Picos, route planning.

The wife and I took the ferry to Santander last September, got in at 17.30 and were off by 18.00.

We had the first night booked in a Parador in Fuente De, which is about 10km inland from Potes, which again is on the road to Riano. It's at the base of the cable car that takes you up the mountain where there's plenty of walks, views and a decent cafe. Queues can be long in high season. Think it took us about 90 minutes to get there although can't remember if that included a coffee stop on the way. Potes is nice to walk around and there's plenty of places to stay and eat. They're well used to tourists on bikes, in fact pretty much the whole of Spain welcomes bikes of all descriptions.

There's only one other restaurant at Fuente De so you'll find it a bit expensive to eat as they have a captive audience but the Parador is nice if you want to experience one and there's plenty of under cover parking.

The route outlined previously down to Riano and back up to Cangas De Onis is indeed awesome, if a little slow in places. The other route over the pass from Potes down to Riano is faster and absolutely mind blowing, especially if you can find it relatively traffic free. We went on further west from Cangas all the way across to A Coruna on the west coast and the further west you go, the less traffic there is.

Going again in September and heading further into northern Portugal. You'll probably find there's someone in every bar or restaurant that speaks a couple of words of English if you're stuck but you can always rely on hand signals to describe what you want!
 
Sorry , it should have been Medina de Pomar🙄. My Ferry docks at 17.30 and I didn’t want to have a long ride to my Hotel. So hopefully it seems a nice easy ride.

Nice looking place, how idi you find t if you don't 'know' your Spain?

Regs

Simon
 
Wow, some incredible suggestions here so thanks for them. The Medina da Pomar was a suggestion from a relative who had stayed there before ( non biker ). I have planned some routes in the picos from the ride magazine, and will then head to the coast, calling by the Santiago de con what’s it, on route.
I am well out of my comfort zone, and speak zero Spanish so it will be a little adventure for me.
The 3 Michelin maps I have are Numbers 573,572,575, not sure why this is relavent, but there you go.
Thanks.
 
I'm there this May. We are using the Ride magazine route which I've enhanced based on feedback, trip reports and mileage considerations. Google Earth is great to do a run through of the daily rides and Street View to look around the town's you are stopping at. We are happy with 200 miles a day which includes stops etc. I use Basecamp and find it pretty accurate, just set the speed preferences. Sometimes you will hit loads of twisty sections which will slow you down but then find long stretches of open fast smooth roads. Have fun.
 
Here is a video mash I made from our tour last Sept. Hope you like it. The resolution is reduced because the full version is 3.9gb (this is 160mb).

The video is taken from my Tiger which had a INNOVV K1 system installed as well as the odd shot from Gopro Session cameras.

This is a taste of what you have to look forward to. Enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raKuDFbY7jY&feature=youtu.be
 
Wow, some incredible suggestions here so thanks for them. The Medina da Pomar was a suggestion from a relative who had stayed there before ( non biker ). I have planned some routes in the picos from the ride magazine, and will then head to the coast, calling by the Santiago de con what’s it, on route.
I am well out of my comfort zone, and speak zero Spanish so it will be a little adventure for me.
The 3 Michelin maps I have are Numbers 573,572,575, not sure why this is relavent, but there you go.
Thanks.

It's always a good idea to follow personal sugestuins form folks that you actually know - even though as non-bikers their judgement is inherent suspect :rob

No need to worry about 'comfort zones' in Spain, it's not some troubles west African dictatorship - although with what's going down in Catalonia I sometimes have to pick myself to believe this! - most people, especially in the tourist industry, speak enough English for you to get by. Just be ready to eat stuff like pig's trotters or tripe and you'll get along famously ...

Regs

Simon
 
Wow, some incredible suggestions here so thanks for them. The Medina da Pomar was a suggestion from a relative who had stayed there before ( non biker ). I have planned some routes in the picos from the ride magazine, and will then head to the coast, calling by the Santiago de con what’s it, on route.
I am well out of my comfort zone, and speak zero Spanish so it will be a little adventure for me.
The 3 Michelin maps I have are Numbers 573,572,575, not sure why this is relavent, but there you go.
Thanks.

