N120 Villafranca to Burgos cycling

[Capaco]

Can anyone tell me their experience of cycling from. Illafranca da Oca towards Burgos? Coming from Santo Domingo de La Cazada we found the N120 a little scary, narrow hard shoulder in parts and a lot of huge trucks. But going on the Camino in the mountains above Villafranca, could be tough and very slow and we hope to get to Tardajos tomorrow so need to make a decent pace. Is this stretch of n120, Villafranca to Burgos, safe or not do you think

 

[J Willhaus]

No experience cycling, but the bus goes that way and as I recall it is a pretty busy road.

 

[Saint Mike II]

Hola @Capaco, I cycled from Pamplona in 2015 and you are correct the shoulders of the roads often are not that wide. That said Spanish motorists, including truck drivers are use to cyclists on major roads (but not auto routes/express or motor ways). I actually followed the pilgrim way from Villafranca Montesde Oca through to Atapuerca. From here there is a minor road that takes you to the N1. You can of course stay with the N120 all the way to Burgos but I would recommend that you wear reflective vests and have active flashing lights on the back of your bikes. Oh and do not ride very early in the mornings or late afternoons when the sun is setting. Large trucks on the roads at those times are driving to meet delivery deadlines. If you can get a copy of the Michelin Camino de Santiago guide it does have details of minor roads that accompany the camino. Hope this is of help. Cheers

 

[Corned Beef]

If you can access Cycle.Travel (https://cycle.travel/map) or their app, you'll see it sends you on Eurovel 3 / N120. There is a cycle path at the side of the road you can use for most of the distance.

Agree with @Saint Mike II that the drivers are very good which might be influenced by the €200 fine if they pass too close to other traffic (not just cyclists)

 

[Tincatinker]

I find GoogleMaps street view useful for assessing road hazards when planning unavoidable road walking. The first stretch of the N120 from Villafranca seems to have fairly wide (1m) shoulders at least most of the time. You can divert onto the BU-V-7102 at San Juan de Ortega and go via Atapuerca and Villafria.

I think at least parts of that route are also the walkers route but its all fairly wide tracks. No one will complain

 

[LondonByBike]

Sorry just seen this and this is probably too late for you now but I have recently cycled that route and found that section of the N20 very unpleasant to cycle and dangerous with lorries even in bright clothes and lights, I went on the pilgrim path for a big section at this stage even though the track is very rough and I ended up pushing a lot

 

[Chris & Winny]

Sorry just seen this and this is probably too late for you now but I have recently cycled that route and found that section of the N20 very unpleasant to cycle and dangerous with lorries even in bright clothes and lights, I went on the pilgrim path for a big section at this stage even though the track is very rough and I ended up pushing a lot

Would be highly appreciated by walking pilgrims if the bicycles would stick to the designated cycleroutes and leave the footpath to the walking pilgrims.

 

[Tincatinker]

Would be highly appreciated by walking pilgrims if the bicycles would stick to the designated cycleroutes and leave the footpath to the walking pilgrims.

Much of the walking route is on farm tracks, un-metalled roads and minor highways. Some of it is even on designated cycle-routes.

Let's all play nice eh?

 

[Saint Mike II]

@Chris & Winny as one who both cycled and walk the Frances I suggest that there is much it that, as Tinca suggests local roads. On both caminos I had to stand aside as a large farm vehicle, tractor/harvester I think came straight down the middle of the road. At more than 5m wide no one was going to argue. So yes please be a little more understanding! Cheers.

 

[Chris & Winny]

Much of the walking route is on farm tracks, un-metalled roads and minor highways. Some of it is even on designated cycle-routes.

Let's all play nice eh?

Much of the walking route is on farm tracks, un-metalled roads and minor highways. Some of it is even on designated cycle-routes.

Let's all play nice eh?

I’m not refering to the shared sections, I refering to the narrow sections where pedestrians are struggling to to move forward because of thr uneven surface and have to give way to mountainbikers who find it a challenge to take this kind of roads.
If they would play nice, we all would be happy.

 

[Tincatinker]

I’m not refering to the shared sections, I refering to the narrow sections where pedestrians are struggling to to move forward because of thr uneven surface and have to give way to mountainbikers who find it a challenge to take this kind of roads.
If they would play nice, we all would be happy.

Yep, and if the local Spanish mountain bikers only made the effort to read this forum they’d have an appreciation of how annoying they are. Meanwhile you’ve always got your hiking poles….

 

[Skinnybiker]

Here is my journal of that section, let us know your experience.

2022 Spain & Some Portugal: Day 8: Santo Domingo to Burgos: Climbs and long descents on the Camino

Climbs and long descents on the Camino

www.crazyguyonabike.com

 

[Capaco]

Thank you, I'm using the Cicerone guide for cycling the Camino and it shows both ways: I think todays gravel will be tough as I'm a not-competent cyclist, so we will do a mix of both. Appreciate the advice

Sorry just seen this and this is probably too late for you now but I have recently cycled that route and found that section of the N20 very unpleasant to cycle and dangerous with lorries even in bright clothes and lights, I went on the pilgrim path for a big section at this stage even though the track is very rough and I ended up pushing a lot

Thanks for all the replies. We decided against the road because it was so unpleasant. We took the Camino and yes it is VERY steep, quite a job to push the bike uphill on the first stretch and we were passed by all the walking pilgrims, it was such hard work. Then we got going but had to stop again a little further, get off and push up again. Overall that went on for about half an hour, which is manageable. After that we could cycle, until about 5 km (approx) where there's a very steep drop and then rise, so for both its best to dismount which we did.
When we got to the monastery we switched to the 'alternative road route' which is well signposted. Although you eventually end up on the N1 for about 5 km, it is a great road, great views, and on the n1 part, a decent hard shoulder

 

[Capaco]

I’m not refering to the shared sections, I refering to the narrow sections where pedestrians are struggling to to move forward because of thr uneven surface and have to give way to mountainbikers who find it a challenge to take this kind of roads.
If they would play nice, we all would be happy.

Not all cyclists are mountain bikers, in fact most are not. We are finding the route very wide in most places and loads of room for walkers and cyclists. With lots of goodwill between both