In search of the Portugese Stelvio

The Forte hotel is very nice . Great food in the restaurant but a shame that the bar and restaurant don't have the same ambience as the rest of the hotel grounds .

We rode the day out loop around Chaves as published by Ride mag. Infact some of the boys spoke to Simon Weir on the ferry down to Santander.
Whilst the ride was very pleasant and had some stunning roads , the ride down and back from Asturias was better.
Virtually every road in Asturias is stunning with hardly any traffic and few villages .
Best place I've ever ridden for pure riding pleasure , though ultimately the view don't quite match the RDGA or Pyrenees.

Apart from the pool area during one spectacularly warm afternoon and the breakfast room the following morning we didn't sample too much of the hotel preferring instead to wander the town and take in the sights before having a few beers and a nice restaraunt, I would go back and use the same hotel without hesitation, did you ride the National Park Serra de Sao Mamede or Serra de Estrella National Park? As enjoyable as any roads I've ridden made moreso by the complete absence of other traffic, admittedly the scenery is not as dramatic as the Alps or Pyrenees so I take your point there, a few of us have just returned from the Alps/Dolomites/Slovenia so I was reminded of the dramatic scenery.

Most enjoyable read and pictures, Julie and I had looked at a similar trip for 2018 but ferry costs were high, so we have set up a lap of France instead. Thanks for taking the time to post.:thumby:

Having spent some time in France (among other countries, Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Slovenia) on tour with the lads a few weeks back on the bikes and a long weekend in Brittany and Normandy with my brother and our wives last weekend my feeling is the additional cost of fuel,hotels,drink and food will by far outweigh the cost of the return ferry, food for thought-excuse the pun :augie


thanks for posting ,looks like you had a great time,
It was a blast, given how good it was and the high profile article in Ride mag to publicise the area we were very surprised at how few other bikes we saw, definitely a trip to revisit in the future.
 
good stuff

i went to the picos not long after you went in october and it was above 20c all that week

did chaves vigo and the nutty mountain roads west of ponferrada

ferry isnt cheap but beats the shit outta ragging it thru france - which is great if you have the time
 
Replied and route sent to your e-mail, have fun whichever route you decide on ;)

Hi Humvee

Would it be possible to email me the route? Sounds like a great trip. Planning something in May next year, starting in Bilbao with the Rugby Championship final on 12th and then a week to explore Atlantic Coast/Portugal. Would like to add in a mixture of road and off-road, but avoiding camping, so will see if wikilok has some trails in the area.

PM sent.

cheers
Tony
 
Hi Humvee

Would it be possible to email me the route? Sounds like a great trip. Planning something in May next year, starting in Bilbao with the Rugby Championship final on 12th and then a week to explore Atlantic Coast/Portugal. Would like to add in a mixture of road and off-road, but avoiding camping, so will see if wikilok has some trails in the area.

PM sent.

cheers
Tony

Hi Tony,
e-mail sent with route file attached :thumby:
 


Back
Top Bottom