Light Off-Road / Green-Lane Sections / Routes For France-Spain-Portugal?

[PhaedrusMC]

Hi All.

Long time lurker here.

A mate & I are considering a foreign bike trip to celebrate (commiserate ) our 50th birthdays. That's 2018, but the trip may happen sooner, and I enjoy the researching & planning well in advance.

I'm looking at ferry to Roscoff (from southern Ireland), then heading southbound through France, across northern Spain, down Portugal, all via coastal (or generally near-coast) routes to somewhere like Gibraltar. Then returning north through central Spain & France.

How feasible is it to do some light off-road / green-lane type sections along those routes, preferably on the southbound routes?

We'd be on or own bikes, and happy to wild camp & eat, but would like the odd hotel / B&B / restaurant night too.

If anyone has links to info & resources regarding routes where bikes can go off-road I'd be really grateful.

Also, can I download & use Garmin's Basecamp in advance of actually purchasing a GPS unit?


Thanks for any replies,

Mark

 

[Mongolian Explorer]

Off roaring/green landing very much frowned upon in France!!

 

[MarkShelley]

Saw a few groups of orange bikes in the Pyrenees last year and was a little envious. I reckon the trails there would be a lot easier than the clay and mud in these parts. There were some guys on our ferry who were attempting to go off road fall the way through Portugal. I recommend you pay your £12 to get full access to thus site. Well worth it.

 

[Wapping]

Q1. Yes, there is off-roading in all three countries, just as there is lots of rough shooting too. You just need to know how, when and where to do it. For want of a better word 'the system' of how to do it is different to the UK and for all I know, Eire. Likewise, rough or wild camping.

Q2. Can you download BaseCamp / Mapsource and use it without buying a device? Yes and no. You can probably get the basic (undetailed) maps, showing just the main roads. The very detailed street level and lower maps are coded to individual devices, so probably won't be available. You could use other software, like Googlemaps, to plot your routes and then transfer them to a GPS device. Having said that, I don't doubt that there are pirated versions available, just as there are fakes or ripped-off copies of most things. It's theft, Jim.... But not as we know it. Salve your conscience any way you like.

I guess you might be able to get your hands on an old CD or DVD of detailed maps, perhaps. In the past these were coded just to themselves, not to a specific GPS device. But you'd still need the unlock code(s) available only from the old owner of the CD / DVD or from Garmin. Garmin might well charge you for the code(s) though you might get lucky, too.

Using the maps without a device seems silly to me, as it makes a simple job harder. If it's a cost thing, I suggest that the pair of you buy a single secondhand Garmin device between you. Depending on the device you buy, that cost could in total be as low as say £100 or as much as say £500, spread between you and your birthday chum.

 

[Redboots]

Off roaring/green landing very much frowned upon in France!!

Never be there then


Pretty much any public track that does not have a "No vehicle" sign is open to you. Just be respectful of other users and avoid the hunting season, Oct-Feb.
Look for GR routes. They are marked on GPS topo maps and on the IGN Top25/Bleue maps

Look on wikiloc for routes. For example id=636076

 

[markie_wales]

If you fancy a non-easy off road route from north to south Portugal, drop me an email to markie underscore wales at hotmail dot com.

Offer open to all.

cheers

Markie

 

[PhaedrusMC]

Thanks for your replies folks.

Q1. Yes, there is off-roading in all three countries, just as there is lots of rough shooting too. You just need to know how, when and where to do it. For want of a better word 'the system' of how to do it is different to the UK and for all I know, Eire. Likewise, rough or wild camping.

We'd certainly prefer to avoid being shot. We're both reasonably experienced outdoorsie-types - we'd be doing this legitimately; we wouldn't want to trespass (neither public nor private lands), and we'd be leaving zero trace that we'd passed through (probably other than any evidence of falling off... )

Q2. Can you download BaseCamp / Mapsource and use it without buying a device? Yes and no. You can probably get the basic (undetailed) maps, showing just the main roads. The very detailed street level and lower maps are coded to individual devices, so probably won't be available. You could use other software, like Googlemaps, to plot your routes and then transfer them to a GPS device. Having said that, I don't doubt that there are pirated versions available, just as there are fakes or ripped-off copies of most things. It's theft, Jim.... But not as we know it. Salve your conscience any way you like.

I guess you might be able to get your hands on an old CD or DVD of detailed maps, perhaps. In the past these were coded just to themselves, not to a specific GPS device. But you'd still need the unlock code(s) available only from the old owner of the CD / DVD or from Garmin. Garmin might well charge you for the code(s) though you might get lucky, too.

I found a kind soul on an Irish forum who's sending me a surplus CD of MapSource. Apparently he has a few different GPS units and didn't need the new CD that came with each. My current laptop is 6 years old and running Vista HP, so apparently BaseCamp is unlikely to work on it. So good for the soul to find generous folk online. Shame the real world seems more sparsely populated with them...

