Cycling and bike rental in Asturias (ish)

fat bloke

Has anyone any experience they could share of cycling in Northern Spain and surrounds please? We may have our own bikes, or we may be looking to rent road bikes for a weekend or 2. We've booked the ferry to Santander for a couple of weeks but we've promised the kids that it's NOT a cycling holiday. We might get away with a day or 2 here or there though, and 'twould be a shame not to try the Angliru or something else Vuelta ish!

magicbastarder

not cycling related, but we stayed in a town called ribadesellas on the coast a good few years ago, and it's a lovely spot and very family friendly. about two hours drive west of bilbao.

we had possibly the best meal we ever had there too - €60 for food and drink for the two of us!

devonp

same here , stayed there as well, great spot but it has only 1 bike shop and they only hire out tourist bikes etc.

Daroxtar from here told me about the shop in Llanes (drove and collected ), its a good shop and the guy was very sound and knowledgeable, i booked before we headed over for one day and then sneaked another day as well

shop:

https://www.metasportbike.com/

I have two routes incl Covadonga and El Fito (warmer upper)out of Rib. but from Ribbadesella L'Angeliu was too far (thankfully !!)

benneca1

My better half is Spanish and we have holidayed there as the real Spain is toohot for me in Summer. Cobadonga is lovely and if with kids drivevin as far s as uou can and walk the gorge. when the vuelta went thto a few yThe angrileu is tou up TV C ly

magicbastarder

I think your phone was running out of battery as you typed that...

fat bloke

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120299950#Comment_120299950

Yeah, I'm thinking alright that mid-summer, keeping the Atlantic close might be wise.

Daroxtar

Hi Fat Bloke. I've been over there 5 times and trip no6 is pencilled in for early September. For families I'd definitely recommend Ribadesella or maybe Llanes, Llastres or Colunga. Plenty of cafés and nice beaches and a cool enough Jurasic museum that'll kill a couple of hours. Weather in July was perfect, 25-30 max, might have had a couple of light showers one day in a fortnight. In September and October I've had a bit more mixed but still lovely in general, just a good bit chillier up high.

I've stayed in Potes and Cangas Di Onis. They're both great bases and you're right into the mountains the minute you go out the door. Cangas is at the foot of Lagos De Covadonga with climbs up Mirador del Fito, Torniero, Puerto Ponton and Alto De Torno, right beside it. You also have the Ponga national park and Casselles and Sotres pretty close by. Potes has climbs to Piedrasluengas, Puerto San Glorio, Fuente De. They're all really worth doing but if I had to narrow it to 3, I'd do Covadonga, Parque Ponga and Sotres.

I think the single best day's cycling I ever did was last October, the 200km loop of the Picos. The Hermida Gorge on one side and Los Beyos Gorge on the other with the Puerto San Glorio climb in the middle are just outrageous. If you don't cycle it, it's as good a day's drive as you'll ever have. It's a huge favourite with bikers, I'm sure you'll see plenty of them on the ferry.

The Angliru is about an hours drive further on, closer to Oviedo. If you feel you have to do it, try and squeeze in The Gamoniteiro or La Cubilla as well. You'd get any 2 of those 3 into a 100km/3500m big day out. Angliru is every bit as tough as you'd imagine. Just think about the hard part of Kilmashogue going on for 7km after you've already climbed Ballinascorney as a warm up. Or 4 Mount Leinsters. TBH, the majority of it is actually quite doable if you're used to relatively steep stuff, its just the fkng insane 2km near the top that really kills you. However, despite the hardship it is a stunning climb if you can lift your head and look around.

If you've any questions drop me a pm and I can send a few links to the places I've stayed and my strava has heaps of routes I can share with you.

fat bloke

Brilliant dude, thanks a million.

What kind of accommodation do you go for? Airbnb or is there a Spanish niche / alternative I need to be aware of? :)

Daroxtar

I just used Booking.com or Airbnb, never had a problem.

Just as an example , we stayed in this one with the family, beautiful inside and out, balcony, pool, about 3 or 4 km from the village centre of Potes. http://www.apartamentoslacotera.com/

Last years trip to Cangas with the cycling lads we stayed here. Cheap and cheerful and very central. Stumbled home very late from the disco bar in about 3 minutes. https://www.casafermin.net/

I stayed in a couple of other places, all of them were fine.

A few things I'd try to take in, not cycling related. The cable car in Fuente De, the funicular to Bulnes and a hike through the Cares Gorge. They're all pretty unreal. Google them. Also, Santander is a lovely city with a couple of nice beaches and a fine central boulevard filled with cafés.

fat bloke

Thanks Daroxtar.

If you don't mind, could you pm me the full links to those places you stayed in?

benneca1

https://www.holidu.es/s/Potes--Cantabria--Spain?locale=en-GB&booster=1J2995jQMn1Ouqs%2FVgtZv146dlg6ZpUZKPO0dj3MTzWuIBaxZp3CmsYZSInGtPfI

I have used this a bit in Spain when cycling found it ok

Tree Scape

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120325071#Comment_120325071

PM sent.