Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

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Miguel Evans
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Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by Miguel Evans »

I am flying to Barcelona in early May (thanks for the advice on the airport!), and plan to cycle up to Berga and Ripoll for a 9 day tour.
Can anyone advise on the clothes I am likely to need as I like to carry as little as possible. I am assuming it will be warm enough for riding in shorts and one shirt with mittens? I don't plan to take a base layer or tights. Does this sound reasonable. I intend camping, will trousers, sweatshirt and jacket be sufficient in the evenings? Likelihood of rain in this region? I'll probably take a paclite.
Also, what shouldn't I miss? The mountains look good enough on their own, but any tips gratefully received.
:D
MarkF
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by MarkF »

Depends where you are coming from Miguel? I've toured around Girona in April and September, for me it was warm/hot, but then I live in Yorkshire. I'd expect day temps of around 18-22c but could be hotter. I find my cycle tops too restrictive in the heat (it's hilly) and ended up buying cheap beach vests. There is zero need for a base layer or tights.
DougieB
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by DougieB »

I cycled Barcelona/Edinburgh around May last year (return leg), and it was probably 25 plus some days. I skirted the Pyrenees, but the weather there was warm and sunny with occasional low cloud. I flew over the mountains last week, and there was hardly any snow left (on the plane route). this week in Barcelona it's been raining, but cycling to work I'm still loathe to wear a jacket over my shirt. But, as Mark says, depends on your temperature tolerance.

I'm actually off up to the Pyrenees tomorrow, in a similar area to your plans. I only have the easter weekend (4 days) so am training it up to Figueres, and then cycling to Albanyà. From there it looks like (on the map) a track to Sadernes Sant Grau. After that it's along a very squiggly road to Oix (recommended stopping place by the guys in the office), and on towards Camprodon (this time 'highly' recommended). From there I'll scoot back vi Ripoll, and then somehow back into Barcelona.

I'm only taking shorts and a short-sleeve shirt, plus a rain mac, tent, etc.

cheers
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CJ
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by CJ »

Our daughter is cycling up that way at the moment. She's due to cross the Pyrenees on Wednesday so I was looking at the forecast, which unfortunately is cloudy and wet, with snow above 1600m. The Port Bonaigua is 2072 :(

Having encountered falling snow and sub-zero temperatures on summer tours of the Alps with me a few years ago, she's carrying a bit more gear than DougieB hopes to get away with though. And I reckon she has the guts and experience to cope. (She's the little blur in the corner of the Cycle-Clips email banner by the way.)
Chris Juden
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eileithyia
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by eileithyia »

2 years ago we were to cross the Pyrenees in May, we didn't we stayed in Andalucia as the snow extended as far south as Madrid (also on our route).

I have toured the range in September and while I did not have snow, the temps were very low, on a wet day, and I needed to wrap up well for the descents.

These are major mountains and any weather can happen at any time. Not the Pyrennes I know but it is not solong ago that sportive riders were not allowed to go up Mont Ventoux to complete the ride as the weather was so bad, riders were at risk of hypothermia on their descent.

One year in June we heard of walkers being trapped in the mountain refuges due to snow in the pyrennes.

I would prepare for the worst weather and have a bit more clothing than you are planning to take.
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megilleland
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by megilleland »

I'm actually off up to the Pyrenees tomorrow


I fear the advice of CJ and Eileithyia may be too late. Lets hear what he has to say on his return. I have been frozen stiff several times when camping in Spain, and with as much clothing as I could put on. Also the early morning temperatures can create icy conditions on shaded parts of the road usually on bends watch out for the "Hielo" and "Gel" (Catalan) signs.
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megilleland
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by megilleland »

Here are a few youtube videos to highlight the sort of weather to expect. Not really shorts and T-shirt weather. Enjoy.

Rain in the Pyrenees

Rainy weather at Renclusa

Lightening Strikes in the Mountains

Pyrenees day 1 - part 1
Pyrenees day 2 - part 2

Brings back memories!
ossie
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by ossie »

I crossed the Pyrenees mid June last year, via Olot, Camprodon up from Girona. Whilst Girona was warm, up at 1500 meters it was just above freezing, freezing rain with the snow line not far above me. Heading lower down and it quickly warmed up.

