Bicigrina on Northern Way May 2022

[obinray]

I am an empty-nester coming from Canada via NL and France at the end of April, about 6 weeks from now, mid March.
I am renting a mountain bike and riding the Camino del Norte in 17 days, starting from Irún. I haven't seen much about cycling anything besides the Francés and I was curious about your experiences, especially on a bike, but also as a walker. I am quite cognizant of being a second class trail user, I'll have a bell, (for letting people know I'm coming, not to say, "move and make room for me") and would like to know there are lots of places where there is a separate track.
How much is paved and how much is gravel? Half/half? How rocky and steep are the hilly parts? A bit late to ask but how far did you ride each day? (My average distance will be 50km but that mathematically means that I have 8 days of more than that and 8 days, less. I'm training in a place with good sometimes gravel trails and where I can choose flat or hilly.)
Training while working full-time has been difficult, (I'm usually only able to clock about 200km/week) but my leave starts 5 weeks before I fly, so I'll be able to step it up.
Definitely starting to get enthusiastic about it, watching CoViD threats diminish, and the weather warm up.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, @obinray, welcome to the forum. The vast majority of forum members are walkers, but there is a cycling subforum, and you will find some kindred spirits there. The whole subforum on Bicycling the camino has only about 600 threads, though, so that should give you some idea of the proportions.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/%F0%9F%9A%B4%E2%80%8D%E2%99%80%EF%B8%8F-bicycling-on-the-camino.24/

I’ve walked the Norte twice, once on the official route, which is very heavily composed of asphalt walking, so I think that makes it good for bikes. For me, a lot of the most spectacular Norte beauty came on the coastal paths that I was able to find. Usually just a km or two away from the camino, they take you on the coast, and on dirt paths. But that would not be suitable for bikes.

Though I am not a cyclist, I think the Norte would be one of the more bike-friendly routes, along with the Vdlp perhaps. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hi obinray
Been a while since I was on the Norte but a couple of things to say:
- don't judge the cycling experience by the first few days - Basque country will be significantly more testing than any of the rest. Pretty flat after that.
- I remember quite often seeing 'bici' scrawled in yellow paint with an arrow going in a different direction to the walkers' route. So I think a lot of it is pretty well marked for bikes. In fact at least a couple of times in Cantabria I wish I'd just walked the cyclist road instead of taking a thorny muddy detour that was supposedly more 'natural'.
- there is a lot of asphalt on the Norte (much more than the Frances) particularly the second half, but it's mostly very small quiet roads, making it actually quite bike friendly.
Cheers, tom

 

[trecile]

My friend @cb bikes cycled the Norte as a sola bicigrina in 2019 and had a great time.

 

[obinray]

Hi, @obinray, welcome to the forum. The vast majority of forum members are walkers, but there is a cycling subforum, and you will find some kindred spirits there. The whole subforum on Bicycling the camino has only about 600 threads, though, so that should give you some idea of the proportions.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/%F0%9F%9A%B4%E2%80%8D%E2%99%80%EF%B8%8F-bicycling-on-the-camino.24/

I’ve walked the Norte twice, once on the official route, which is very heavily composed of asphalt walking, so I think that makes it good for bikes. For me, a lot of the most spectacular Norte beauty came on the coastal paths that I was able to find. Usually just a km or two away from the camino, they take you on the coast, and on dirt paths. But that would not be suitable for bikes.

Though I am not a cyclist, I think the Norte would be one of the more bike-friendly routes, along with the Vdlp perhaps. Buen camino, Laurie

thank you for your specific helpful reply.

 

[obinray]

Hi obinray
Been a while since I was on the Norte but a couple of things to say:
- don't judge the cycling experience by the first few days - Basque country will be significantly more testing than any of the rest. Pretty flat after that.
- I remember quite often seeing 'bici' scrawled in yellow paint with an arrow going in a different direction to the walkers' route. So I think a lot of it is pretty well marked for bikes. In fact at least a couple of times in Cantabria I wish I'd just walked the cyclist road instead of taking a thorny muddy detour that was supposedly more 'natural'.
- there is a lot of asphalt on the Norte (much more than the Frances) particularly the second half, but it's mostly very small quiet roads, making it actually quite bike friendly.
Cheers, tom

thank you for your specific helpful reply. especially for the caveat about the first few days. if i am feeling remorseful, i will remember your promise that it gets easier!

