Picos May 2018 - Route Planned, Feedback Sort!

force4fun

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Last year I put together a route around the Pyrenees (based broadly on the RIDE 7 Day trip) and then got excellent feedback on how to make it even better! Thanks all. I'm now looking for similar feedback on a route I have put together around the Picos and northern Spain region. I have again based it on the RIDE tour of the area and have trawled the forums for little gems to ride.

If anyone thinks I can improve the route, I would welcome feedback. Any other gem roads that I shouldn't miss?

Link is here:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1wyVH8R8GScIwn9V_x0W35pSlTWk&usp=sharing

If link doesn't open, try opening in new tab

Happy to use all tarmac roads. We like to go from one location to another place to stay each night. Not big on being tourists but like to stop and enjoy the views over a coffee, food or even a beer in the evening :beerjug:!

Many thanks in advance

ps - sorting route now as we like to book accommodation early!
 
looks good. would you PM me the .GPX file please. I can view it but cannot seem to download it.

I will be there around May 18th after just leaving portugal
 
looks good. would you PM me the .GPX file please. I can view it but cannot seem to download it.

I will be there around May 18th after just leaving portugal

remind me when I have finalised based on feedback
 
Force4fun
We did the routes around the central Picos area on a GS last September and then pretty much what you are planning in a car this June. So I feel that I can give you my two'penneth.

Day 1
It says that you are setting off from Santander on Saturday evening and heading to just north of Potes. We did this route, plus a loop of the reservoir at Rheinosa, and it was a fantastic route. But we set off from Bilbao early morning and got to Potes late afternoon. I think that you are being overly optimistic as, depending on just when you leave Santander, you will be clock watching and arriving in Potes late on. That is no way to enjoy these fantastic roads.

btw, The route from Valle to Puentenansa to La Hermida and then down the gorge to Potes was the major part of Stage 18 of the Vuelta de Espana this year. Fantastic roads to ride/drive. Less so to cycle imho.

Day 2

The run from Potes up to Panes (through the La Hermida Gorge) then west through the gorge up to Cangas is another epic ride. From Cangas to Llastres is also a good ride. Beyond Llastres, I would only rate the ride as so-so. In Gijon, you are missing the best bit: I would recommend taking in the Promenade and the Old Town at the western end of the Promenade.
West of Gijon and into Avilles, it is god-awful industry. If I were doing it again, I would just pick up the Autopista A8 and get to Luarca and spend some time exploring there. Also, as you get to Luarca,pick up the signs to the Lighthouse and enter that way, as that road gives good views and drops you down towards to port/marina area which is all but impossible to access from the towncentre as the one-way road system seems to work against you

Day 3

The ride south from Navia is great, but becomes less so when you eventually head west towards Lugo. We thought Lugo looked bloody awful, with 3rd world road surfaces, although I believe there is a nice old part, but we never found it.

West of Lugo, if we were doing it again, we would leave the Ride route and just pick up the Autopista direct to Santiago. If nothing else, this would give you some time to explore Santiago, which I would highly recommend.

Day 4

We did not drive out to Fisterra, so cannot comment. Instead, we headed southwest from Santiago and went south along the coast, before heading east to Pontevedra. I would not recommend it! Very built up and the views etc were no great shakes.Between Pontevedra and Ourense, the Ride route took us along one of the worst sections of road surface we met. About 30 kms of really awful surface that shook us to pieces. We were in a car, so it might be more enjoyable on a m'bike.

Day 5

Ourense to Ponferrada was enjoyable, but the final leg into Leon is bloody boring, as you are then onto the 'Plains in Spain'. leon was fantastic and worth staying a day at least

Day 6/ Day 7

Can't comment, as we went north from Leon towards Bona, up to the reservoir at Valdehuesa, up over the mountains though Puebla de Lillo, before picking up the CL-635 and dropping down to Riano. These were epic roads and I would do them again any day.

Your Day 7 route takes in the loop running clockwise from Riano to Posada de Valdleon and back down to pick up the N-621 between Riano and Potes. The N-621 takes you up and then down over the Vega de Liebana. Another epic ride. The loop to Posada de Valdleon gives some fantic views on the central massif of the Picos, and the roads are quiet, so you can enjoy them. The N-621 up and then down from Vega de Liebana is epic , especially if you are pressing on.