Using the maps without a device seems silly to me, as it makes a simple job harder. If it's a cost thing, I suggest that the pair of you buy a single secondhand Garmin device between you. Depending on the device you buy, that cost could in total be as low as say £100 or as much as say £500, spread between you and your birthday chum.

I get you. But at this stage, all I really want to do is put together a general preliminary idea of where we might be able to legitimately go off-road. I did have a go at linking a few tracks together with google maps in the area NE of Pamplona, and I felt I was getting somewhere, but a couple of tracks didn't meet up according to google maps, even though I could see when zoomed in that they physically do. I was really enjoying trying to create routes in GM for the first hour - imagining riding those tracks that you can see so well when zoomed-in is pretty exciting: noting where there were rivers or streams, bail-out links to roads, possible tent-pitching spots - but it was so laborious I got cheesed off and gave up. GM also doesn't tell me what tracks are or aren't allowed for bikes. Maybe MapSource won't either? I'd expect MapSource to be more suitable than GM?

Once the time comes, we'd certainly invest in current GPS units of the time (I'm hoping the 590LM will be cheaper by then - it ticks some key functionality I'd be looking for, that so far I haven't found another unit to posses). We'll likely get one each - we may split up for sections, or even fall out...

 

[gspod]

Log on to the ABR forum.

There are a group of xpats on there living in France who will give you good information of off roading and may even join you as you ride down. The other chap on ABR is 'The Spanish Biker' who basically knows all there is to know about Spain and has mapped a huge amount of trails through the Pyranees and down through Aragon - a very nice and helpful chap to boot.

 

[chasbmw]

I was using the maps on me.com in Marroco last year and they seemed to show lots of tiny tracks, that sometimes you might have difficulty seeing on the ground. We had a Garmin at the time, but it was being awkward like most Garmins are and not showing anything more detailed than the basemap

Don't know what the detail is like in Europe. I think that the MPs are downloaded to your phone so no problems with data charges or losing Internet.

Worth taking a look.

 

[PhaedrusMC]

Coming back to this now.

We now both own a Zumo 550 each. They seem to have different mapping - when we were at the Donegal Invasion, our units weren't consistent with each other for a given A-B route with the same preferences etc. So we may each invest in new up-to-date mapping for both devices. Garmin? OSM? Any links/suggestions to help us with that process? He uses a Macbook, I'm currently using a Windows 10 tablet, in case that's relevant.

So far I'm broadly happy with creating routes in MotoGoLoCo, then importing them to my 550 - seems to work well for the few routes I've played with over the last few months. I may delve into other software, but for now I'm happy with where I am.

Using MotoGoLoco I've come up with some preliminary potential routes for our trip next year - France is OK, SW France to NE Portugal is OK, and I got the route from WikiLoc for Portugal (basically north to south mostly on fire tracks).

MotoGoLoCo doesn't allow me to include off-road/unpaved sections. So I'm looking for help with that - WikiLoc is looking good for some possibilities, but I'm hoping a kind soul on here might have some off-road routes that might fit in along the leg from southern Portugal back up to SW France. Not looking to do that entire leg on fire trails, but rather have some options for dipping in & out between paved and off-road routes along the way.

Simon/Spanish Biker - if you're reading, I spotted on another similar thread you offered help via PM/email. I might ask the same of you in my own case, if that's OK?


Mark

 

[Wapping]

If you go to this sticky thread:

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showth...Zoomy-topo(graphical)-maps-FREE-(we-like-free)

You'll find links to free detailed Spanish mapping. It may well not be routable in a Garmin device but panic not.

Plot your route out in the free mapping and / or invest a few euro in some paper copies of the maps. They'll be dead handy (along with a compass) when you get lost, your GPS device goes into a deep sulk, you haven't got the comfort of your home PC to help you, the sun beats down and the vultures circle. This is known as Nutty's Law.

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php/451212-Nutty-s-Law-aka-Check-before-you-go!

Then create the route in your Gamin software, using either Garmin or OSM maps, both of which are fully routable including off-road usuage. The advantage of OSM maps is that they are free. How each differs for off-road detailing of goat tracks I don't know but a look will tell you, for sure. There are lots of YouTube and other sites telling you exactly how to load Garmin and OSM maps into a variety of Garmin devices, including the 550. You'll find one that suits you, I'm sure. Everything will work on a Mac or Windows based computer, I promise.

For more specific Garmin and other GPS questions, try the relevant section of the forum. The real experts, including strong advocates of OSM mapping, all live there.

 

[PhaedrusMC]

Cheers homeslice.

 

[Simon_100]

Log on to the ABR forum.

There are a group of xpats on there living in France who will give you good information of off roading and may even join you as you ride down. The other chap on ABR is 'The Spanish Biker' who basically knows all there is to know about Spain and has mapped a huge amount of trails through the Pyranees and down through Aragon - a very nice and helpful chap to boot.