 

[JerryStroebele]

Yes, I too have walked some of the bici paths a few times because I knew they would be easier or less muddy. I have heard there is a specific bicycle guide for the del Norte, in Spanish. One bicigrina told me it was a real lifesaver. Gracias for using your bell. Buen Camino

 

[Old Hillwalker]

Bless you for your Bell.

 

[obinray]

Yes, I too have walked some of the bici paths a few times because I knew they would be easier or less muddy. I have heard there is a specific bicycle guide for the del Norte, in Spanish. One bicigrina told me it was a real lifesaver. Gracias for using your bell. Buen Camino

Thank you! Do you know where would I find the biking guide book? I could easily use a Spanish one.

 

[JerryStroebele]

I could not find it in Ivar's store or on Amazon. I will try to contact that bicigrina. It has been a few years. Buen Camino

 

[Grousedoctor]

I am an empty-nester coming from Canada via NL and France at the end of April, about 6 weeks from now, mid March.
I am renting a mountain bike and riding the Camino del Norte in 17 days, starting from Irún. I haven't seen much about cycling anything besides the Francés and I was curious about your experiences, especially on a bike, but also as a walker. I am quite cognizant of being a second class trail user, I'll have a bell, (for letting people know I'm coming, not to say, "move and make room for me") and would like to know there are lots of places where there is a separate track.
How much is paved and how much is gravel? Half/half? How rocky and steep are the hilly parts? A bit late to ask but how far did you ride each day? (My average distance will be 50km but that mathematically means that I have 8 days of more than that and 8 days, less. I'm training in a place with good sometimes gravel trails and where I can choose flat or hilly.)
Training while working full-time has been difficult, (I'm usually only able to clock about 200km/week) but my leave starts 5 weeks before I fly, so I'll be able to step it up.
Definitely starting to get enthusiastic about it, watching CoViD threats diminish, and the weather warm up.

I’ve neither biked nor walked the Norte. However, having cycled the VDLP, I do have a couple lessons to share. First, I rode about 50 miles or 3 stages a days. Too many miles day after day. I like your idea of 50 kms a day. My suggestion would be, and it’s perhaps exactly what you have in mind, ride two “stages” a day. I found that going faster than this has blurred many of my remembrances of this route and was more physically demanding than I needed to make it. It now seems like it was much more a challenging bike trek rather than a “reflective” camino. Second, your 17 days of riding seem just right. Hindsight tells me that I should have built in a couple of rest days. There may be logical places for a rest day, or just listen to your body for when it needs to rest. Finally, as you are renting a mountain bike, just as I did in Sevilla, invest in the best quality rental available. You’ll find that in the mountains and on difficult terrain, quality counts. And, your bell we be regularly used and greatly appreciated by walkers. Enjoy!

 

[Dennis Pack]

I saw a few cyclist on the first half of the Norte (second half is on the books for later this year) ... my only thoughts were "I'm glad I'm walking!", but they were having a great time ... and mountain bikes are essential.
I used the "editorial buen camino" app which includes the routes for bikes.
Beun camino

 

[Skinnybiker]

There you go, very little bike specific information for you. Guess you'll be staying in albergues / hostals not camping so you should be pretty lightly loaded. There is further information on Wikiloc, Bicigrino, Komoot, Crazyguyonabike etc, I found the Buen Camino App very useful because it shows the alternative bike routes. The del norte seems to have a number of alternative routes / options, it's mostly pavement / blacktop, not really much gravel and perhaps 10% trail. The comment by one poster that it's easy riding after Bilbao is perhaps seen from a peregrinos perspective, it isn't, there are several steep, vicious sections of 150 - 250m ascent. The best parts are the coastal paths, even if they look unsuitable for bikes take the coast option; in particular there's a coastal path between Ribadesella & Villviciosa that is spectacular.

