Santander to St Malo

[ajb987]

Hello
I am pondering riding from Santander to St Malo or vice versa in early August 2018. Any tips - re wind direction, good camp sites and beaches en route - much appreciated. Happy to ride with somebody part or all of the way.

Adam

[tatanab]

9 years ago I rode Bilbao to St Malo. The Spanish bit was very very hilly and very hot, so took me about 30% longer than I had anticipated. I used a lanes route a little inland where Spanish campsites are sparse indeed. I used one at Sunbilla http://www.campingariztigain.com/ a little before France. I chose to cross the Pyrenees the following morning from Doneztebe to Cambo les Bains. A gentle climb on a good surface which went to only 600 metres. This avoided the crowded roads at the pinchpoint of the coast. Through France I stayed inland so cannot comment on beaches, I went up through Landes and the peninsula where everything is expensive since it is a holiday area, and then across the Garonne by ferry to Royan.

Do a search on the forum and you will find that Santader to St Malo has come up several times.

[simonhill]

I usually use Accuweather for working out wind direction and other climatic data. They will give a forecast for that far ahead - although I doubt it can be accurate. Nonetheless, if you dig down a bit you can find lots of lovely historic data.

Some of my favourites are : wind direction and strength; daily sunshine hours; wet days/hours; etc. Hours of fun!

[ossie]

I'd go Santander to St Malo in August. At that time of year high pressure tends to establish itself over Europe the winds of which blow clockwise so southerly or SE over western France. Additionally the prevailing winds for Northern France / UK are South West so the chances are the wind will be on your back....fingers crossed.

In August plenty of decent camp sites and beaches but busy and expensive near the coast and as a cyclist you will rarely get a discount as they will charge for the whole plot. Try and seek out municipals inland. Get to a campsite early as they fill up rapidly from 4 pm and if you see a fellow cyclist offer to share the plot and half the price.

[MrsHJ]

I'd choose St Malo to Santander. Not wind related-heat. It's extremely challenging cycling in Spain in the summer I find, even in the north I've got overwhelmed by heat by about 11:30 in the morning. Now it could be just me not dealing well with the heat but if you give yourself a couple of weeks or so on route down south it may be in your favour.

Other things that depend on your experience-the terrain in western France is easier than in northern Spain so starting in France will break you in! And in France the towns and services are closer together again making for an easier start to the journey and avoiding the challenge of being between places to stay and totally bonked until later in the trip!

When I did that route i left from Roscof (have used st Malo for other xfrance trips) and met him indoors at La Rochelle to go down the Atlantic coast, we then swung inland to dax and crossed the Pyrenees at st jean pied de port, trickled down through Rioja and blew an outer tyre (luckily had a spare-immense bang when it went due to him indoors hauling on the brakes so strongly it slipped the block slightly) coming down the mountains just east of Santander. Favourite places we stayed- Lacanau, Haro. Avoid-some of the coastal campsites in northern Spain-I think it was Laredo where we emerged from the mountains into the coast and it was pants compared to the previous couple of weeks. Also (and I think this may have been a different Santander ride going west as I've cycled from there a few times) there are immense roller coaster hills along the coastal road- very hard work).

[skelo]

Have a look at David Galloway's trip from Bilbao to UK
https://davidggalloway.wordpress.com/bi ... n-e-trike/

[teamonster]

Just finished Santander to Caen. To be honest I don’t think we had more than one day with the wind behind us. But it wasn’t really an issue, rain and thunderstorms were a bigger problem. The only time we really had to push against it, was cycling down the canal to Ouistreham ! Northern Spain is indeed hilly, but actually our hilliest and hardest day ended up being in France ! Wrote a blog for myself and a few friends, but happy to share. https://journeyswiththetank.wordpress.com If you need soecific info on anything in there happy to try and help ( If I can remember- it’s a bit of a blur)

[MrsHJ]

Just finished Santander to Caen. To be honest I don’t think we had more than one day with the wind behind us. But it wasn’t really an issue, rain and thunderstorms were a bigger problem. The only time we really had to push against it, was cycling down the canal to Ouistreham ! Northern Spain is indeed hilly, but actually our hilliest and hardest day ended up being in France ! Wrote a blog for myself and a few friends, but happy to share. https://journeyswiththetank.wordpress.com If you need soecific info on anything in there happy to try and help ( If I can remember- it’s a bit of a blur)

I remember being drenched by rain and then when we made it onto the pass being snowed on in mid June in the picos d'europa. Sheltered in a shepherds hut on the way up (they invited us in and it was fascinating with Hams hanging etc but also rather smelly!) the rest of the morning in a bar warming up and drying off. Not guaranteed good weather. I will read your journal later, lovely feeling to have completed your ride. X

[teamonster]

Funnily enough the weather in Spain was lovely - France was the issue, but I can imagine it being pretty inhospitable in those Spanish hills when cold and wet, snow would be too much !!!

[ernest]

Have just established that I am able to take some time off work in early August and am interested in joining you for some of this trip although I will be heading for Roscoff. Could you supply some more details i.e. when you are intending to go, from which port (Plymouth or Portsmouth) and anything about yourself. I am 67 and tend to be comfortable doing about 60 miles a day.