To northern Spain, with a bicycle

[D.M. Procida]

I going to visit someone in Llanez and/or Bilbao next month, and I'll
take my bicycle.

I can take a ferry from Plymouth to Santander, and ride to Llanez, or
get a train to Bilbao.

That will, apart from the bike ride, take me about 24 hours, including
the train to Plymouth (and it'll cost me about £260).

Or I could do it by train instead of the ferry: Eurostar to Paris, TGV
to Irun, then a local train. That'll be more like 13 or 14 hours, and
will cost about the same.

It's not a cycling holiday (I'll have stuff to do there, helping my
friend with his project:

<http://www.lesspress.com/twiki/bin/view/English/SnailCabin>

Sorry if it doesn't load - my Apache server keeps stalling and I haven't
yet worked out why). All the same, I fancy at least one stiff ride so I
can arrive in style (i.e. exhausted, sweaty and stinking).

Anyway, what would be more fun: the ferry or the trains? Fun for me
includes not having to worry too much about the well-being and location
of my bicycle.

Daniele

[Dan Gregory]

D.M. Procida wrote:
> I going to visit someone in Llanez and/or Bilbao next month, and I'll
> take my bicycle.
>
> I can take a ferry from Plymouth to Santander, and ride to Llanez, or
> get a train to Bilbao.

> Anyway, what would be more fun: the ferry or the trains? Fun for me
> includes not having to worry too much about the well-being and location
> of my bicycle.

I love arriving in Santander by Sea. Also it's very easy to get out of
town on the local FEVE trains http://www.feve.es/html.php?id=10
getting off at Cabezon is a good spot for example and then ride into the
Picos or to Llanes.
Bikes are allowed on all trains.
They also go to Bilbao if you're pressed for time

The Picos & around Comillas have some great rides.

[Doki]

"D.M. Procida" > wrote in
message
...
>I going to visit someone in Llanez and/or Bilbao next month, and I'll
> take my bicycle.
>
> I can take a ferry from Plymouth to Santander, and ride to Llanez, or
> get a train to Bilbao.
>
> That will, apart from the bike ride, take me about 24 hours, including
> the train to Plymouth (and it'll cost me about £260).
>
> Or I could do it by train instead of the ferry: Eurostar to Paris, TGV
> to Irun, then a local train. That'll be more like 13 or 14 hours, and
> will cost about the same.
>
> It's not a cycling holiday (I'll have stuff to do there, helping my
> friend with his project:
>
> <http://www.lesspress.com/twiki/bin/view/English/SnailCabin>
>
> Sorry if it doesn't load - my Apache server keeps stalling and I haven't
> yet worked out why). All the same, I fancy at least one stiff ride so I
> can arrive in style (i.e. exhausted, sweaty and stinking).
>
> Anyway, what would be more fun: the ferry or the trains? Fun for me
> includes not having to worry too much about the well-being and location
> of my bicycle.

IIRC you can't go down to the hold whilst you're at sea. Your bike will be
fine. And you can get drunk on the ferry! I'd choose it over flying whenever
I've got the time, but I don't mind being on a boat.

[A.C.P.Crawshaw]

D.M. Procida wrote:
> I going to visit someone in Llanez and/or Bilbao next month, and I'll
> take my bicycle.
>
We went by train/ferry in 2006, outward journey was fine, return was a nightmare. My
account is at http://www.bikesandtrains.co.uk/routes/camino

Let us know how you fared when you return!

Alan

[POHB]

"D.M. Procida" > wrote in
message
...
>I going to visit someone in Llanez and/or Bilbao next month, and I'll
> take my bicycle.
>
> I can take a ferry from Plymouth to Santander, and ride to Llanez, or
> get a train to Bilbao.
> Anyway, what would be more fun: the ferry or the trains? Fun for me
> includes not having to worry too much about the well-being and location
> of my bicycle.

If you've got time you can get get the ferry to Bilbao. It's like a mini
cruise and quite a laugh if you're up for it, plus whale watching in the Bay
of Biscay.

[Dan Gregory]

A.C.P.Crawshaw wrote:
> D.M. Procida wrote:
>> I going to visit someone in Llanez and/or Bilbao next month, and I'll
>> take my bicycle.
>>
> We went by train/ferry in 2006, outward journey was fine, return was a
> nightmare. My account is at http://www.bikesandtrains.co.uk/routes/camino

Love your site.
Now I have a great urge to go back to the Picos!

[A.C.P.Crawshaw]

Dan Gregory wrote:

> Love your site.
> Now I have a great urge to go back to the Picos!

Thanks Dan... too many places to go, not enough holidays!

Alan

[Nick Kew]

On Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:40:06 +0100
(D.M. Procida) wrote:

> Anyway, what would be more fun: the ferry or the trains? Fun for me
> includes not having to worry too much about the well-being and
> location of my bicycle.

Go for the ferry, every time!

I went to Amsterdam about a year ago, and took the ferry after
some agonising. The journey was so pleasant that when I had
to make the same journey this year (second week of April),
I had no hesitation in going for the same again.

The man in seat 61 (google for the website) might have some
good tips - e.g. if there's a combined rail+ferry package
at a good price. That's where I learned of the "dutchflyer"
package.

See my blog: I think the relevant entries are tagged
"apachecon" (the conference that's taken me to Amsterdam
these past two years).
http://bahumbug.wordpress.com/tag/apachecon/

--
not me guv