As a general guide to time taken to cover distances this may prove useful. When you are on motorways or fast roads work out at average 55 mph and in the twisties such as Picos in summer 30 mph. Some may say these are too low but I’ve done many miles in many countries inc UK and when factoring in fuel stops / tolls etc they will prove very accurate. One exception being German Autobahn where delays are less likely and average speed can be maintained above 90 mph
 
I use Basecamp for route and waypoint "storage" these days, for messing around and adding extra waypoints I have switched from Tyre to My Route App which is pretty decent.

With the full version I can use Google, Tom Tom or Garmin calculations, but generally Google is not bad as a guide, it seems to "slow down" more for mountain roads than the other two, and is also calculating for the average dozy twonk in a car, I use this as my worst case / bad weather estimate (assuming no road closures or unforeseeable challenges) but the reality is they all work things out quite similar, even with 6-hour routes they rarey vary by more than 20 minutes between the quickest and slowest estimate.

For very twisty mountain roads I use a 30mph average as a baseline as it is not difficult to achieve in good conditions, yet also not easy to beat by a huge margin either, 40 mph for non mountain twisties (For example Ardennes and Luxembourg) with very straight roads it really comes down to how fast you are prepared to cruise (be caught) travelling at.

So I aim for 150 - 200 in mountains / 180 - 240 on back roads / 300 - 400 on Motorways for relatively easy travel.
 
I'd say in fair weather conditions it'd take over 2 hours heading towards Solares then onto the ca261 before getting the slightly faster N629 to Medina de Pomar.
I use Google maps and plot a route that takes my fancy then save it to my Google off line maps.(bicycle routes can be interesting and twisty but not guaranteed to get you there...and obviously ignore the time)
I arrived in Santander 2 weeks ago then went to visit friends in Torrelavega, about 20 miles SW from the port. Next day I set off to Medina de Pomar where I jumped onto the Trans Euro Trials (tet) down towards Soria.
It's about the same distance from Santander to Medina de Pomar on similar roads and it took me 3 hours including 2 stops...I went via the N634 to Puente Viesgo the the slower CA270 to Vega de Pas then BU570 BU542 then the N629 to Medina de Pomar. A lovely ride...but very cold in March. Remember that you are at about 1000+m once you've got into the Picos. And it stays at that altitude west of Zaragoza and north of Teruel...but summertime should be a lot warmer
 

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I'd say in fair weather conditions it'd take over 2 hours heading towards Solares then onto the ca261 before getting the slightly faster N629 to Medina de Pomar.
I use Google maps and plot a route that takes my fancy then save it to my Google off line maps.(bicycle routes can be interesting and twisty but not guaranteed to get you there...and obviously ignore the time)
I arrived in Santander 2 weeks ago then went to visit friends in Torrelavega, about 20 miles SW from the port. Next day I set off to Medina de Pomar where I jumped onto the Trans Euro Trials (tet) down towards Soria.
It's about the same distance from Santander to Medina de Pomar on similar roads and it took me 3 hours including 2 stops...I went via the N634 to Puente Viesgo the the slower CA270 to Vega de Pas then BU570 BU542 then the N629 to Medina de Pomar. A lovely ride...but very cold in March. Remember that you are at about 1000+m once you've got into the Picos. And it stays at that altitude west of Zaragoza and north of Teruel...but summertime should be a lot warmer

Nice! The whole of the 'Sistema Iberico' is the coldest part of Spain by far, even including the Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada, very ancient rocks, not geothermal heat and in the almost dead centre of the landmass and average height of over 1,000 metres ...

How was the TET route that you took? I need all the feedback I can get to improve it!

Regs

Simon
 
How was the TET route that you took? I need all the feedback I can get to improve it!