Also had near freezing temperatures at high altitude in August in the same area a few years earlier. Be prepared would be sensible advice.
DougieB
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by DougieB »

well it was baking hot every day, except today which was a bit cloudy (13 degrees); shorts and t-shirt did just fine. however, as people are indicating it depends on your abilities to deal with weather. obviously mountain areas are changeable, and generally chilly first thing in the morning and during the night. I tour during the winters a lot (usually heading to where there is snow), so I have decent equipment (ie sleeping bag, tent, etc) which can make a big difference.

I spoke to a local in Beget, and he said it's 'once again' unseasonably warm, and they've had very little snow this winter. it seems they are going through the reverse of the Scottish Highlands weather change (which oddly, he knew about).

in answer to your original question, I think yes shorts and shirt are going to be fine for cycling (wearing the paclite if it's chilly). if there is some late snow, then you're probably going to head a different direction anyway. I'm assuming you won't ride into a snow storm with shorts and a t-shirt :)

There's a well stocked bike shop at Ripoll near the train station, if you feel the need to get more clothing. The road from Castellfollit de la Roca (via Oix) to Camprodon was fantastic, but very up and down. Camprodon is nice (the crepe place in the middle of town is very good), the campsite 2 km's south looked ok but the campsite 2 km north looked awful. Beget was an interesting little place too, it has a hostal. Campsites were around €14/night.

if you wanted to skip the urban sprawl of barcelona, then the train is a quick and cheap option. barcelona to figueres was €10, and ripoll to barcelona was €7. I imagine getting to the outskirts (Granollers) would be a few euro. you can just walk on the Renfe trains with the bike (they are much wider trains than in the UK).

have a good trip...

cheers
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DougieB
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by DougieB »

oh yeah, and, Ripoll to Sant Joan de les Abadesses (at least) has a very good cycle path; the old railway line now a tarmac cycle/walking path).

lastly, there's lots of 12th century 'stuff' in this area, so you might want to swot up on that time period and things might make a bit more sense when you see them.

cheers
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megilleland
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by megilleland »

See you had a great Easter ride and the weather was good! The romanesque churches in the area are marvellous, magical monuments. Two of the best are found in the Boi valley at Boi and Taull. It's incredible that they were built nearly a thousand years ago and the frescos painted inside still remain very legible and colourful. Some of the churches in the region are undergoing restoration of their frescos and the vivid colours really hit you. In many cases, the original frescos are on view in the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC) in Barcelona. I suppose this was the nearest the locals got to a religious experience - usually of hell, just like watching the news today!
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CJ
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by CJ »

DougieB wrote:well it was baking hot every day,

Glad to hear you were so lucky with the weather. My daughter is crossing the Bonaigua today and it looks like she's also in the clear.

For future reference, I found reference on a Spanish skiers forum to a website where you can check for closed roads in Catalunya by whatever cause, weather or roadworks etc.
Chris Juden
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DougieB
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by DougieB »

I hope she has a good trip, and also gets a lucky break.
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CJ
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by CJ »

She did, text received from Amy this evening:

Today: start Esterri d'Aneu at about 1000m, climb the Port de la Bonaigua
2072m in 22km, decend (so cold and snowing!) and pass into France to St
Beat 505m after 82km total, climb col de Mente 1349m in 9.5km to our
auberge at the summit. 2 passes, and 93km av speed 17.5km/hr! Now sat with
hot choc in front of the fire :) great day.
Chris Juden
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smith4188
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Re: Barcelona, Pyrenees in May - advice please

Post by smith4188 »

With regards to the original post, I went over the Coll d'Ares (the closest one to Ripoll) today and it was bloody freezing. There was no snow on the road but snow at the side of the road for the uppermost 400 metres. There was also a horrible wind that required work to get down the other side into France. I'm glad it's done and only wish it were warmer on this side of the hill, but it isn't. Take something warmer than one shirt, I'd say.
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