Famous as a walking route, northern Spain’s Camino de Santiago is also growing in popularity with cyclists. New tours along the pilgrim trail by cycling holidays company Saddle Skedaddle give riders the chance to explore more of the network of camino ways that lead to the city of Santiago de Compostela.
Bilbao to Santiago road cycling holidays
This newly-extended Camino de Santiago tour takes riders from Bilbao, along the dramatic Atlantic coastline, into the wild Camino Primitivo mountains, before reaching Santiago de Compostela. After collecting the pilgrim’s stamp, riders head out of Bilbao and along the rugged coastline of the Cantabrian Sea before leaving the Basque Country for Cantabria. The route then journeys through the natural parks of Liencres and Oyambre before following the coastline and foothills of Picos de Europa.
The city of Oviedo marks the starting point of the Camino Primitivo, and with it some of the first major climbs of the trip, including the ride over the Alto de Carbunrana into the Cordillera. Arriving in Samblismo, there’s a drop into the Pola de Allande before climbing to the highest point on the trip, the Palo Pass (1,200m). Travelling through pine woods and past ancient settlements, amazing views across the rolling green valleys of Galicia can be found at Alto de Fontaneira, before reaching the fortified city of Lugo. The route then rejoins the Camino Frances for the journey up Monte del Gozo (Mount Joy), before a downhill ride all the way to Santiago de Compostela. For cyclists on the new guided trip, there’s an additional ride through more Galician landscapes to the fishing port of Cabo Finisterre and out to its cape.
Guided holiday
- Duration: 11 days
- Dates available: 30 June-10 July and 1-11 September 2024
- Price: from £2,895 per person
- Price includes: accommodation (half board), full tour service including support vehicle, and airport transfers. Flights and bike hire not included. Vueling flies direct to Bilbao from London Gatwick and provides return flights from Santiago de Compostela. Flight price approx £200pp. Bike hire from £275pp.
- How to book: skedaddle.com
Self-guided holiday
- Duration: 10 days
- Dates available: 2 April-12 October 2024
- Price: from £1,895 per person
- Price includes: accommodation (bed and breakfast), local representative, use of the Skedaddle App for holiday information and navigation, and luggage transfers. Flights and bike hire not included. Bike hire from £445 per person
- How to book: skedaddle.com
Camino Primitivo self-guided mountain biking holiday
One of the lesser-known camino ways, Saddle Skedaddle’s new eight-day, self-guided holiday gives mountain bikers the chance to experience a wild ride through the remote mountains of northern Spain on the original pilgrims’ trail. Starting in Oviedo, the capital of Asturias, the route follows ancient paths and forest singletrack before joining trails along the Nalon riverside. More technical riding awaits in the Asturian mountains with stone pathways and singletrack descents through pastures, forest and quiet villages.
Other highlights include the climb and descent from Puerto del Palo mountain pass, the highest point on the trip; the journey through ancient settlements and along 20kms of tracks and paths to the city of Lugo; and the penultimate ride through oak woods and eucalyptus plantations along the Camino Frances – the most popular pilgrim route to Santiago.
The last day in the saddle winds through tiny granite hamlets and farmsteads along ancient stone paths, making for amazing mountain biking trails. It’s then onto paved roads for the final ride to Monte del Gozo (Mount Joy) and the downhill journey to Santiago de Compostela.
Trip details
- Duration: 8 days
- Dates available: from 2 April-30 September 2024
- Price: from £1,385 per person
- Price includes: accommodation (bed and breakfast), use of the Skedaddle App for holiday information and navigation, luggage transfers, and airport transfers. Flights and bike hire not included. Vueling flies direct to Oviedo from London Gatwick (outbound) and Santiago de Compostela to London Gatwick (return). Flight price approx £200 per person return. Bike hire from £195 per person. eMTB hire from £330 per person
- How to book: skedaddle.com