A clockwise loop around northern Spain into Portugal, returning via Santander

[Wapping]

A friend asked me to create a multi-day jaunt into northern Spain / Portugal. The brief was to:

A. Enter Spain from the western side of France in mid-June 2024.

B. Leave Spain via Santander, taking the return ferry to the UK. Having in mind that these only run on Sunday and Wednesday it (in part at least) dictated the possible clockwise route, due to the day he wanted to arrive in Spain from France.

C. Include hotel stops in reasonably large towns or even some cities, for example Zaragoza, Toledo and Porto.

D. Not to have daily mileages much above 200 mile, if possible.

E. Allow roughly 15 days, giving two days in Zaragoza, Toledo and Porto and one other.

This is what I have roughed out so far. Tap on the graphic, it should open.



As this is very much a ‘work in progress’ I’m happy to receive additional ideas etc etc

Thank you.

 

[Northern jock]

I'll report back when I get home end September after covering similar ground though in a Hilux taking in the 4wd routes. Out via France, back from Santander.

 

[G&T]

Zaragoza is a great city too

 

[shez1]

Looks good Wapping. I have a few suggestions.
Perhaps after Zaragoza call in at Belchite, a small diversion. The town was severely damaged in the civil war and was preserved as a monument.
Between 38 -39 I would divert slightly to the south and the Serra da Estrela Nature Park. Go for altitude. Great roads, scenery, the best I have found in Portugal.
Your route does not take in Lisbon, which you mention. (A pretty hairy place to ride a motorcycle, not something I will repeat).
The over night at 70. Perhaps stay a little to the north in Lugo, surrounded by massive Roman walls which you can walk and circumnavigate the old town.
I would ride the north of Spain a little more into the high mountains away from the coast for the better roads?
Enjoy.

 

[Wapping]

Thank you.

I have edited my opening post to read Porto, not Lisbon.

Richard

 

[slimpickings]

I generally have issues with. downloading routes ,maps etc BUT...... this is great, it took me about three minutes to put this on my Garmin 350.
Thanks Wapping, a great find

 

[Davisonstuff]

A friend asked me to create a multi-day jaunt into northern Spain / Portugal. The brief was to:

A. Enter Spain from the western side of France in mid-June 2024.

B. Leave Spain via Santander, taking the return ferry to the UK. Having in mind that these only run on Sunday and Wednesday it (in part at least) dictated the possible clockwise route, due to the day he wanted to arrive in Spain from France.

C. Include hotel stops in reasonably large towns or even some cities, for example Zaragoza, Toledo and Porto.

D. Not to have daily mileages much above 200 mile, if possible.

E. Allow roughly 15 days, giving two days in Zaragoza, Toledo and Porto and one other.

This is what I have roughed out so far. Tap on the graphic, it should open.



As this is very much a ‘work in progress’ I’m happy to receive additional ideas etc etc

Thank you.

This is a fun task. Firstly, after doing 2 circumnavigations in the past 2 years I would say that you've made a good choice to refrain from going too far south (like I did this year.) It'll take a bit of time so will come back in dribs and drabs if that's OK with you.

Entry - https://goo.gl/maps/sBRoJuCUi5DUPQPY7

St Jean is a nice town but I would choose Arette (or nearby) as my entry point simply because it allows them to ride the outstanding Col de la Pierre St Martin. I've also included a slightly elongated way to get south by taking the road from Navascues to Echo via Anso - a really fantastic piece of road, but obviously you can slice and dice to suit the journey if time is a big factor (and appreciate this is a few miles over the brief). Sos Del Rey Catolico is supposed to be a really nice town and the road is highly recommended though I never seem to be able to get there.

I would say that it's definitely a +1 on the Serra da Estrela recommendation above by Shez - one of the best single days riding ever ... so different. And altitude definitely is the key. Manteigas is a good base. I'll include a really good day loop that I did last month later.

 

[Davisonstuff]

For Zaragossa to Teruel I can't recommend any of the route north of Calanda but can recommend the following ...

Zaragoza to Teruel

goo.gl

The road down through Zorita del Maestrazgo is a beaut and the Santuario de la Balma offers a really nice break which includes nice views of the road below. The road from Cantavieja to Teruel is nice but not really a great road - there are many better options nearby if inclined. I've recently rode from Morella to La Iglesuela via Cinctorres and really enjoyed it (there's a great Mirador not far out of Iglesuela).

