Cycling the Del Norte

[Gailerart]

Cycling the Del Norte


I am attempting a 780km Camino combo starting in Leon on 25 April and a friend from the Netherlands wants to join me and cycle the Del Norte from Aviles to Santiago. It will be challenging for him as he will have a lot of spare time to make up while waiting for me to arrive at our Albergue every afternoon ( He will be riding his E bike). Any advice on the Forum or cycling blogs I can send him would be greatly appreciated,so get your thinking caps on. I will be starting on the San Salvador,then the Norte, the Finisterre, and lastly, hiking the Primitivo in reverse from Lugo.
Buen Camino

 

[JerryStroebele]

If your friend can read Spanish there is a Guia to the Del Norte that covers both walking and cycling. I will return home from the Camino next Wednesday and will try to find you the exact title of you wish. Buen Camino

 

[Gailerart]

Thanks Jerry
Is it in digital or paper form

 

[Vacajoe]

While biking and hiking routes follow similar paths, they seldom are the same path so you are essentially doing separate Caminos and simply hoping to sleep at the same accommodations each night. If you take the more beautiful coastal variants, you will walk a longer distance at a much slower pace than him on an e-bike. It’s possible that your 30km day walking for 7 hours may be a short 20km day of riding a bike for 90 minutes for him. Is he really willing to wait around for you for hours upon hours just to share a bite of dinner together? It would be maddening to me.

Additionally, your accommodations will be limited to those who have bicycle storage that are also willing to charge his bike. Some albergues also do not let bicycle riders check-in until early evening so that walkers have first access to beds. This will severely impact your accommodation choices as well as your ability to stay in places together.

It’s a nice idea, but definitely consider these issues before you both are out there resenting each other’s choice of Camino journey

 

[Gailerart]

This is exactly what I'm worried about and I have to warn him, but I'm sure there would be lot's of positives, such as time to explore the beaches, and towns etc. Remember, " It's the journey that matters, not the destination", and he is a practiced solo cyclist, and traveller, who loves to explore.

 

[JerryStroebele]

It is a regular published guide book about the same size as Bierly A friend and his wife used it on the del Norte while using e-bikes. They had trouble finding the bike route until they found this book. Buen Camino

 

[Skinnybiker]

I have ridden most of the Norte and also hiked & biked with a friend some of the Transadaluz in S Spain (I was the biker). It might be useful to understand his style of riding and also the type of ebike he will ride. After all there is a huge difference between an urban rider on a "Dutch" bike and "sporty" rider on a full-sus trail bike. Also does he intend riding the Camino or following the road option?

Here are a few suggestions for you & your friend:

* he might consider riding more of El Norte starting further east as there are some great rides in Pais Vasco & Cantabria then join you further west.

* he might consider taking a normal MTB (hard-tail or full-sus) to go slower, carry less weight and eliminate the need for recharging battery every night.

* he could meander more (use komoot to find local trails), visit places of interest along the way, sort out accommodation for you both as he will have more time, do the shopping, scope out eating options.

* there are plenty of journals on the www, my journals are posted on crazyguyonabike using the name "skinnybiker" but there are others.

Finally remember you don't have to stay at the same hostel / hotel every evening, he's on a bike so a few kilometres is no problem.

 

[Gailerart]

Thanks Skinnybiker and Jerry
He will be riding an urban ebike so will be sticking to bitumen and concrete. He's also in his seventies as I am, so a normal MTB is out of the question. Logistics will take a bit of planning if he decides to come, but we both love a challenge. I will look for the Del Norte guide and if I find it will send him the link. I'm sure there are many blogs and journals to find in a cycling nation like the Netherlands.
Cheers Ken

 

[eskcat]

Cycling the Del Norte


I am attempting a 780km Camino combo starting in Leon on 25 April and a friend from the Netherlands wants to join me and cycle the Del Norte from Aviles to Santiago. It will be challenging for him as he will have a lot of spare time to make up while waiting for me to arrive at our Albergue every afternoon ( He will be riding his E bike). Any advice on the Forum or cycling blogs I can send him would be greatly appreciated,so get your thinking caps on. I will be starting on the San Salvador,then the Norte, the Finisterre, and lastly, hiking the Primitivo in reverse from Lugo.
Buen Camino

I have done the Camino del Norte by bicycle in 2022. Fantastic and life-changing experience. I put together some Youtube videos to help pilgrims. Perhaps this is the best one to start:

Have a great experience!