Cycle Tour in the North of Spain
Posted at 04:38 PM on 12 Aug 2011 under Spain
The ideal holiday for my husband and myself is one where we can be outdoors, surrounded by nature and at the same time get some exercise and explore. So, a cycle tour in the North of Spain was an idea we could not ignore.
The 24 hour overnight ferry from Portsmouth, South UK, to Santander, North Spain was a relaxing start to our holiday. We paid for a cabin, which we realised was a must as it helped to have a decent nights rest and a shower so that we were fresh for our cycle the next day. We arrived in Santander around lunch time and headed off towards Suances, arriving there late afternoon. The campsite we stayed at in Suances was adequate, with clean ablutions. It was a little too crowded for us as we like to camp with as few neighbours as possible but after a swim in the ocean and dinner in town, we were too tired to care and slept like babies.
The ride the following morning from Suances to Santillana del Mar was not far but it was mostly up hill so our thighs felt it. The views along the way were beautiful. Santillana del Mar was a very touristy town but it was extremely pretty, with cobbled stone streets, curio shops and plenty of restaurants to choose from. It was well worth an overnight stay. The campsite was good with a pool and nice stands.
Cycling along the coast was pleasant. It was relatively hilly but we took it easy and the views made it well worth it. The roads were well-maintained, resulting in a smooth ride and we found all the drivers to be courteous and respectful of us on our bikes. We passed a campsite in Comillas which was right on the edge of a cliff overlooking the crashing waves below. It looked like a good spot but we felt strong and so chose to cycle on to Pechon. The campsite in Pechon was by far the best campsite we stayed in during our time in Spain. It was well laid out so that we had privacy as well as an ocean view. It was so beautiful that we decided to stay a second night.
After Pechon, we headed inland towards the Picos de Europe mountain range. Had I noticed the warning signs: no other cyclists on the road and locals who stared at us as we passed on our bikes, I may have realised what we were about to let ourselves in for.
Perhaps I could summarise cycling in the Picos de Europe as follows:
- Breath-taking scenery, a must see.
- Unless you are very fit and/or have minimal weight on your bike…go by car.
One of the things I loved the most about our holiday was that we never needed to book accommodation. Many of the towns along the coast had several campsites to choose from. In the Picos de Europe, we did not notice many campsites. Most towns had B+Bs and hotels. However, after a hard day’s cycle in the mountains through the rain, we had no intention of camping. We were most grateful for a comfy bed and a bit of luxury.
We found everyone, apart from one grumpy waitress, to be extremely friendly and helpful. The staff in hotels in larger towns spoke English. Apart from that, nobody we met spoke English which I liked as I am trying to learn Spanish. My Spanish improved 10 fold by the time we left.
We were a little unlucky with the weather as it rained on and off almost every day during our two week holiday. However, it was never cold and we were told that the rain was unusual for September.
This was our first cycle tour. It was challenging due to the hills but our fitness improved along the way and it was certainly manageable. We enjoyed the food, the wine, the coffee in the local cafes, the people and most of all the scenery. We would love to go back and can highly recommend a similar holiday for those who love the great outdoors and a bit of an adventure.