Your Day 6 route takes you to Cangas de Onis. But you miss out the ride up to the lakes at Covadonga. Don't just stop at the abbey at Covadonga, take the road up to the lakes. Not great riding/driving roads, as it is busy and narrow. But definitely worth the effort to get to the top to take in the views.

Can't complain about your Day 7 route from Potes to Ribadesella. Redoing a lot of the roads you did early on your trip and well worth doing again.

We stayed in Ribadesella and would stay there again. Found a great hotel


Day 8

I would take the A8 eastwards until dropping into Comillas. The N634 along here is no great shakes. Comillas is a nice place to take a break.

And you should definitely detour into Santillana del Mar. It is reputed to be "one of the most beutiful villages in Spain". Yes, it can get busy with crowds arriving in coaches, but you would regret not visiting it.

And finally, once in Santander, ride up north from the ferry port along the coast road/promenade road. Santander is surprisingly cosmopolitan and has some fantastic beaches.

So, in conclusion. I would head west to visit Santiago, but would use the Autopista to gain time and spend more time further eastwards. And you seem to be doing big miles every day and have no allowance for loitering in places like Santiago and Leon. These two cities are definitely worth a day of wandering.

We did hotels using Booking.com, with ratings 9 and over, and would recommend all of the ones we stayed at.

Hope that helps
 
Thanks for excellent feedback. I'll take as look tomorrow. We're not big on exploring cities, more focused on riding great to roads.
 
Thanks again for taking the time to provide feedback. Comments below

Day 1
It says that you are setting off from Santander on Saturday evening and heading to just north of Potes. We did this route, plus a loop of the reservoir at Rheinosa, and it was a fantastic route. But we set off from Bilbao early morning and got to Potes late afternoon. I think that you are being overly optimistic as, depending on just when you leave Santander, you will be clock watching and arriving in Potes late on. That is no way to enjoy these fantastic roads.

Now changed - we arrive about 6 pm in Santander, the same as a trip to the Pyrenees this year when we did 100 miles straight off the boat. However, I forgot we did a lot of fast main roads! Now shortened routes and will include some of the original route near Rheinosa on the last day

Day 2

In Gijon, you are missing the best bit: I would recommend taking in the Promenade and the Old Town at the western end of the Promenade.
West of Gijon and into Avilles, it is god-awful industry. If I were doing it again, I would just pick up the Autopista A8 and get to Luarca and spend some time exploring there. Also, as you get to Luarca,pick up the signs to the Lighthouse and enter that way, as that road gives good views and drops you down towards to port/marina area which is all but impossible to access from the towncentre as the one-way road system seems to work against you

Taken on your advice for promenade and lighthouse view. Going to stick with the minor roads below Avilles as on google they look good

Day 3

West of Lugo, if we were doing it again, we would leave the Ride route and just pick up the Autopista direct to Santiago. If nothing else, this would give you some time to explore Santiago, which I would highly recommend.

Now going to hit the faster roads west of Lugo!

Day 4

We did not drive out to Fisterra, so cannot comment. Between Pontevedra and Ourense, the Ride route took us along one of the worst sections of road surface we met. About 30 kms of really awful surface that shook us to pieces. We were in a car, so it might be more enjoyable on a m'bike.

Fisterra looks interesting (end of the world back in the day......) and will see if the road is still bumpy!

Day 5

Ourense to Ponferrada was enjoyable, but the final leg into Leon is bloody boring, as you are then onto the 'Plains in Spain'. leon was fantastic and worth staying a day at least

All good I think

Day 6/ Day 7

Can't comment, as we went north from Leon towards Bona, up to the reservoir at Valdehuesa, up over the mountains though Puebla de Lillo, before picking up the CL-635 and dropping down to Riano. These were epic roads and I would do them again any day.

I think our route should be similar to yours to the north

Your Day 6 route takes you to Cangas de Onis. But you miss out the ride up to the lakes at Covadonga. Don't just stop at the abbey at Covadonga, take the road up to the lakes. Not great riding/driving roads, as it is busy and narrow. But definitely worth the effort to get to the top to take in the views.

I included the trip already to the Lakes at end of Day 6 - bit hidden as Day 7 we head out


Day 8

I would take the A8 eastwards until dropping into Comillas. The N634 along here is no great shakes. Comillas is a nice place to take a break.