If they can afford it I would highly recommend a day (or possibly 2 days) based in Cantavieja (or nearby) to tour the Maestrazgo region - an absolute beast of a motorcyclibg region. Here's a psooble day loop if possible. There are many more roads in the area and you could easily exopand into 2 day loops with add-ons.

Cantavieja to Teruel

goo.gl

I heard Simon and others say that Teruel is a nice town to base but I chose Mora de Rubuelos as I prefer the smaller locations.

Is this to granular?

 

[Wapping]

Thank you all.

One of the problems with creating routes for other people is that they are not you, so you have to compromise on what you think they might like and / or enjoy, given that they are all but 70. As a first stab, I was reasonably pleased with it, if only because I’d near enough hit the time period he’d specified and definitely included the towns he’d picked. I did though tell him that coming back via Die in France and Germany wasn’t going to work too well.

Happy to have more comments and suggestions. I’ll then give him some variations on a theme, to see which he fancies most.

Richard

 

[Joca]

If they prefer a quiet town, rather than Porto that can get busy, Viana do Castelo, Braga, Guimarães are fair options.. (avoid rush hour) from there can get to Chaves and Bragança on way back to Santander..

Sent from my M2007J22G using Tapatalk

 

[richardbd]

If they’re interested in military history there are some great fortified towns around the border that featured large in the Peninsula War - and in several Sharpe episodes. Ciudad Rodrigo (which you’ve included) Badajoz and Talavera come to mind.

Finisterre/Fisterra is worth doing, just to say you’ve been there.

How about Granada for the Alhambra?

On the way south, Siguenza is a very interesting place to stay/visit.

 

[wessie]

I agree with the suggestion to stay further inland to get from Lugo over to Cangas de Onis - the national parks such as Somiedo in Asturias are lovely.

An alternative to going east from Cangas de Onis to Panes etc is to head to Riano and take the highest pass in the Picos over the N621 to Potes, then hook up with the current route at #134

 

[John Armstrong]

Baiona is lovely with some great roads to from it. Stopping at the Parador is a real treat.

Route looks near to here, which is on my list of places to visit: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/consuegra-windmills

Are they into Roman remains then Merida and Caceres are worth considering, plus Trujilo is supposed to be lovely. Continuing on that theme then the bridge at Alcantara is a Roman one.

 

[stever1]

I'll report back when I get home end September after covering similar ground though in a Hilux taking in the 4wd routes. Out via France, back from Santander.

When exactly are you going/returning ?

 

[Northern jock]

When exactly are you going/returning ?

Out to France on the 7th, back from Santander on the 28th

 

[ymfb]

if were undertaking a similar trip we would try and include a visit to the Canfranc Estacion. We have enjoyed many Paradors, Hotel del Oso and the Monasterio San Zoilo.

Putting catching Covid in San Sebastian aside I think apart from a couple of bad nights in de Lerma because of the festival and a poor hotel choice in Gijon we have enjoyed virtually every hotel and town.

 

[stever1]

Out to France on the 7th, back from Santander on the 28th

We’re doing a similar route but a week earlier

 

[icedfusion]

Thanks for this route - having just been to Norway with my daughter, I needed to plan something with my son in a few years and was thinking of something like this.
However, I will reverse it and then continue this route along the pyrenees then up through France to Calais - I mean, if you know some good routes through the pyrenees from west to east then the best place to start heading up France I would be happy to see that!

 

[wessie]

Thanks for this route - having just been to Norway with my daughter, I needed to plan something with my son in a few years and was thinking of something like this.
However, I will reverse it and then continue this route along the pyrenees then up through France to Calais - I mean, if you know some good routes through the pyrenees from west to east then the best place to start heading up France I would be happy to see that!

If heading to the Pyrenees from Santander, head for the Col de Larrau, then hook up with the D918/618 across the French high passes. Head to Carcassonne then your preferred route up through France.
Or head across the Spanish side on the N260 east of Jaca to the Med. Both are lovely but I like the French side best.

 

[Wapping]

I agree with the suggestion to stay further inland to get from Lugo over to Cangas de Onis - the national parks such as Somiedo in Asturias are lovely.

An alternative to going east from Cangas de Onis to Panes etc is to head to Riano and take the highest pass in the Picos over the N621 to Potes, then hook up with the current route at #134

Thank you, Wessie

This has some merit.

I have hacked out two alternatives.

1. A shorter, Cangas de Onis to Riaño to Potes to #134

2. A longer, Oviedo to Riaño to Potes to #134