Picos de Europa 2005

[Cone Bolt]

Going out to Picos de Europa with a bunch of mates late August 2005. Porstsmouth/Bilbao out Cherbourg/Portsmouth back
Will be using this hotel as a base anyone got any good info on this area? Good roads, places to visit etc. Any info on recommendations for ride back through France to Cherbourg would also be appreciated.

Cheers
Brian

 

[Speggo]

Terrible place. You'll hate it. Cancel now and get your deposit back.

Many tales of woe and holiday nightmares available on this forum. do a search on Picos and you'll see what I mean.

Actually, I suppose it wasn't too bad really

 

[AndyT]

I stayed in that very hotel earlier this year - very laid back owners who are fantastic. If you are into activities the owner will know just about evry option. He has written many walking books bout the PICOS and is also very much into booze - Top bloke originally from Wiltshire.
You can't go wrong in the PICOs its all fantastic. You must go up the pass to Trevissio which is just out of the village itself. Nice coffee shop at the top also. We watched the Spanish vultures on the cliffs on the way up. When you come down the scenery is breath taking and the number of peaks just looks like the set of a Thearte stage - just fantastic. Pic below is just up the road from the village.

Take a good few days to go through France and stay off the main roads as they are just so so so boring.

Have Fun

AndyT

 

[Global Rider]

A Must Do Road

Well I wouldn't miss the road in this pic.

The pass pictured is called Puerto de San Isidro and it is located about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of the town of Oviedo.

 

[Bateman]

Well I wouldn't miss the road in this pic.

The pass pictured is called Puerto de San Isidro and it is located about 50 kilometers (30 miles) southeast of the town of Oviedo.

I don't think this picture is san isidro. I have just spent a week in the Picos and rode up to San Isidro specifically for this road but didn't see it out there. I rode the Puerto de San isidro, through the ski resort and down the other side to the bottom of the valley. Maybe it was nearby and i didn't find it, or maybe the photo makes it look better than it really is. Would be interested to know the actual location of this road though.

 

[ebbo]

Looks a great road doesn’t it, but I have a sneaking suspicion that picture is a composite. I’ve done a little research on it in the past, spoke to a couple of riders who have done the area and couldn’t find any other mention of it or any pictures. But you never know, I could be wrong

Regarding another picture from a Yamaha advert a couple of years back showing a café in the mountains somewhere in Italy (I presumed) I rang Yamaha UK about it and they confessed it didn’t exist, just a composite made up in Photoshop

I still have the Picos to do, it’s a nice easy ride though the UK to catch the ferry, then a couple of hours though spain to a nice hotel, the perfect trip!

 

[NeilF]

I think this is the same place - somewhere East / South East of Potes.

We came upon this during the GSer trip to Picos in 2004 - Judge may be able to identify the name of the gorge.

Cheers,

Neil.

 

[fuddy]

I don't think this picture is san isidro. I have just spent a week in the Picos and rode up to San Isidro specifically for this road but didn't see it out there. I rode the Puerto de San isidro, through the ski resort and down the other side to the bottom of the valley. Maybe it was nearby and i didn't find it, or maybe the photo makes it look better than it really is. Would be interested to know the actual location of this road though.

I was in this area two weeks ago and went through san isidro but it didnt look like that pic. I enjoyed the picos better than the pyrenees to be honest.

 

[judge]

I'm here

The picture Neil has posted is the gorge on the run into Potes, El Desfiladero de la hermida, rode that last year.

Same gorge as Neil's photos from a different part:

The mystery of El Puerto de San Isidro has eluded us twice now, we have ridden the area and yet managed to miss it, an enigma? made up? I dunno, we too took that picture posted by Ebbo as a mental picture and didn't find it, you'd imagine you would given the paucity of passes open to vehicles in the area

Our sneaking suspicion is the road (if it existed) is called something else entirely locally and any signs for it would not give any clues.

So we rode on and just enjoyed many of the other jewels in the crown of that delightful region of Asturias and Cantabria

I've no doubt a future trip will be dubbed "the quest to find the pass at El Puerto de San Isidro"

 

[ebbo]

Cheers Andy, I didn’t know there were others chasing the elusive ‘Puerto de San Isidro’ the hunt goes on…

 

[Yellow Peril]

Just did the Picos and the "picture" of the switch back is no composite it is real yes have the very same pic taken by SWMBO, it was all to do with angles.But it exists.

 

[sven]

Just did the Picos and the "picture" of the switch back is no composite it is real yes have the very same pic taken by SWMBO, it was all to do with angles.But it exists.

just to verify it is the saem road - I've added it to my route between Potes and Leon for next years tour of Northern Spain