Might head to http://www.elsoplao.es/ and then do the loop near Rheinosa then up to Santander

Many thanks again
 
In my extensive touring experience of this lovely Northern part of my adopted country, you've planned a massively overambitious ride. Far too intense to enjoy the wonderful scenery from fabulously sculpted scenic roads. Maybe you blast along far faster than I, whereby I always stop for a drink / tapas every HOUR or ninety minutes to soak up the spirit of 'duende', I would just suggest that in general "N" roads are far busier and less spectacular than the "C" or "CA" roads, which I love on a motorbike.

Somebody above suggested the beautiful riverside ride south from the A-8 junction 272 at Unquera, leaving on the 621 to the lovely towns of Potes and Panes - not to be missed - and maybe from there incorporating the spectacular River Cares from the village resort of Caín ( Pron: Kah-EEN ) deep inside the mountains, with its frightening suspended walkway 100m above the tumbling waters of the river.

And on your way back to the port for your return ferry trip, a very handy and sociable overnight, the night before the ferry is Posada El Tocinero ( The Cook-Pot Guy ) with a good restaurant and lots of bikers passing through. It's just off the CA-240 immediately south of the small town of Camargo, giving you time the next morning for a leisurely brekkie and a stressless ride via either the rapid and crowded S-30 motorway or, by passing underneath the motorway, using the far nicer old road, the N-623 to the port at Santander.
Just my centimos-worth...
AL in the south-east coastal resort of Mojácar.

PS - "C" road means 'campo' - countryside; and "CA" road means campo agricola - farmland road.
¡ No goat-tracks !
 
In my extensive touring experience of this lovely Northern part of my adopted country, you've planned a massively overambitious ride. Far too intense to enjoy the wonderful scenery from fabulously sculpted scenic roads. Maybe you blast along far faster than I, whereby I always stop for a drink / tapas every HOUR or ninety minutes to soak up the spirit of 'duende', I would just suggest that in general "N" roads are far busier and less spectacular than the "C" or "CA" roads, which I love on a motorbike.

Somebody above suggested the beautiful riverside ride south from the A-8 junction 272 at Unquera, leaving on the 621 to the lovely towns of Potes and Panes - not to be missed - and maybe from there incorporating the spectacular River Cares from the village resort of Caín ( Pron: Kah-EEN ) deep inside the mountains, with its frightening suspended walkway 100m above the tumbling waters of the river.

And on your way back to the port for your return ferry trip, a very handy and sociable overnight, the night before the ferry is Posada El Tocinero ( The Cook-Pot Guy ) with a good restaurant and lots of bikers passing through. It's just off the CA-240 immediately south of the small town of Camargo, giving you time the next morning for a leisurely brekkie and a stressless ride via either the rapid and crowded S-30 motorway or, by passing underneath the motorway, using the far nicer old road, the N-623 to the port at Santander.
Just my centimos-worth...
AL in the south-east coastal resort of Mojácar.

PS - "C" road means 'campo' - countryside; and "CA" road means campo agricola - farmland road.
¡ No goat-tracks !


Thanks for the feedback - I'll take a look at those.

Regarding mileage, we enjoy the riding but will stop for morning coffee and cake, a nice tapas lunch, etc and afternoon coffee and more cake!! evening drinks and meal. Not big on the tourist/see the sights side I'm afraid. But we do stop for the views on the trip.

We did the Pyrenees last year with a similar daily mileage and stops and was just right. However, appreciate some like to spend a day here or there in a great city.

Thanks again

john
 
PS - "C" road means 'campo' - countryside; and "CA" road means campo agricola - farmland road.
¡ No goat-tracks ![/QUOTE]

Hi I could be totally wrong here but as it was explained to me the roads are classified by whoever maintains them. So
N roads are national i.e. Government and the smaller roads are by the local council or equivalent. So the C or CA will be maintained
by CAntabria local authority if you follow me and not a national "campo" naming system I agree the smaller
roads can be superb but they will not all be prefixed c or ca. In and around Ainsa they will be HU - for Huesca, around Cangas de Onis they are AS - presuming Asturias - further west they are LU for Lugo etc.
As I said not being pedantic or a smart ass just trying to help the OP as I think searching for ca prefixed roads other than in cantabria might be a fruitless pastime. On the plus side syko I agree wholeheartedly with the rest of your post - the roads around the picos area are superb if you take a bit of time to get off the beaten and well travelled path that most seem to want to follow.

