:100 000) scale (1cm = 1km), I purchasing about 8 of them for the entire route (2006 & 8) & marked my intended route before leaving, best contact the map centre to find out, unless you're into SadNav, sorry, Sat Nav. I rode it in 10 days, aprox 80 miles / day.

I basicaly went Le Havre - over 'le pont de Normandie' bridge which is an amazing thing (speaking as an engineer!), Le Mans, Tours, Toulouse, Pammiers then over the big hi!! into Spain via Bourg Madam. Two passes, first is Col de Puymorens @ 1915m (France), then La Collado de Tosses @ 1800m (Spain)

I'll dig out further details if you are genuinely interested, pm me if so.

Mark.

 

[P.H]

Watching with interest, it's something I have penciled in for September.
Yellow7 YHPM.

 

[bbsanchezi]

yeah,i think so,I basicaly went Le Havre - over 'le pont de Normandie' bridge which is an amazing thing.thanks

 

[Alex H]

IGN maps (Institut Geographique National) from the hertford map centre, but I think these may have changed, these maps are intended for cycling (1:100 000) scale (1cm = 1km), I

I can confirm they have changed - the whole series has been updated

 

[jay clock]

I have crossed the Pyrenees on the eastern coast road and it was quiet and pretty. see here http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=1&doc_id=1447&v=2M Inland will involve much higher climbs. I would absolutely avoid cycling through Andorra as there is one road jam packed with trucks.

 

[doog]

Re the Pyrenees, on the East coast you have a few routes. The route done by Jay Clock is scenic (although can be very busy in the holiday season when the French invade Northern Spain) .There is a far easier route which is the N11, its busy but has a big shoulder and will save you plenty of time if you just want to get it done in a few hours. Slightly inland is a little known route via las illes with minor roads down to Figueres . Part of it is a bit rough but a chap on CTC did it on a recumbent, very quiet and scenic apparently.

The next pass to the west is the Col de ares (C38) down to Camprodon in Spain. I did it from Spain to France, I wouldnt fancy it the the other way around mind, very steep on the French side with a 5000 foot summit.

Yellow 7 posted above about the crossing further west via Bourg Madam. A few choices and always nice to tell people you have crossed the Pyrenees on a bike !!

 

[jay clock]

Sorry Doog, I have to disagree. The N-11 I assume you refer to is the murderously busy N-II (2 in Roman numerals) in Spain? Thundering lorries avoiding the toll motorway . It is the D900 now in France. I would avoid it....

 

[doog]

Its no worse than my commute .

This is the other minor route I was on about, I hope to give it a go later this year

http://www.x-alt.com/blog/showevent.php?eventid=25&page=34

 

[lulubel]

Depends on what you want out of touring, I guess. If it was me, I'd want to take the most scenic, traffic-free route, even if it was steep, rough and slow.

 

[dellzeqq]

Sorry Doog, I have to disagree. The N-11 I assume you refer to is the murderously busy N-II (2 in Roman numerals) in Spain? Thundering lorries avoiding the toll motorway . It is the D900 now in France. I would avoid it....

jay clock is smack on the money. Avoid.