Helen1
Active Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- London to Santiago (2014)
Narbonne to Oloron (2015)
Camino Portugues (2016)
Sentier Cathar (2017)
Some travel notes about cycling Bayonne to Burgos via the Tunnel Route on a Brompton folding bike. This was part of a longer journey down VDLP to Tangier. The Brompton was great, I have the 6 gear version and changed the gears to make the hills slightly easier. I took the Brompton T bag on the front block and had a rack on the back for extra water and odds and ends. I winged the route using a combination of google maps and the old CSJ guide. I saw a couple of walkers on the route - it’s a nice route if you don’t mind tarmac.
Bayonne
Flew into Biarritz, flight delayed we landed just after 10pm. Took a taxi to Hotel Le Bayonne (Bike still wrapped up from the flight). The hotel had a deal on Expedia which made it one of the cheapest places to stay in Biarritz/Bayonne and more importantly the check-in was open after 9pm (lots of the smaller hotels have v. limited check-in times). I needed to work for 2 days before heading out so business/modern hotel worked well for me. Visited the Cathedral and the famous chocolate shops.
Day 1: Bayonne to San Sebastian
Set out early afternoon following a route plotted on Google Maps into Biarritz, urban/busy roads but no concerns. From Biarritz I took the coastal road through Saint Jean-de-Luz (pretty place which had an airshow happening whilst I was there) to Hendaye and then along the cycle paths around Bd de la Mer and the harbour to go over the bridge into Spain. From Irun I followed the main road into San Sebastian, this is a marked cycle route but on a busy Friday evening with a lot of fast moving traffic, it wasn’t pleasant cycling. The last few miles into San Sebastian are on a wide cycle path that’s mostly segregated from the traffic. Stayed at Pension Regil, very central and run by very helpful and friendly chap who helped me select pintxos bars. San Sebastian is a very expensive place to stay especially on a Friday night!
Day 2: San Sebastian to Zegama
No issues coming out of San Sebastian, just follow the cycle paths along the river. Then you follow the road/river to Besain, it’s fairly easy/pleasant cycling. There are some cycle paths but the road wasn’t busy on a Saturday. Plenty of small towns/places for tea breaks. I took a wrong turning at Beasain and ended up at Salbatore or possibly Ormaiztegi, following some (old?) camino signs I went up a monster hill, ended up on a forestry track and had to walk the bike down the hill ending up near Segura. I stayed at Ostatu Zegama, no complaints, but this is one of the few places it would have been cheaper to book online.
Day 3: Zegama to Vitoria
Followed the road to Otzaurteko Benta restaurant (not permanently closed as google suggested) and had a tea break. This is a quiet road, loads of Sunday morning club cyclists around. It’s around a 400m climb to the restaurant. Then I took the road up to the tunnel car park. This is an access road I think, no traffic, lots of walkers and it is phenomenally steep in places. Because the weather was glorious I decided to take my bike through the tunnel. You must be able to carry your bike over rocks to do it, I couldn’t have done it with a touring bike loaded with two panniers. With the Brompton I took the single front pannier off and converted it into a rucksack with some straps I bought with me which meant I could carry the bike through the tunnel. It’s hard work and a bit crazy and don’t even think about doing this in the wet! You need to walk 5+km or so I think, maybe less if you have a mountain bike. You would have be to an awesome mountain biker to ride through the tunnel/not hit the walkers. Once you get through the tunnel there is still quite a lot of walking/pushing/carrying/up through the woods but it’s easier going. Overall I think it’s another 400m or so of climbing to the top. The road down to Zalduondo is in a bad state of repair and I need to push the bike in places. Go prepared with enough food/water for the day, if Otzaurteko Benta is closed there’s nothing else till Zalduondo. I hit a time trial cycle race going into Vitoria which meant a two hour sit at the side of the road but it was fun to watch the speed of the cyclists as they went past. Going into Vitoria is easy, lots of cycle paths. Stayed at Hotel Desiderio which was a bit tired but ok.
Day 4: Vitoria to Monasterio de Rodilla
Followed the main road, most of the time this was ok and the lorries were very good about giving me space and there’s a wide shoulder but the crosses by the side of the road mean it’s definitely not the safest of roads and it’s not particularly pleasant cycling (or perhaps the wet weather dampened my spirits?). Pancorbo pass is like something out of Lord of the Rings especially in the drizzle with eagles [?] circling - you need to turn off and go through Pancorbo town not through the road tunnel. I had intended to go into Burgos but after cycling through a thunderstorm and getting cold/soaked I called it a day at Monasterio de Rodilla which was an awesome decision. Really cute albergue that I had to myself, a bit noisy with the road traffic but very nice inside. Cafe next door cooked me a great meal.
