Author Topic: Camino de Santiago (Read 11189 times)

Ham · « **Reply #25 on:** 28 July, 2022, 11:48:59 pm »

There's really no problem doing the route on your own, there are innumerable hotels and inns along the way, the ones I tried were excellent value. As far as tyres go, if you are doing the Camino, you will be on road the whole way, the coast road swoops and winds all along, often in sight of the fast road that takes all the traffic away. Not only are you on road, but the road quality is excellent. Here's a random google maps of the road, showing the Camino sign, the reason I had dubious roads at times was because I was making up my own cross country route, dipping in and out of the Camino. I know you can do Portsmouth to Santander on a ferry, if that's what you would like, I also know that Asturias no longer serves external flights, so you would have to go via Madrid or the like. If you are aiming for a camino, Santander seems a good bet.

ElyDave · « **Reply #26 on:** 29 July, 2022, 05:47:30 am »

Nice big writing on the roads as well

GdS · « **Reply #27 on:** 29 July, 2022, 08:17:52 am »

Quote from: Ham on 28 July, 2022, 11:48:59 pm

There's really no problem doing the route on your own

I wasn't considering using a tour company I was just observing that most of the route maps I can see are on their websites. Is there such a thing as an officlal cycle route or does it just use the walking route?

GdS · « **Reply #28 on:** 29 July, 2022, 08:21:16 am »

Quote from: Ham on 28 July, 2022, 11:48:59 pm

If you are aiming for a camino, Santander seems a good bet.

I left off the route at Portugalete last month to get a ferry back having ridden from Biarritz. That's why I'm picking it up at Bilbao.

Haven't decided how to get the bike back from SdC yet only booked a flight without the bike so far. Having a cardboard bike box waiting would be very useful or else buy a big roll of bubble wrap.

Ham · « **Reply #29 on:** 29 July, 2022, 09:25:17 am »

Quote from: GdS on 29 July, 2022, 08:17:52 am

Quote from: Ham on 28 July, 2022, 11:48:59 pm
There's really no problem doing the route on your own

I wasn't considering using a tour company I was just observing that most of the route maps I can see are on their websites. Is there such a thing as an officlal cycle route or does it just use the walking route?

AFAIK, which is limited to the experience of having crossed about 5 of the routes and following some for a bit, the walking route is the road is the cycle route.

yoav · « **Reply #30 on:** 29 July, 2022, 09:29:37 am »

On our recent tour of the Basque Country from the French border at Hendaye to Santander, we ended riding much of the Camino del Norte. Not deliberately but the routes I downloaded from cycle.travel took us along much of the Camino. What surprised me was the the route sent the walkers along the roads for much of the time, which seems to me a bit disappointing. I imagined walking the Camino would involve picturesque mountains, valleys, forests rather than trudging on the hard shoulder. But then I found out there are more than a dozen Casinos so maybe they are more of what I imagined the Camino to be. Having said that, road cycling along the north coast of Spain was very enjoyable and beautiful if also somewhat challenging.

GdS · « **Reply #31 on:** 29 July, 2022, 09:54:11 am »

my experience of walking in Spain (mostly limited to Mallorca and Tenerife) is that apart from tourist regions footpaths as such don't exist, there is far less right of way across private land than in the UK.

Regulator · « **Reply #32 on:** 29 July, 2022, 04:30:34 pm »

I've done the Camino Frances and was planning to do the Camino Portuguese from Porto to Santiago in May/June and then September/October this year (until ill health put that off the agenda until next year).

I have friends who have done the Norte. Their view is that the first bits, in Basque country, can be pretty grim at times - lots of walking/cycling through industrial zones and along busy roads, but there are some fabulous bits of beach and coast mixed in. It gets better once you hit Asturias.

Be warned that many albergues and hotels have been impacted by Covid and are either closed or have significantly reduced capacity. It is advisable to book accommodation in advance.

John Brierley (the godfather of the Camino) is in the process of issuing updated guides. Camino guides are normally published in October/November each year for the following season. Look for the most up to date editions published during 2022.

The Norte is also not as well developed for cycling as the Frances, so you may find you have to 'manually' reroute yourself to avoid bits which are 'on foot' only.

You've got limited options for flying to Sdc from the UK or back from SdC to the UK - direct flights are operated by Ryanair, easyJet and Vueling. I've used Ryanair several times with no problems - but I was not taking a bike.

It's worth considering joining or at least talking to the Confraternity of St James (https://www.csj.org.uk/) - they can provide all sorts of advice and support. They also run an albergue (Albergue San Martín) in Miraz on the Norte route.