HTH

~Jav
 
PS - "C" road means 'campo' - countryside; and "CA" road means campo agricola - farmland road.
¡ No goat-tracks !

Hi I could be totally wrong here but as it was explained to me the roads are classified by whoever maintains them. So
N roads are national i.e. Government and the smaller roads are by the local council or equivalent. So the C or CA will be maintained
by CAntabria local authority if you follow me and not a national "campo" naming system I agree the smaller
roads can be superb but they will not all be prefixed c or ca. In and around Ainsa they will be HU - for Huesca, around Cangas de Onis they are AS - presuming Asturias - further west they are LU for Lugo etc.
As I said not being pedantic or a smart ass just trying to help the OP as I think searching for ca prefixed roads other than in cantabria might be a fruitless pastime. On the plus side syko I agree wholeheartedly with the rest of your post - the roads around the picos area are superb if you take a bit of time to get off the beaten and well travelled path that most seem to want to follow.

HTH

~Jav[/QUOTE]I'm glad it's not just me. I was going to post earlier as that's how my Spanish friend who lives in Cantabria described it, but I though I had it wrong.

AS - Asturias
CL - Castile Leon
CA - Cantabria

The AS114 is a cracking road by the way. There's much better roads if you don't limit yourself to just the Picos.
 
There's a good viewpoint in Lastres at the Mirador de San Roque, with a half-decent restaurant at it and plenty of parking. Here @43.5165751,-5.2693488

If it's a clear day, don't miss the run up to the Lagos de Covadonga, stunning views and one of the classic climbs of the Vuelta a Espanya cycle race. Be sure to go right up to the top carpark (not the first big one) then go up at the back of the cafe to the viewpoint.

:D
 
We have C and CA roads down here in Almería Province - duh...

Yes, Lastres ( sometimes in Asturiano, spelt starting with TWO letter Ls )...

....is a lovely little port resort not far from Gijón. ( pron "Hee-HONN" with the H sounds like Loch in Scotland - sounds like a bad sneeze if you say it right ).

We stayed in an old-fashioned but beautifully appointed Hotel, the Palacio de Vallados
("Bahee- Yah-doss" - 2 letter Ls in Castellano are pronounced "yah" and the letter V is ¾-way to a Bee sound) overlooking the bay.

Restaurant not open when we arrived in early October 2016, but we ate a cheap stonkingly-big evening meal that would've stopped a truck, down in the big crowded restaurant right on the sea wall far below.

Secure overnight parking for your treasured bike in a cellar-type space across street from the hotel's back-street main entrance.
To be recommended - the hotel and the whole area in and around Llastres. ( "Yass-Tress" )
AL in s.e. Spain
 
I tried to ride to the lakes of Covandonga last week and was stopped, public transport only they said, by bus or taxi...
 
I tried to ride to the lakes of Covandonga last week and was stopped, public transport only they said, by bus or taxi...
The road is closed until 8pm every day until October, according to the policeman I asked.

He was nice enough to let me and the other three bikes that were with me park on the pavement outside the museum.
 
It was miserable weather that day so wasn't that fussed tbh. I did intend on coming back another day much later on but never had time.
 
The Covadonga Lake District is very pretty. See the shots at forty-five seconds into my video :-

https://vimeo.com/190066422

In my neck of the woods, Almería Province on the comparatively undiscovered south-eastern Mediterranean coastline, a Brit couple run a place called "Tyre King" in Antas, right by the main coastal motorway A-7/E.15 in the "El Real" industrial park.
Very decent service, if not the keenest prices, but friendly and efficient.

A pair of Michelin's outstanding Pilot Road 3 rubbers, €270 fitted, which involves of course dismantling both ends of the bike - my Spanish bike is the superb mould-breaking New Concept Honda 750 twin with the 6-speed auto transmission, no clutch lever and no gear pedal, to remove each wheel, rip out the old rubber without scraping the rim paintwork, , fit new and then balance up.

Not terribly bad, all told.
And a dire written warning on the invoice :-

"Please corner cautiously for the first 100km to rub-in the tyres, which are very slippery from the release agent used at the factory".

AL in Mojácar.
 
I tried to ride to the lakes of Covandonga last week and was stopped, public transport only they said, by bus or taxi...

That's pretty common practice in popular places. The PN Ordesa is the same.

Regs

Simon
 


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