Santander to Santiago advice please?

[bobg]

I've just been offered the chance to ride this route in May, we have the whole month so the only agenda so far is to get the ferry from Southampton to Santander and just ride. Theres been no planning to date except that it is the intention to follow the Pilgrims Route. My intitial squint at a map shows a northern coastal route and the French route (maybe joining at Burgos) We plan to return to Santander by whatever route takes our fancy and the out and back from Liverpool to Southampton remains open to debate ( ride or train) Any advice/comments would be most welcome re route,extent of climbing, prevailing winds, likely weather in May etc. We are considiring taking a bivvy each just in case but mainly stopping for a nice bed and and a hot shower. I've been pretty poorly for the last 12 months so this is a big ask for me hence the month available and the option to jump a train if it all gets to much. We're all over 60 so its pretty much a "crumbly" event........

 

[lukepinkhandbag]

Well forget S'ampton-Santander for a kick off - that service is not available to cycles. So you'll have to go to Plymouth. There is a little train that runs from Santander to the West and it does take bikes so you couldescape the sprawl of Santander quite easily. Coming back go via the Picos de Europa- quite simply stunning. All of this is expensive though the train aint cheap and the ferry is mind-blowing ....£500 plus pounds for two with bikes in July....Thats why we're going to the Pyrenees by plane instead!!

 

[theclaud]

I went Portsmouth-Santander (without a bike) last May, and it wasn't expensive. £84 each (one-way) for two people with a cabin. It's Brittany Ferries, which is French-run so you can get decent food and booze on board, unlike the route to Bilbao. We were walking part of the camino, so got a train from Santander to Leon - the Picos did look great for cycling.

 

[rich p]

The return fare for Plymouth/Portsmouth to Santander is £390 for 2 + 2 bikes in May.

 

[MarkF]

There is a little train that runs from Santander to the West and it does take bikes so you couldescape the sprawl of Santander quite easily. Coming back go via the Picos de Europa- quite simply stunning.

Yes and that little train stops at every little place, I went from Aviles to Santander on it, nearly 8 hours!

The North is hilly, very, it's hard work but the Picos are definitely worth seeing as is the beautiful coast around Llanes.

 

[bobg]

Thanks everyone, I think some serious planning is overdue. I suspect the weather in that region is not too different from here in May.....

 

[Percy]

The route along that whole north coast is amazing. I stayed with the sea as far as Ribadeo then cut down to Lugo (and on to Portugal, not Santiago). Ribadeo, incidentally, while not necessarily the prettiest town, had the best bars, and tapas.

I was there in April/May and the weather was pleasant - not too hot, not too cold. I was camping.

I think any route you choose will certainly have hills but they're not excessive on the coast.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Well forget S'ampton-Santander for a kick off - that service is not available to cycles. So you'll have to go to Plymouth. There is a little train that runs from Santander to the West and it does take bikes so you couldescape the sprawl of Santander quite easily. Coming back go via the Picos de Europa- quite simply stunning. All of this is expensive though the train aint cheap and the ferry is mind-blowing ....£500 plus pounds for two with bikes in July....Thats why we're going to the Pyrenees by plane instead!!

The only palce you can get a ferry from Southampton to is the Isle of Wight but Brittany are now running from Portsmouth as well as Plymouth to Santander and are happy to take bikes. You can even book them on line which is something the P & O site still won't let you do.

 

[ChrisBailey]

Santiago ride

Bob (I assume that's your name)

I did this ride, fairly fast in May a few years ago. We used the 'French Route' easily the most popular where accomodation for pilgrims is readily available (cyclists have to give precendence to walkers, but in May the numbers are small so shouldn't be a problem).

If you take the road, as opposed to the path, then the cyling is easy enough for any type of bike, but sections are very hilly and the limb to O Cebreiro is a serious climb (Cat 2?).

Weather for us was warm / hot.

I logged my ride

http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/CB2006A

There are tons of similar journals for this very famous ride.

In terms of getting there and back, we Ryanair'd it, so cannot help you with ferry info.

Buen Camino as you will quickly learn to say to everyone.

Chris

 

[bobg]

Thanks again chaps. I've just been looking on Google maps at the coast route, and the Pilgrims route further south which skirts the other side of the Picos de Europe. I think one of the riders fancies a route along the mountains if there is such a route( which may be too much for me ), and the other is keen on the Pilgrims option, I rather favour the coastal option if the road/s are not too "major"/busy. Relieved to hear that the weather is likely to be not too hot in May. I'll pm you Chris if you dont mind, I have a couple of questions about your log... fascinating stuff!!

 

[TheDoctor]

Just to add - I've been on the Portsmouth-Bilbao boat (P and O) and it was awful. Old, dirty, late, noisy, the food was dreadful and service was lousy. Brittany should be fine.

 

[andym]

If you are interested in either the Camino Francés or the Camino del Norte then there's a very good mailing list that is worth subscribing to:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Santiago_Bicicleta/

I'm sure the people on that list will be only to happy to advise on the pros and cons of the different routes and other issues.

if you're interested in the Camino del Norte (and you have a gps) there are some gpx rute files on Wikiloc.

Just to add - I've been on the Portsmouth-Bilbao boat (P and O) and it was awful. Old, dirty, late, noisy, the food was dreadful and service was lousy. Brittany should be fine.

I think P&O have now scrapped that route.

 

[bobg]

If you are interested in either the Camino Francés or the Camino del Norte then there's a very good mailing list that is worth subscribing to:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Santiago_Bicicleta/

Thanks very much Andy, just about to join

 

[soltour]

I did part of the camino trail but started from Santander and went over the Picos Europa then onwards to Santiago to the Tomb of St James. Well to begin with it was quite hard over the picos but the views were spectacular. I had previously the year before gone through france and over the pyrenees so. On my return to santander I followed the coastal route back through LLanes etc. One last thing, there is a campsite at the beginning of the europas...and as the woman owner said to me." I hope you have had a good breakfast". and I did need it...Still it was a worthwhile trip.

 

[jay clock]

I suspect the weather in that region is not too different from here in May.....

correct. A little warmer but I rode from Porto to Santiago at the end of June and it was beautiful. The best place to look for what people have done is Crazy Guy as suggested by Chris above

My offering which may be of marginal use is here http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/santiago and there a plenty of others if you hunt around.

Even if you are a committed atheist it is worth signing up for the booklet that you get stamps in, as this allows you cheap stays in hostels with other pilgrims

It is not a flat route so be prepared for some climbs. Just take them nice and steady. It sounds like you have plenty of time. Being over 60 should not matter at all