GdS · « **Reply #33 on:** 29 July, 2022, 06:16:29 pm »

Thanks Reg; flights are all booked Vueling out eJ back I live near Gatwick even know a back door entrance to avoid the £5 drop off fee

I was just going to use Booking and stay in non Alberges

a couple of shots from last month; on the iconic coastal section between San Seb and Deba

Pickled Onion · « **Reply #34 on:** 29 July, 2022, 09:46:21 pm »

Nowadays all the routes are pretty well signposted, including where they diverge for walking/cycling, you don't need a route as such, just a list of towns where the albergues are. If you go off-route you'll soon have a local shouting at you to turn round!

rogerzilla · « **Reply #35 on:** 29 July, 2022, 10:12:21 pm »

Worth reading Tim Moore's Spanish Steps, which is his account of doing it with a donkey.

(click to show/hide)

JBB · « **Reply #36 on:** 31 July, 2022, 03:59:04 pm »

I suspect you may find gronze.com useful. It was accurate in the spring when we did the Sureste, Via de Plata and Sanabres routes. Combine the with cycle travel and you can then plan. In addition if you go for the paid version of cycle travel you get the Spanish IGN maps which signpost the Caminos with a scallop shell.

GdS · « **Reply #37 on:** 01 August, 2022, 10:38:34 am »

Thanks; I found the section maps a bit too small scale to plot onto RWG so have ordered the Rother map from Amazon which apparently also comes with a GPX. Found their Madeira Levada guide very useful.

Regulator · « **Reply #38 on:** 05 August, 2022, 09:26:43 am »

If anyone is thinking of doing the French or Portuguese Caminos, let me know. I have copies of the Brierley guides available - they won't won't be the latest versions but would be suitable for route planning and giving an overview.

DaveJ · « **Reply #39 on:** 23 September, 2022, 06:01:28 pm »

It is no longer possible to post bikes back to the UK at the Post Office (Correos), but MBE (a UPS agent) will ship them.

They charged €290 for an S&A coupled tandem in one box. I don't know what they would charge for a single bike.

MBE at Santiago de Guayaquil 5, about 10 minutes by bike from the cathedral, mbe127@mbe.es

The people in the shop were very helpful, and they had a number of bikes in there waiting to be packed up for shipment. They said 1 to 2 weeks for delivery back to the UK.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

mmmmartin · « **Reply #40 on:** 17 February, 2023, 12:13:08 am »

Coming back from Patagonia i stole a load of the remains of cardboard boxes from the back of a supermarket and bought me of parcel tape then made something made of cardboard that looked like a box around the bike. That might be what you need for the return flight Martin

Ham · « **Reply #41 on:** 17 February, 2023, 09:46:28 am »

Quote from: GdS on 16 February, 2023, 04:25:53 pm

.... but also Gatwick to Asturias (for Ms GdS) ....

Ooo that's nice to know - Asturias hasn't had any direct flights for some years

GdS · « **Reply #42 on:** 17 February, 2023, 12:19:30 pm »

Quote from: Ham on 17 February, 2023, 09:46:28 am

Quote from: GdS on 16 February, 2023, 04:25:53 pm
.... but also Gatwick to Asturias (for Ms GdS) ....

Ooo that's nice to know - Asturias hasn't had any direct flights for some years

it was also a pleasant surprise that far from being in Oviedo it's also up by the coast and almost slap bang on the CdN

easyJet cancelled the flight back from SdC again but did give enough notice to reschedule with Vueling. No idea what the latter's track record is only used them once to go to Paris

Ham · « **Reply #43 on:** 17 February, 2023, 01:50:40 pm »

It is one of the nicest, easiest to escape, airports I have ever used

Ham · « **Reply #44 on:** 17 February, 2023, 08:44:43 pm »

I'm more interested in this than I ought to be, April 2024 is looming as a target.

Anyhoo, there appear to be very limited vueling direct flights, most transfer at Barcelona, and when you look BA they also have a few direct flights per week now.

Vueling cost is 35 for the seat + 50 for bike + 34 for 15kg luggage = £119
BA is £114 economy with luggage. (have to check if it is still the case, but that's how I travelled there, check the bike as luggage (about 14kg) and carried the two panniers (10kg) strapped together as cabin bag.