Good man D, just where do you want to 'boot'* me?

Simon/Spanish Biker - if you're reading, I spotted on another similar thread you offered help via PM/email. I might ask the same of you in my own case, if that's OK?

Mark

Take a look through my blog for details of the rules and regs in Spain about both trails and wild camping**

Wikiloc is a good source of trails if you search using place names - spelt correctly! - and you'll find sections along your routes. You'll find that riding back south around Madrid more rewarding as the scenery is more rugged and the Castilla-La-Mancha region is very hard on trail riding as there are lots of big hunting estates there ...

You can contact me through the blog is you like or use open forum questions so that everyone can share.

I'm working in various projects that you might like: my own HISS event, which are great craic for fun and amazing trails as GCSPod suggested, the Horizons Unlimited HUMM navigation event which is highly competitive and 'gold plated' with rescue service, etc., and the TET - Trans European Trail - which should be on-line in good time for 2018 as there's a guy from Alaska starting ia tried run in a week or two ...

Regs

Simon

* or should that be 'boot me to'?
** I take your point about ecological/responsible wild camping, but please be aware of the fires risk on the Iberian peninsula ...

... that was all that was left of a volunteer fire fighter team: six young people, including a girl, whose loss left a big gap in a struggling rural community

 

[Corp.Clinger!]

Hi All.

Long time lurker here.

A mate & I are considering a foreign bike trip to celebrate (commiserate ) our 50th birthdays. That's 2018, but the trip may happen sooner, and I enjoy the researching & planning well in advance.

I'm looking at ferry to Roscoff (from southern Ireland), then heading southbound through France, across northern Spain, down Portugal, all via coastal (or generally near-coast) routes to somewhere like Gibraltar. Then returning north through central Spain & France.

How feasible is it to do some light off-road / green-lane type sections along those routes, preferably on the southbound routes?

We'd be on or own bikes, and happy to wild camp & eat, but would like the odd hotel / B&B / restaurant night too.

If anyone has links to info & resources regarding routes where bikes can go off-road I'd be really grateful.

Also, can I download & use Garmin's Basecamp in advance of actually purchasing a GPS unit?


Thanks for any replies,

Mark

Have a look here..... free trails to download direct into your Garmin GPS. You might something to suit you?

www.wikiloc.com

I ride these free trails in the Aragon and Navarre regions and either wild camp here and there or use campsites.





.

 

[PhaedrusMC]

And coming back again...

Thanks to all on here and on ABR who have answered questions and offered advice.

It all came together - me & mate have 2 bikes, luggage, GPS units, camping gear, tickets bought and bellies full of excitement...

Used BaseCamp and TET to create a doable route, booked time off work...

Shipped bikes to south of Spain a couple of weeks ago, all set to fly out tomorrow. But matey boy slipped a disc in his back last week. No flying for a few weeks, and probably not advisable to go off road... Not great news at all...

So I've strung together some RiDE routes and some of my own to create an alternative that includes no off road stuff at all. It'll still be a great trip. And the 2-week delay will allow me to shift those last 2 stone...

Fate just likes fucking lad's shit up...

 

[PhaedrusMC]

So no TET or any off-road stuff now, but still pretty happy with this route...

 

[Simon_100]

Nice!

 

[PhaedrusMC]

Yep. Flying from Cork this evening, collectIng bikes tomorrow morning.

Totes excited.com. ☺

 

[Northern jock]

Good man D, just where do you want to 'boot'* me?



Take a look through my blog for details of the rules and regs in Spain about both trails and wild camping**

Wikiloc is a good source of trails if you search using place names - spelt correctly! - and you'll find sections along your routes. You'll find that riding back south around Madrid more rewarding as the scenery is more rugged and the Castilla-La-Mancha region is very hard on trail riding as there are lots of big hunting estates there ...

You can contact me through the blog is you like or use open forum questions so that everyone can share.

I'm working in various projects that you might like: my own HISS event, which are great craic for fun and amazing trails as GCSPod suggested, the Horizons Unlimited HUMM navigation event which is highly competitive and 'gold plated' with rescue service, etc., and the TET - Trans European Trail - which should be on-line in good time for 2018 as there's a guy from Alaska starting ia tried run in a week or two ...

Regs

Simon

* or should that be 'boot me to'?
** I take your point about ecological/responsible wild camping, but please be aware of the fires risk on the Iberian peninsula ...

... that was all that was left of a volunteer fire fighter team: six young people, including a girl, whose loss left a big gap in a struggling rural community

Just found this, some very useful information, thanks. Timely as well, off in a few weeks

 

[Simon_100]

Just found this, some very useful information, thanks. Timely as well, off in a few weeks

There will be a lot of trails temporarily closed due to fire risk. There's no useful way of knowing which until you get there, however, and you find a sign or a tape across the train or a patrol. In whatever case don't go on the trail ... here in Catalonia 20 people were arrested and charged in just four days during the recent period of high alert!