Regs

Simon
Hi Simon
Your Spanish Biker Blog is brilliant...thanks

From Medina de Pomar and the bu-551 I went through San Martin de Mancobo to Arroyuelo ( took a rutted track and was up to my knees in water approaching Trespaderme...almost came off going thru some deceptively deep puddles :) ) then Trespaderne to Frias before joining the TET at Valderram. It was an exciting route to take. As a solo rider on a big bike with luggage it was 90% doable. The other 10% was doable but with added stress/excitement. A lghter bike for some of the more tricky sections would have been better. Having said that if you're in a group and come off then helping hands are at hand so less stress and worry. I stayed with it until the N-111 pointed me south towards Soria. Amazing roads.
I've left the bike parked up in Altea and am now back in the uk for 2 weeks work before flying back to ride home. Not sure of route yet... possibly via Pamplona and west coast of France to. St Malo. I hope to do some more tet en route.
Regards
 
Hi Simon
Your Spanish Biker Blog is brilliant...thanks

From Medina de Pomar and the bu-551 I went through San Martin de Mancobo to Arroyuelo ( took a rutted track and was up to my knees in water approaching Trespaderme...almost came off going thru some deceptively deep puddles :) ) then Trespaderne to Frias before joining the TET at Valderram. It was an exciting route to take. As a solo rider on a big bike with luggage it was 90% doable. The other 10% was doable but with added stress/excitement. A lghter bike for some of the more tricky sections would have been better. Having said that if you're in a group and come off then helping hands are at hand so less stress and worry. I stayed with it until the N-111 pointed me south towards Soria. Amazing roads.
I've left the bike parked up in Altea and am now back in the uk for 2 weeks work before flying back to ride home. Not sure of route yet... possibly via Pamplona and west coast of France to. St Malo. I hope to do some more tet en route.
Regards

Glad you liked it, and the TET! :)

I know all about the stress of riding alone, I spend weeks and weeks down around Teruel plotting the HISS trails back in 2012 and 2013, with no small scale maps and no satnav - I think the worst thing is when you ride up a trail and this, "Phew, glad I managed that, wouldn't like to fire down this bit." but with no certainty that the trail isn't a dead end ...

And yes, picking you bike up with luggage sucks!

If you have time to run down the Pyrenees before heading north and drop in for tea - drop me a PM for contact details. Likewise if you have any detailed feedback about the TET that would be useful to others mail me via the TET web page.

Regs

Simon
 
Glad you liked it, and the TET! :)

I know all about the stress of riding alone, I spend weeks and weeks down around Teruel plotting the HISS trails back in 2012 and 2013, with no small scale maps and no satnav - I think the worst thing is when you ride up a trail and this, "Phew, glad I managed that, wouldn't like to fire down this bit." but with no certainty that the trail isn't a dead end ...

And yes, picking you bike up with luggage sucks!

If you have time to run down the Pyrenees before heading north and drop in for tea - drop me a PM for contact details. Likewise if you have any detailed feedback about the TET that would be useful to others mail me via the TET web page.

Regs

Simon
Will do.
Thankd
 
My personal experience is paper maps are great for planning as you can see the best options.

Google maps timing is well off when riding nice roads in the mountains, we have struggled to cover the “planned ride” never failed but some days have been iron butt stuff, which is not our scene.

Many of the restaurants don’t start serving until 9 so don’t rush.
 
I know most of you use GPS's but in a bar (where there may or may not be good WIFI/connection etc) I usually find that a good map is much better for situational awareness; it gives you a better picture in your head and idea of scale.

ANAYA touring map ISBN 978-84-9935-664-8 is one of the the best maps you can buy. The scale is 1:340,000 ESPAÑA NORTE

MICHELIN No. 572 ISBN 978-2-06-718415-2 ESPAÑA NOROESTE, ASTURIAS/CANTABRIA. SCALE 1:250,000 (better scale but smaller area covered)

You can order both on the internet.