Y'know what - I think that's a codeshare flight, both 11:35 dep. 14:35 arr

ETA looking at my weight weenie packing list always makes me smile, only now I'm thinking "I could leave <that> out next time" and "add more Ibuprofen"

Ham · « **Reply #45 on:** 18 February, 2023, 08:17:22 am »

Yes, true, all part of IAG. That makes it questionable how well they will enforce the bag size, as you might have a ba or vueling ticket on the same flight.

Interestingly (FCVO "Interesting") BA still allow you to include sport equipment in your normal luggage allowance

Quote

Travelling with sports equipment and musical instruments
You can travel with a wide range of personal belongings as part of your normal baggage allowance, including sports equipment and musical instruments. If they weigh over 23kg, you may need to pay a little extra.

Vueling appear to insist that it is separate, also that bikes need to be in a rigid box
https://www.vueling.com/en/customer-services/conditions-of-carriage?box=baggage
But equally, on the special luggage page it looks like they may accept a bike bag, too https://www.vueling.com/en/vueling-services/prepare-your-trip/luggage/special-luggage (if it's inside a box, the handlebar and pedal orientation is irrelevant)

BA are happy with a bike bag

Quote

There’s limited hold space on smaller aircrafts so, by telling us in advance, your bike’s more likely to travel on your flight with you. Call us at least 72 hours before you fly as we need to know how big your bike container is and, if possible, how much it weighs. Clothes and other personal items must not be packed in your bike bag/box.

Your bike can be in a heavy-duty polythene bike bag, padded case or hard shell up to 190 x 95 x 65cm (75 x 37.5 x 25.5in). If it’s a non-rigid bag, please make sure the handlebars are fixed sideways and the pedals removed or fixed inwards. It’s also best to reduce tyre pressures.

Ham · « **Reply #46 on:** 18 February, 2023, 08:43:22 pm »

Why worried? There is no single method of perfection to send it, and as long as you have bagged it I'm sure it will be taken. After all, it is the handling people that manage it, the same for all airlines. Rock up and hand it over, however you want to pack it.

mmmmartin · « **Reply #47 on:** 18 February, 2023, 09:50:33 pm »

A few thoughts
Can't ever recall seeing a shrink wrapping service at Santiago airport and I've flown out of there quite a few times after the seven and a half caminos I've done.
There's a bike shop used by DaveJ that boxed and got his tandem home separately. It's succeed a few days after him, delivered to the front door
Next door to the pilgrim office there's a post office that has a room opposite where they send bikes to places but they do that only to EU. Thanks farage you bastard. Maybe that has changed.......
When we flew out of Santiago with bikes all was well but the check in bloke said the bikes must be in boxes so we had to wait while he made interminable phone calls before the bikes were loaded (wrapped in thick plastic).
And I'd never use a black bag: see through plastic every time so they can see what it is.
Finally: i wouldn't worry about the price of getting the bike back. A single flight with no changes is worth all the money in the world if the bike isn't broken on the journey....
Finally, might see you on the Wye Wednesday?

mmmmartin · « **Reply #48 on:** 19 February, 2023, 10:21:33 pm »

Aha. This place, the san martin pinario, is a wonderful place to stay. It's a top of the range, expensive hotel right in the centre, next to the cathedral. The rooms are pricey.
BUT there is on the very top of the hotel a floor of single, en-suite rooms that are unmodernised from the 1960s and available only to pilgrims. You can't book them in the website, you need to phone. The staff speak English well, as you'd expect at a top hotel. It was i think €20 a night for a single, ensuite room right in the centre of the city.
For food, there is a pilgrim menu served at 7pm,, cooked by the top professional staff. It's excellent and great value and the wine is superb, it's the hotel's own range. You must be out of the room by 9pm though, as that's when the proper hotel guests come in and pay three times what you've paid for very similar food from the same kitchen.
You'll need a credentia with stamps to prove you're a pilgrim though.

GdS · « **Reply #49 on:** 05 May, 2023, 08:32:12 pm »

Completed the remaining 700k of the Camino del Norte on Wednesday, cracking trip! Every route is just signed as the CdS no matter which route you take. At some point I must have merged into the Camino Frances although not sure where.

It got a lot easier after Cantabria through Asturias, I end loaded the ride with an average 100k / day for the last 3 days with 3 ascents to over 700m. It was a difficult task translating the Rother walking route to almost 100% on road but worth it for a combination of proper route and quiet rideable roads.

Met a few other riders again en route including an Argentinian and a US based Cuban. Could not believe the 100s of walkers on the last approach to the city

They wouldn't give me a compostela at the finish but got the t shirt fridge magnet drawstring bag coin seashell pin badge etc etc.....