2018 Northern Spain

Routes and report

Routes:

Santiago de Compostela - Lugo - Fabero - Villablino - "Puerto de Aralla" - Vegacervera - Riao - "Puerto de San Glorio" - La Vega - Potes - "Collado de Hoz" - "Collado de Ozalba" - "Colla de Carmona" - Valle - "Puerto de Palombera" - Reinosa - Bilbao - Donastia- San Sebastian
Overview: Northern Spain
2018_NordspanienRoute
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Overview: Cantabria
2018_Cantabria
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Day 1; Santiago de Compostela - Lugo; 89km, 1030hm

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https://www.komoot.de/tour/48484600?ref=wtd
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2nd day; Lugo - Fabero; 142km, 2550hm

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https://www.komoot.de/tour/48657718?ref=wtd
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3rd day; Fabero - Villablino - "Puerto de Aralla" - Vegacervera; 132km, 1940hm

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https://www.komoot.de/tour/48798141?ref=wtd
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4th day; Vegacervera - Riao - "Puerto de San Glorio" - La Vega; 128km, 1530hm

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https://www.komoot.de/tour/48881109?ref=wtd
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5th day; La Vega - Potes - "Collado de Hoz" - "Collado de Ozalba" - "Colla de Carmona" - Valle (road CA-280); 70km, 1370hm

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https://www.komoot.de/tour/48947547?ref=wtd
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6th day; Valle - "Puerto de Palombera" - Reinosa; 75km, 127ohm

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https://www.komoot.de/tour/49046227?ref=wtd
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7th day; Reinosa - Bilbao; 145km, 1110hm

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https://www.komoot.de/tour/49154808?ref=wtd
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8th day; Bilbao - Donastia- San Sebastian - Biarritz; 149km, 1430hm

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https://www.komoot.de/tour/49260129?ref=wtd

Report

I thought autumn was a good time for a bike ride in northern Spain, but it can be quite cold and rainy at the beginning of October! In the blog "Asturias (Leon)" you`ll see, it was drizzle at 2.5 degrees. Summer would be a better time for this tour and not too hot.. (unfortunately, the blog is only in German available)
Galicia and Asturias was beautiful, quite hilly, amazing landscape, little traffic. A good point, there are very good restaurants and accommodation, etc.
According to the photos, Cantabria is very similar to the Alps. There is a nice pass on the border from Asturias to Cantabria, called "Puerto San Glorio" (south of the "Picos Europa"). A recommendation for all Racing Bike friends, ...consistently good asphalt road. If you cross the pass from the west side, you will reach the valley along the "Rio Quiviesa" (road N-621, west of the "Los Picos de Europa"). There is a huge descent, extremely narrow, hard to believe that the construction of a road is possible there. A little south of "Potes" you will reach a mountainous and rocky landscape. There are also some beautiful "hills" called; "Collado de Hoz", "Collado de Ozalbo" and "Colla de Carmona". From the village "Valle" (road CA-280) follows another pass to the "Puerto de Palombera" (approx. 1000hm). The climb is mostly in the forest and on the other side of the pass it continues to Reinosa at a lake.
Pais Vasco: from Reinosa it continues slightly hilly towards Bilbao, unfortunately with increasing traffic. The area around Bilbao and Donostia-San Sebastian was pure horror, a lot of traffic and bad signposts. Without GPS I wouldn`t find the way! Of course a "highlight" when you come to the sea on the north coast 🙂