A week in the Picos?

[alan29]

What we like to do is to spend a week in a place and explore it - riding, sight-seeing etc.
So, apart from the roads is there anything else to do there. I don't do hiking etc at all.
Or should we base ourselves somewhere on the edge so we can get to towns etc,
We don't know Spain at all apart from riding round from France for the Bilbao ferry and discovering that they have very strange eating hours.

 

[Timolgra]

Weather can be poor in the Picos and the Cantabrian coast very interesting, so there you have it

 

[MattW]

Wot Tim sez.

I've been to the Picos in mid summer and had a week of relentless, torrential rain and I've had days on end of glorious sun. It's a mountain region - it makes its own weather.

The roads and scenery are great but if you don't do walking / other outdoors stuff, you might struggle to fill a week purely in the Picos. I've spent three weeks camping there doing nothing but walking and climbing (and left with loads of routes unexplored). There are also some great off road trails (or there were a decade ago - not sure what it's like now) but better suited to a proper trail bike. The food can be great if you like traditional Spanish 'country' eating and they do some great cheese.

Depends on you - it's a place defined by its geography, geology and the activities that surround such a place - it certainly isn't 'big city' tourism

 

[alan29]

Thanks for that, folks.
Need a re-think, then.
Nothing beats 1st hand knowledge.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Thanks for that, folks.
Need a re-think, then.
Nothing beats 1st hand knowledge.

You could always combine the Picos, with Rioja area and the Spanish Pyrenees

Come in via Santander and leave via Bilbao

 

[alan29]

Cheers.
Thinking of Austria - zell am See instead.
As you see, I'm at the very earliest stage of planning.

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

It's boring there

 

[cookie]

You could always combine the Picos, with Rioja area and the Spanish Pyrenees

Come in via Santander and leave via Bilbao

the Pyrenees have plenty for a week, and it's only about 180 miles from Santander, even less from Bilbao, on a fairly scenic motorway.

you could combine with the Picos, but the bit in between is a tad boring.

 

[oie]

You could do Picos and then explore the coast of Cantabria and Basque Country: Beautiful fishing villages alone the coast, great beaches, easy access to Bilbao (Guggenheim museum, Bellas Artes museum...), and San Sebastián, Good food, plenty of festivals in the summer..
La Rioja is also not far away: Wine Cellards, vineyards...

Easy to spend a week there...

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

You could do Picos and then explore the coast of Cantabria and Basque Country: Beautiful fishing villages alone the coast, great beaches, easy access to Bilbao (Guggenheim museum, Bellas Artes museum...), and San Sebastián, Good food, plenty of festivals in the summer..
La Rioja is also not far away: Wine Cellards, vineyards...

Easy to spend a week there...

I feel another trip, Senor

 

[donnie]

If it's riding rather than hiking you want, don't limit yourself to just the Picos. I've booked a group of us onto a ferry to Santander July '16 so I've been busy planning. The mountains the Picos are part of stretch much further west, and include more national parks, so plenty of riding and good views for a week. We're doing 5 days and ending up in the Pyrenees then riding home from there.

 

[sven]

Cheers.
Thinking of Austria - zell am See instead.
As you see, I'm at the very earliest stage of planning.

I returned to the Alps this year after a USA - Northern Spain - USA holiday sandwich and found it really congested in comparison. Spain was stunning, especially if you like historic old cities, and I can't wait to return As others have said, I think a week in the Picos would be too long unless you like walking and mountainbiking too

Ride report here: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/347259-Northern-Spain-July-2013?highlight=Salamanca

 

[hughguzzi]

La Pisa

I highly recommend www.lapisa.co.uk for accommodation and a good base from which to explore the Picos.

We took ferry to Santander, spent a few days in Picos then headed into Portugal as wet weather was coming in - ended up back at La Pisa on way back.

A great route to do is :

Panes is 1 hrs drive SW from Santander (Via a visit to Santallina del Mar - a most beautiful and medieval town apparently !)
Starting at Panes follow AS114 (along gorge of the river Cares) Cangas de Onis (57km) (roman bridge there)
From Cangas follow N625 to Riano (64km) (some mountainous twisties ending down by a lake at Riano)
From Riano follow N621 to Potes (mountain town) (56km) (some more mountainous twisties)
From Potes continue N621 back to Panes (still mountainous but more open and flowing)
Each place looks like a good place to stop for a look / drink etc so it could be a ride with rest stops if required and a beautiful area.

Enjoy

 

[donnie]

Alan, I wouldn't let the mention of bad weather deter you from the Picos. We went to Austria in July last year and the weather was rubbish, including snow! Bottom line is that ALL mountainous areas have their own weather patterns that can change from one valley to the next. The first three years I toured I had cracking weather, but a group that went to the same areas the following week had terrible weather. As they say, you can't plan the weather. My advice would be to decide on what country and area you would like to visit and go for it.

The ferry to Spain on the 24th June is already full for bikes so it can't be that bad!

Donnie

 

[alan29]

Cheers Donnie. I agree about mountain weather. Austria it is - booked an apartment at Zell am Zee for a week and already planning routes there and back from rotterdam.

 

[donnie]

Cheers Donnie. I agree about mountain weather. Austria it is - booked an apartment at Zell am Zee for a week and already planning routes there and back from rotterdam.

I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I loved what I saw of Austria and will return another year. Below is my ride report from our trip. Might give you a few ideas.

www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/377140-Donnie-s-Bike-Trip-2014


cheers.

 

[diver1]

There is much, much more to see than what people regard as being 'the Picos'.........................much more.
Asturias, Cantabria and neighboring Galicia. From the mountains to the coast and the beaches of Llanes and Ribadelsella.......................wonderful.
Oviedo and around, Tineo and down as far as Leon.

There is plenty more to go at.

I went there in mid September and only saw one day of rain. The temperature did vary however, from around 17c first thing to 32c by lunchtime.

If you want a real feel for the 'larger area' have a look at this Web site and some of the video's of the area. http://www.asturtarmactours.co.uk/home/

A lot of people say that they have 'done the Picos' but unless you know, you will miss so much and only 'scratch the surface' of a wonderful biking area.

I for one would highly reccommend it.

Regards,
John

 

[chasbmw]

If he weather is poor in the Picos, 1/2 a days riding over the mountains to the plains wll get you lots of hot weather.

 

[Rockred]

I plan on going up through Portugal and along through Northern Spain in May, and just taking my time and go where the fancy takes me.......

 

[Arthurmo]

There is much, much more to see than what people regard as being 'the Picos'.........................much more.
Asturias, Cantabria and neighboring Galicia. From the mountains to the coast and the beaches of Llanes and Ribadelsella.......................wonderful.
Oviedo and around, Tineo and down as far as Leon.

There is plenty more to go at.

I went there in mid September and only saw one day of rain. The temperature did vary however, from around 17c first thing to 32c by lunchtime.

If you want a real feel for the 'larger area' have a look at this Web site and some of the video's of the area. http://www.asturtarmactours.co.uk/home/

A lot of people say that they have 'done the Picos' but unless you know, you will miss so much and only 'scratch the surface' of a wonderful biking area.

I for one would highly reccommend it.

Regards,
John

hello does anyone know where that tunnel is on the video for the tour about 2 mins in? I would ask them but I'm too tight to pay for the tour.

cheers