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I took my bike on Brittany Ferries last year and found that they won't let you book on the Bilbao services. They don't have enough cabins for their car capacity so low revenue cyclists get shut out until the last few days.
Santander port is close to the city; about 15 mins on a bike.
The Albergues and hostels could not take my bike, at least not when I needed an early start in the morning, so I used Pension Angelines which can store a bike in just one of the rooms. Good value but you need to carry bike up to the second floor.
I enjoyed Santander, friendly and relaxed. Which I discovered is the norm for northern Spain.
Buen Camino
I took my bike on Brittany Ferries last year and found that they won't let you book on the Bilbao services. They don't have enough cabins for their car capacity so low revenue cyclists get shut out until the last few days.
Santander port is close to the city; about 15 mins on a bike.
The Albergues and hostels could not take my bike, at least not when I needed an early start in the morning, so I used Pension Angelines which can store a bike in just one of the rooms. Good value but you need to carry bike up to the second floor.
I enjoyed Santander, friendly and relaxed. Which I discovered is the norm for northern Spain.
Buen Camino
thanks Mike, thats helpful and explains why I couldnt find a price for taking the bike to Bilbao!I took my bike on Brittany Ferries last year and found that they won't let you book on the Bilbao services. They don't have enough cabins for their car capacity so low revenue cyclists get shut out until the last few days.
Santander port is close to the city; about 15 mins on a bike.
The Albergues and hostels could not take my bike, at least not when I needed an early start in the morning, so I used Pension Angelines which can store a bike in just one of the rooms. Good value but you need to carry bike up to the second floor.
I enjoyed Santander, friendly and relaxed. Which I discovered is the norm for northern Spain.
Buen Camino
thanks Mike, thats helpful and explains why I couldnt find a price for taking the bike to Bilbao!
Did you enjoy cycling the Northern route and how challenging did you find it? Im sucking my teeth and wondering its going to be difficult to find places to stay near the route and will it be very wet. What time of year did you depart and how long did it take you? Thanks for the help, jane
I hope to go next spring, havent worked out exactly when but probably April. I will have a look at your bus and train idea as from what Ive reas the Frances way is possibly easier for a first attemptHi Jane
Don't know why you got three replies for the price of one! Hope this one works better.
I did not do the Nothern Camino, but took my bike on the bus to Irun and thence by train to SJPP to do the Frances route.
It took me 15 days with a couple of planned detours and a couple of short days for sickness.
My ferry crossing was from Portsmouth. Strangely, 24 hours doing nothing is a good way to wind down for the Camino. You do get in quite late though so have to stay in Santander.
I left on 13 September 2016 and got to Santiago on 1st October.
Hope this is useful to you.
When do you plan to go?
Mike
I'm sure you'll have a great time.I hope to go next spring, havent worked out exactly when but probably April. I will have a look at your bus and train idea as from what Ive reas the Frances way is possibly easier for a first attempt
Oh yes - I get off near the bottom of most hills - it drives my husband mad, he has to stay on his bike no matter what (male pride!) but I like to smell the flowers...Hecate, that sounds like some very long distance riding!
To bring my bike on the ferry to Santander makes sense. Ive done some long rides however along rivers/canals so flatish, Dont thinkI will manage to cycle more than hills but guess I can walk them
Thanks for help
HiOh yes - I get off near the bottom of most hills - it drives my husband mad, he has to stay on his bike no matter what (male pride!) but I like to smell the flowers...
Hi Mike just reading this with interest, we sail into santander in Aug this year we have booked accommodation for when we arrive, we are hoping to get booked on the alsa bus with our 2 bikes to Burgos the following day, would you think this would be possible or would we have to pre book a few days in advance, we want to pick up the camino from Burgos.Hi Jane
Don't know why you got three replies for the price of one! Hope this one works better.
I did not do the Nothern Camino, but took my bike on the bus to Irun and thence by train to SJPP to do the Frances route.
It took me 15 days with a couple of planned detours and a couple of short days for sickness.
My ferry crossing was from Portsmouth. Strangely, 24 hours doing nothing is a good way to wind down for the Camino. You do get in quite late though so have to stay in Santander.
I left on 13 September 2016 and got to Santiago on 1st October.
Hope this is useful to you.
When do you plan to go?
Mike
Hi Mike just reading this with interest, we sail into santander in Aug this year we have booked accommodation for when we arrive, we are hoping to get booked on the alsa bus with our 2 bikes to Burgos the following day, would you think this would be possible or would we have to pre book a few days in advance, we want to pick up the camino from Burgos.
Bus travel between major cities is very popular so you will need to book well in advance.Hi Mike just reading this with interest, we sail into santander in Aug this year we have booked accommodation for when we arrive, we are hoping to get booked on the alsa bus with our 2 bikes to Burgos the following day, would you think this would be possible or would we have to pre book a few days in advance, we want to pick up the camino from Burgos.
Thanks for the valuable information Mike.Bus travel between major cities is very popular so you will need to book well in advance.
If my memory is correct, ALSA limits the number of bikes per bus; which is another reason to sort it out early.
The ALSA website is very easy to use, but i recall that it does not allow you to book two bikes in the same transaction; so you would need to make separate bookings for each person/bike combination. Again a reason for doing it early.
You can very easily play around with their booking site to see how it works and what it will let you do, without finalising the transaction.
Buen Camino
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