I like maps and are heading out to Santander again in late September so I punched in your first ISBN number to google and there’s quite a variation in price Amazon wanted £143.20, yes you read it correct, this site was €6.90 http://www.parcir.com/mapes-carrete...eras-1340000-norte-de-espana-desplegable.html

I’m sure there are plenty of places to buy it
 
My personal experience is paper maps are great for planning as you can see the best options.

Google maps timing is well off when riding nice roads in the mountains, we have struggled to cover the “planned ride” never failed but some days have been iron butt stuff, which is not our scene.

Many of the restaurants don’t start serving until 9 so don’t rush.

You've mentioned a problem I come across when in mainland Europe every summer.
I normally start the day early at 07:00 or 08:00 when it's cooler and a lot less traffic around. I have some breakfast at my first fuel stop and then nibble trail mix stuff during the day until I stop for the night around 5PM (beer time). As you said a lot of restaurants don't open until late (usually 7PM at the earliest) and I've struggled in France and Spain to get dinner when I am ready for it. I know, it's my own fault for being on the road early but that's how I like it.

C'est la vie (and whatever the Spanish equivalent is).
 
I actually enjoy eating later and want to avoid the peak holidays so are going right at the end of September, we have fairly easy days planned around a leisurely breakfast, aim to leave hotels by 10 if it’s dry, later if it’s wet. Get lunch at 2ish and the next hotel before 6, after a brief snooze and shower.

It’s a holiday not a rally for us
 
You've mentioned a problem I come across when in mainland Europe every summer.
I normally start the day early at 07:00 or 08:00 when it's cooler and a lot less traffic around. I have some breakfast at my first fuel stop and then nibble trail mix stuff during the day until I stop for the night around 5PM (beer time). As you said a lot of restaurants don't open until late (usually 7PM at the earliest) and I've struggled in France and Spain to get dinner when I am ready for it. I know, it's my own fault for being on the road early but that's how I like it.

C'est la vie (and whatever the Spanish equivalent is).

It's 'Así es la vid'! :)

As they say, when in Spain do as the Spanish do, namely start very early with just a coffee, OK tea, and bit of bread or pastry, ride as much as you like until 09.00 - 11.00 when most roadside cafés serve monster sandwiches - called 'bocadillo' in Spanish or 'entrepans' in Catalan, washed down with a 'sin alcohol' beer and followed by a slug of strong coffee. But then don't do as the Spanish do, i.e. don't have lunch or the siesta and ride through the heat of the afternoon when you will have the roads entirely to yourself.

Then pitch your tent or check-in to your hotel, shower, and chill in a bar with some tapas and/or order more bocadillos or fry-ups, most bars ad cafeterias serve hot food at almost any time, whereas restaurants don't until the 'chef' checks in for work ...

I'd be interested to learn how good that map is - but don't disregard the Michelin ZOOM series which are excellent for back roads and easy trails.

Regs

Simon
 
It's 'Así es la vid'! :)

As they say, when in Spain do as the Spanish do, namely start very early with just a coffee, OK tea, and bit of bread or pastry, ride as much as you like until 09.00 - 11.00 when most roadside cafés serve monster sandwiches - called 'bocadillo' in Spanish or 'entrepans' in Catalan, washed down with a 'sin alcohol' beer and followed by a slug of strong coffee. But then don't do as the Spanish do, i.e. don't have lunch or the siesta and ride through the heat of the afternoon when you will have the roads entirely to yourself.

Then pitch your tent or check-in to your hotel, shower, and chill in a bar with some tapas and/or order more bocadillos or fry-ups, most bars ad cafeterias serve hot food at almost any time, whereas restaurants don't until the 'chef' checks in for work ...

I'd be interested to learn how good that map is - but don't disregard the Michelin ZOOM series which are excellent for back roads and easy trails.

Regs

Simon

Many thanks for the tips Simon.
 


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