ANYONE RIDDEN IN NORTHERN SPAIN ??

[speedy(delboy)]

A friend of mine is planning a trip to Northern Spain, from the 3rd - 11th August this year.

Has anyone been here ?

Looking for B & B's
Good Routes (windy roads type of thing)
Hints and help, ie places to go and things to do

Cheers Me Deers.

[Bladerunner]

Hi Speedy,

Pete who works for me has been riding the south of France and northern Spain at least twice a year for the last 20 years, he loves the place!!

Best thing to do is get your mate to bring a map in to my shop on a quiet day (prefferably midweek), and have a chat with Pete. He's always giving people advice and routes etc and he's really passionate about it, he knows some great routes and has some very good advice.

[SteveR3]

Recommend anywhere in the region apart from Andorra, it is a sh*t hole, bomb/building site, bottle neck where no-one gives an inch to bikers

Made the mistake of returning a 2nd time last summer and regreted it!

[Tom L]

Andorra is amazing, it was one of the highlights of my entire trip last summer. Its only 20 miles across the whole country i think, but every inch of road is perfectly surfaced. Not to mention there are strings of endless bends that put most tracks to shame. It's got some amazing views too on the drive up, there is no other way to get in spain thats even a slight alternative, but even if there was id still go to Andorra again. If that doesn't convince you hows this for a sweetner - no tax. Not on petrol, alcohol or cigarettes. We stocked up good.

Steve id be interested to hear what you didnt like about it, i might have just got lucky and had a good experience.

[TLS-Moose]

I too have good memories of the road in and out of Andorra There are many alternatives, the coast road being very attractive - Argele, Port-Vendres, Port Bou, El Port de la Selva (where Salvador dali lived).

I do remember the customs at Andorra being a bit of a nightmare, with lots of lorries queued up ....

All through the Pyrenees you can't really go wrong, the only thing I would say from a personal note is keep clear of Lourdes on the french side .... a more depressing place I have never been to (and not for the reasons you might think). A good tip is look at the old Tour de France routes, note the major col's they climb, and follow the routes ...... spectacular views/scenery (watching eagles fly above the clouds, but below you )and gives a new found respect for what those blokes do on their bikes Col de Somport, Col d'Aubisque, Col du Tourmalet, Col de Peyresourde, Col d'Aspin, (and of course the Col De Puymorens into Andorra).

Gavarnie (or more precisely the "Cirque" at Gavarnie) is good, one of the highest glacier waterfalls in europe. Font Romeu is a lovely fortified town set on a hill-top accessed by hidden tunnels well worth a visit ..... But to be honest, as well as many "must-see's", some of the best places we saw were as a result of just following a road to see where it went

I have never been, but a friend of mine thoroughly recomends the "Picos de Europas" in North West Spain - apparently smaller but more rugged version of the Pyrenees, south west from Santander/Bilbao.

A lot will depend on what he wants from the trip and how he is getting there - drive through France or Ferry to Spain .....

Haven't visited much on the Spanish side, but Pamplona is nice, and in the summer the huge dry lake towards Jaca, and the ride out of France over the Col de la Pierre St Martin is nice, smooth and flowing.

[SteveR3]

My fault, when I say Andorra I should have said I mean the town

Did a 3000 mile ride sponsored with Bridge in July 2006 with 11 countries covered in about 7 days riding - rode through Andorra town on the way back and the place was full of cranes, roadworks and diversions etc.

Returned last September with another 3000 mile round trip [France/Pyrenees/Andorra/Spain] but forgot about the problems in the town, agree about the fuel costs etc which might offset the roads but the locals made filtering virtually impossible and it was dripping HOT!

Certainly recommend Bielsa Tunnel between France & Spain N260/D929 - great twisties and all the stuff Moose mentioned

[speedy(delboy)]

My mate just red all these replise and said cheers.

He is going by ferry derect to Northern Spain.

I just think your all tossers

[TLS-Moose]

Picos de Europas










I have a "friend" on the TL site who lives in north-east spain, I'll try and get some good routes out of him

[TLS-Moose]

A message received earlier ....

"Hi Moose:

Sorry for the delay... It's funny but a guy on other website where I'm a member asked the same question few days ago. He's from Glasgow anyway...

Well I have to say that if your friend is thinking to come to the North of Spain he should visit the place where I live....

I recomend visit Cantabria and Asturias two of the central counties on the north coast.

A nice place is alsso the "Picos de Europa" or European Mountains. There you can choose on thousend of beautifull mountain roads. Food are excellent and you can sleep on small village otels called " casas rurales" for a small price....

Tell your friend to check on google this entries to find some more info in your language:

"Potes" wich is a small beautiful village in the Picos
"Covadonga" lakes on the top of mountains
" Liebana" special valley on the Picos

Also check the name of those vellages wich are located on the seaside

" Llanes" "San Vicente de la Barquera" " Luarca"

Tell your friend t contact me if he need more info..."

I have an e-mail address I can pass on if required