Bilbao to Gibraltar in early August in two days and then back again a week later!

Hi All,

I'm looking for some advice and tips on routes and places to stay for the following trip:

1. Catching the Portsmouth to Bilbao ferry in early Aug 16. Ferry arrives at about 2pm on a Thursday;
2. Then riding from Bilbao to Gibraltar so that we arrive at the Spanish side of the boarder crossing by lunchtime on the following Saturday (equates to a half day, overnight one, a full day, overnight two and a morning to get there);
3. We will be doing the reverse route the following Saturday afternoon in order to catch the midday Tuesday ferry from Santander to Portsmouth ferry.

Factors:

1. There are two of us on bikes carrying luggage for a weeks family holiday (we're meeting up our wives and children, who are flying out and then hiring cars, just North of Gibraltar);
2. We will only hotel/B&B each way in Spain as we don't want to carry even more gear;
3. We would like to ride great/good Spanish roads but are aware that we need to get the mileage in as well.

All advice and information will be gratefully accepted as neither of us have ridden further that Northern Coastal Spain before.

Regards, Al

We would like to ride great/good Spanish roads

Click to expand...

Love it.

Didn't RiDE do a complete guide to Spain with downloable routes? Oh yes, so they did:

http://www.ride.co.uk/routes-1/the-ride-guide-to-spain Adopt and adapt their multi-day tour of the mighty peninsula to suit, at least it will get you started.

By bikers, for bikers. It's the future of Adventure motorcycling.

PS You'll probably need a map or two. Get your mate to buy it, as he appears to have done very little else.... or your wife, if you and he are too busy.



This post is designed to cause the maximum offence and be so far removed from Article 17 of the Bikermate Law * as to demand an emediate apology and 32 Hail Mary's to be repeated in public prior to stoning.

That might not be entirely true, of course but it might just prompt the OP into sitting down with his friend - without the little ladies (who don't understand this sort of thing as their brains are too small) - to plot their holiday routes across a civilised western country that they could, given a step ladder long enough, see from their front door.



* Thou shalt plot routes for bikermates' holidays, crossing a thousand miles or more if they cannot be arsed and, whilst you are at it, twisties (natch) and biker friendly hotels and lunch stops and views and all kinds of things too numerous to list.


PS Be quick, we might Brexit and travelling abroad will be made impossible. Even thinking about it during daylight hours will become an offence. Everyone will be forced to go to Rhyl, in a camper van to spend two weeks with likeminded souls, grumbling about how it was meant to have stopped illegals and the cost of doing business with Nigeria.

Calling Rockred to the big telephone

Cheers Wapping. I knew Ride did a guide but i couldn't find it so thanks for the link. Now for some detailed planning and i'll be back on soon with the outcome/plan for some intelligent comment/advice from 'me learned collegues'.

Regards, Al

Two happy chappies in under 24 hours. I should charge but not by the minute, as that would be financial suicide.

What do you want to do and see when you are in Southern Spain? And how long are you down here for ?

August is busy because it's the Spanish holidays and most of Europe as well..........And hot!, expect temps into the upper 30s plus in land, and lower 30s 0n the coast. The good news is that there will be NO rain in the South. If you need any more advice I will try to help...

PS, if the UK vote to come out of the EU , then expect Spain to cause delays on the Gib border or close it all together. The spirit of Franco still lives in Madrid.

Should look closely on your timings, have done the trip and number of times, to do the distance in the allotted time you ain't going to see much and will have to follow the straightest route which will take you though the hottest part of Spain.

Arrival at 2pm equates to leaving at 3pm all being well, bikes generally last off Pont Aven and if you are really unlucky there will be RV's on the off ramp which slows thinks down.

Personally take a little more time going down, a little less time on Gib then a two day blast back to Bilbao, probably leaving Sunday to catch ferry.

It's been 30c on the coast today and 35c inland, and that's in the shade ,and it's only Spring. Don't under estimate the size of Spain it's bigger then most people think. The motorway system is excellent , but you won't see much from the motorways , but may need to use them to eat the miles up. Also keep hydrated . And enjoy.....