Long distance routes in Spain

[GlamorganGuy]

...Planning/daydreaming about a long tour in Spain as soon as things return to "normal". Can anyone recommend a route from personal experience? Long stretches on non-traffic trails or cycleways preferred. Thanks!

 

[mjr]

Via verde del Ebro (or something like that but in Spanish or Catalan) was good but didn't really link to anything at the inland end.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Define long I could spend a week covering 100 miles (especially in Spain) while someone else will knock it out in a day.

From personal experience, I followed the Camino Frances route over the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela, staying on the walker's route as much as possible. Not cycle touring (whatever that is!) in my opinion.
Then I wandered, first to the west coast then bumbled along the northern coast back to France.
Much more like cycle touring!
The only decicated cycling paths I saw were in towns and cities.

I had (almost) nothing but positive experiences on the roads - Spanish drivers are very respectful and friendly and found that new super-highways took most of the traffic, at least in Northern areas.
If you really want to cover long distances on dedicated bike paths, away from traffic, then NL, Belgium and some routes in Germany, France & Austria will allow that. Spain not so much, as I recall. (It's been several years since I looked).
There are a bunch of cycling routes based around Don Quixote that is on a wishlist, but I've no idea what they're like.
Similarly, I recall a very rural, rustic route along the foothills of the Pyrenees.

Honestly, there is so much in Spain to see and do, such regional variations, such history, culture and cuisine(!!) that the notion of following a "premade" route for the sake of it is quite conservative. Spain, or Northern Spain at least, is one of those places where even a novice cycle tourist can make up their own route, based on where they want to go, with confidence.

Biroto.eu is a good repository of touring routes. Cycle.travel is a very reliable planner. CrazyGuyOnABike for inspiration. But you know that already.

In the meantime, Duolingo is a handy app for getting a grounding in some Spanish. A little bit every day and doors will open more easily. (Mind you, Duolingo is more for Spanish in the Americas). Spanishdict.com is useful too.

Buen viaje!

 

[GlamorganGuy]

Define long I could spend a week covering 100 miles (especially in Spain) while someone else will knock it out in a day.

From personal experience, I followed the Camino Frances route over the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela, staying on the walker's route as much as possible. Not cycle touring (whatever that is!) in my opinion.
Then I wandered, first to the west coast then bumbled along the northern coast back to France.
Much more like cycle touring!
The only decicated cycling paths I saw were in towns and cities.

I had (almost) nothing but positive experiences on the roads - Spanish drivers are very respectful and friendly and found that new super-highways took most of the traffic, at least in Northern areas.
If you really want to cover long distances on dedicated bike paths, away from traffic, then NL, Belgium and some routes in Germany, France & Austria will allow that. Spain not so much, as I recall. (It's been several years since I looked).
There are a bunch of cycling routes based around Don Quixote that is on a wishlist, but I've no idea what they're like.
Similarly, I recall a very rural, rustic route along the foothills of the Pyrenees.

Honestly, there is so much in Spain to see and do, such regional variations, such history, culture and cuisine(!!) that the notion of following a "premade" route for the sake of it is quite conservative. Spain, or Northern Spain at least, is one of those places where even a novice cycle tourist can make up their own route, based on where they want to go, with confidence.

Biroto.eu is a good repository of touring routes. Cycle.travel is a very reliable planner. CrazyGuyOnABike for inspiration. But you know that already.

In the meantime, Duolingo is a handy app for getting a grounding in some Spanish. A little bit every day and doors will open more easily. (Mind you, Duolingo is more for Spanish in the Americas). Spanishdict.com is useful too.

Buen viaje!

Great advice, thanks for taking the time to pass it on! I've been stuck into my Duolingo homework for some time now!

 

[Richard Fairhurst]

The Pirinexus route from Girona looks amazing. I was going to do it last year but... circumstances intervened?

 

[Dave Davenport]

The roads, even quite large ones are so quiet in rural Spain and the Spanish drivers so considerate of cyclists we've never bothered with any official cycle routes, just ridden to where we fancied going on the road network.

 

[KnittyNorah]

...Planning/daydreaming about a long tour in Spain as soon as things return to "normal". Can anyone recommend a route from personal experience? Long stretches on non-traffic trails or cycleways preferred. Thanks!

For entirely traffic-free routes see http://www.viasverdes.com/en/principal.asp; perhaps you could make a mix-and-match route to suit yourself, using both greenways and roads.

 

[bladesman73]

For entirely traffic-free routes see http://www.viasverdes.com/en/principal.asp; perhaps you could make a mix-and-match route to suit yourself, using both greenways and roads.

Be careful with those, as Andrew P Sykes can attest to, they are variable in quality, some sections of them can be just tracks full of rubble.

 

[mjr]

Be careful with those, as Andrew P Sykes can attest to, they are variable in quality, some sections of them can be just tracks full of rubble.

But on the other hand, some are glorious sweeping smooth 2% tarmac descents through tunnels and gorges with no motorists around that it would be a shame to miss out on. Good idea to check, though.

 

[bladesman73]

But on the other hand, some are glorious sweeping smooth 2% tarmac descents through tunnels and gorges with no motorists around that it would be a shame to miss out on. Good idea to check, though.

Agree, I would love to go there and have a tour using those paths

 

[Grant Fondo]

Santander to St de Compostella is fabulous, via the Picos de Europa, particularly in summer when its hot but not too hot

 

[JtB]

Santander to St de Compostella is fabulous, via the Picos de Europa, particularly in summer when its hot but not too hot

That’s the dream ride I’m saving for when I retire with lots of time to stop off wherever I please and no deadlines to get back to work. Mrs JtB is more than happy to provide driver support for the ride (similar to the ride mentioned by @Chislenko above). The only thing she won’t do is come back for me if I break down along a stage (as soon as she reaches the agreed meeting point she tells me she will be sampling the local vino).

 

[albal]

Ruta De la plata

 

[Eric Olthwaite]

Just don't plan for more than 90 days 😟😟😟

What will happen to a cycle tourist who goes over that limit?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Mod Note:
I have deleted the posts about overstaying while on tour in the EU, so not to spoil the OP's thread.
New visa restrictions is an interesting topic for post Brexit cycle tourers that merits a whole new thread for info.
Please feel free to start one