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@steelspeed
So I've just come back from cycling from Caen > Bilbao.
Got the overnight ferry to Caen and then powered it down to Spain where I chilled for a bit.
To answer my own question, I've still no idea about the best route into the Basque Country. Everything got real confusing as soon as I entered Spain, with some of the best and worst riding.
I went from Irun to San Sebastián, and then to Bilbao via Oñati, and was pleased I did. The mountains were beautiful and had some great climbs / descents.
...but then I rode into Bilbao on what was basically a dual carriageway? There's clearly a cycle scene, so I presume there's a better way, but do check your route!
Anyway, I had a lovely time.
Was travelling solo and relatively light - took a Bivvy but stayed in campsites & budget hotels. Started with the EV routes, but detoured a lot.
For anyone interested, here's a rough outline of the route I went:
(I imagine people may want to go slower than this)
https://cycle.travel/map/journey/432225
Ouistreham
Domfront (+100km)
Ménil (+125km)
St Martin de la place (+96km)
Parthenay (+110km)
La Rochelle (+131km)
Saintes (+86km)
Bordeaux (+129km)
Parentis-en-Born (+111km)
Biarritz (+137km)
Donostia / San Sebastian (+57km)
Oñati (+78km)
Bilbao(+79km)
Ferry port (+18km)
Notes on route
• When I got to La Rochelle, the weather was meant to be thunderstorms and I hated the section of EV1 I was on, so I made the decision to avoid the ferry at Royan and go inland - to Bordeaux via Saintes.
In the end, the thunderstorms didn't appear (yet) but I didn't regret it, the roads were fast and Saintes was beautiful. (Could also maybe avoid La Rochelle entirely and go from Niort to Saintes)
• If you're getting the Ferry back from Bilbao, be aware the port is a LONG way out of town. You can get supplies in the towns nearer the port, so you don't have to carry from Bilbao. And I think maybe there's a train / tram too?
• This is my first time following the EV routes. They're obviously designed to be as accessible as possible, but they can be quite snakey and indirect.
If you're a confidant cyclist, it's worth checking if you really need to be following this wiggly route to avoid a minor road?
• Bring a towel (or buy one from Decathlon)
Issues overcome:
1 puncture, 1 broken Carradice rack, 1 chain spaghetti, 1 day of headwind, 3 days of solid rain, 1 hotel booking cancelled because of bike
Creatures Seen:
Red Squirrels, Deers, Llama (domestic), Grass snake, Big Snails, White Storks, Herons, Golden Orioles, Hoopoes, Dolphins
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