If you're clocking 200km / week while working you should be able to ride more than 50km / day on the camino giving you some rest days or short days to visit places and stopover during rainy days. Perhaps one of the advantages of riding the camino is that you CAN ride the rough trails on a MTB that are more difficult for peregrinos, I remember one fabulous section before Soto de Luiña (after Aviles) where I was longing for a full-sus but took pity on the two peregrinos struggling slowly down the trail.

Advice as always; don't over-plan, over-think, over-pack, just enjoy the ride. Richard

 

[obinray]

I could not find it in Ivar's store or on Amazon. I will try to contact that bicigrina. It has been a few years. Buen Camino

Thank you so much. Buen Camino to you too.

 

[JerryStroebele]

Her husband, a Catholic priest (by special permission of the Pope!), got back to me today. Guia del Camino de Santiago en tu mochilla Camino Norte, Guia del Peregrino Practico a pie or en bicicleta, de Anton Pombo. Anaya Touring. If you can't locate it, I will be in Madrid on April 7. There is a very nice bookstore just up the street from my hostel (OK Hostel, muy bien!). I will see if they can locate it for me. I will return to the hostel April 25 and could pick it up and send it to you. PM me with your mailing address if you are not able to get it. Lucky me, I will be walking Burgos to Astorga this spring. Buen Camino

 

[JerryStroebele]

Forgot the photo:

 

[obinray]

I’ve neither biked nor walked the Norte. However, having cycled the VDLP, I do have a couple lessons to share. First, I rode about 50 miles or 3 stages a days. Too many miles day after day. I like your idea of 50 kms a day. My suggestion would be, and it’s perhaps exactly what you have in mind, ride two “stages” a day. I found that going faster than this has blurred many of my remembrances of this route and was more physically demanding than I needed to make it. It now seems like it was much more a challenging bike trek rather than a “reflective” camino. Second, your 17 days of riding seem just right. Hindsight tells me that I should have built in a couple of rest days. There may be logical places for a rest day, or just listen to your body for when it needs to rest. Finally, as you are renting a mountain bike, just as I did in Sevilla, invest in the best quality rental available. You’ll find that in the mountains and on difficult terrain, quality counts. And, your bell we be regularly used and greatly appreciated by walkers. Enjoy!

Thank you. I have booked my whole camino through a company that booked my guest house and planned my route, so I won't be very flexible. Most of my days are 2 stages but there are a 3s and even a couple of 4s! I am coming to accept that it will be a *different* sort of meditative journey, sometimes with a lot of cardio!
I also do not get to choose my bike, but it looks like a decent one. I just had clipless shoes fitted to my bike at home to practice on, so that will hopefully be helpful on the long days. I appreciate your message. ¡Gracias!

 

[obinray]

Her husband, a Catholic priest (by special permission of the Pope!), got back to me today. Guia del Camino de Santiago en tu mochilla Camino Norte, Guia del Peregrino Practico a pie or en bicicleta, de Anton Pombo. Anaya Touring. If you can't locate it, I will be in Madrid on April 7. There is a very nice bookstore just up the street from my hostel (OK Hostel, muy bien!). I will see if they can locate it for me. I will return to the hostel April 25 and could pick it up and send it to you. PM me with your mailing address if you are not able to get it. Lucky me, I will be walking Burgos to Astorga this spring. Buen Camino

My goodness Jerry, you really are going above and beyond. I'll try and figure out how to PM you.

 

[JerryStroebele]

It is rewarding to be able to give back to the Camino, which has given me so much. Buen Camino

 

[Corned Beef]

Most of my days are 2 stages but there are a 3s and even a couple of 4s!

Would you be able to detail the bicigrina/bicigrino stages? They might come in useful for some.