Day 5: Monasterio de Rodilla to Calzadilla de la Cueza
The roads were super busy but ok into Burgos. Then you hit the urban sprawl and cycle paths of Burgos - this is a pretty depressing route into Burgos but more than made up for by a visit to the Cathedral. You come out of Burgos on a pleasant cycle path along the river and then it’s easy riding/quiet roads to Carrión de los Condes and Calzadilla de la Cueza.
If anyone wants any more info just ask - Helen
Bayonne
Flew into Biarritz, flight delayed we landed just after 10pm. Took a taxi to Hotel Le Bayonne (Bike still wrapped up from the flight). The hotel had a deal on Expedia which made it one of the cheapest places to stay in Biarritz/Bayonne and more importantly the check-in was open after 9pm (lots of the smaller hotels have v. limited check-in times). I needed to work for 2 days before heading out so business/modern hotel worked well for me. Visited the Cathedral and the famous chocolate shops.
Day 1: Bayonne to San Sebastian
Set out early afternoon following a route plotted on Google Maps into Biarritz, urban/busy roads but no concerns. From Biarritz I took the coastal road through Saint Jean-de-Luz (pretty place which had an airshow happening whilst I was there) to Hendaye and then along the cycle paths around Bd de la Mer and the harbour to go over the bridge into Spain. From Irun I followed the main road into San Sebastian, this is a marked cycle route but on a busy Friday evening with a lot of fast moving traffic, it wasn’t pleasant cycling. The last few miles into San Sebastian are on a wide cycle path that’s mostly segregated from the traffic. Stayed at Pension Regil, very central and run by very helpful and friendly chap who helped me select pintxos bars. San Sebastian is a very expensive place to stay especially on a Friday night!
Day 2: San Sebastian to Zegama
No issues coming out of San Sebastian, just follow the cycle paths along the river. Then you follow the road/river to Besain, it’s fairly easy/pleasant cycling. There are some cycle paths but the road wasn’t busy on a Saturday. Plenty of small towns/places for tea breaks. I took a wrong turning at Beasain and ended up at Salbatore or possibly Ormaiztegi, following some (old?) camino signs I went up a monster hill, ended up on a forestry track and had to walk the bike down the hill ending up near Segura. I stayed at Ostatu Zegama, no complaints, but this is one of the few places it would have been cheaper to book online.
Day 3: Zegama to Vitoria
Followed the road to Otzaurteko Benta restaurant (not permanently closed as google suggested) and had a tea break. This is a quiet road, loads of Sunday morning club cyclists around. It’s around a 400m climb to the restaurant. Then I took the road up to the tunnel car park. This is an access road I think, no traffic, lots of walkers and it is phenomenally steep in places. Because the weather was glorious I decided to take my bike through the tunnel. You must be able to carry your bike over rocks to do it, I couldn’t have done it with a touring bike loaded with two panniers. With the Brompton I took the single front pannier off and converted it into a rucksack with some straps I bought with me which meant I could carry the bike through the tunnel. It’s hard work and a bit crazy and don’t even think about doing this in the wet! You need to walk 5+km or so I think, maybe less if you have a mountain bike. You would have be to an awesome mountain biker to ride through the tunnel/not hit the walkers. Once you get through the tunnel there is still quite a lot of walking/pushing/carrying/up through the woods but it’s easier going. Overall I think it’s another 400m or so of climbing to the top. The road down to Zalduondo is in a bad state of repair and I need to push the bike in places. Go prepared with enough food/water for the day, if Otzaurteko Benta is closed there’s nothing else till Zalduondo. I hit a time trial cycle race going into Vitoria which meant a two hour sit at the side of the road but it was fun to watch the speed of the cyclists as they went past. Going into Vitoria is easy, lots of cycle paths. Stayed at Hotel Desiderio which was a bit tired but ok.
Day 4: Vitoria to Monasterio de Rodilla
Followed the main road, most of the time this was ok and the lorries were very good about giving me space and there’s a wide shoulder but the crosses by the side of the road mean it’s definitely not the safest of roads and it’s not particularly pleasant cycling (or perhaps the wet weather dampened my spirits?). Pancorbo pass is like something out of Lord of the Rings especially in the drizzle with eagles [?] circling - you need to turn off and go through Pancorbo town not through the road tunnel. I had intended to go into Burgos but after cycling through a thunderstorm and getting cold/soaked I called it a day at Monasterio de Rodilla which was an awesome decision. Really cute albergue that I had to myself, a bit noisy with the road traffic but very nice inside. Cafe next door cooked me a great meal.
Day 5: Monasterio de Rodilla to Calzadilla de la Cueza
The roads were super busy but ok into Burgos. Then you hit the urban sprawl and cycle paths of Burgos - this is a pretty depressing route into Burgos but more than made up for by a visit to the Cathedral. You come out of Burgos on a pleasant cycle path along the river and then it’s easy riding/quiet roads to Carrión de los Condes and Calzadilla de la Cueza.
If anyone wants any more info just ask - Helen
