After several 3 month cycle tours a few years ago our lives got diverted by Covid, Brexit (affecting our seasonal work), and both of us having cancer, and moving house. We are now in a position to plan another tour (last one was "European Tour 2019 - Year of the headwinds!")
We are away in the Alps for the early part of the winter, so to allow our 90 days touring we need to start around 18th May. Initial thoughts, for an easy predictable reintroduction to touring is ferry to St Malo, Greenways across Brittany to Nantes, then down the Atlantic coast of France on the EV1. We have cycled most of this previously (2016 and 2017), so no stress there. From the Spanish border we would follow the EV1, which goes inland down to the south coast of Spain, then back northwards up the Portuguese coast. From where the EV1 finishes, follow our noses to possibly join a Camino route in reverse back to Bilbao or Santander - this should be doable even for us old crocks within our 90 days.
So - advice needed - what is the route through Spain and Portugal like? Are there adequate campsites? (for various health related reasons JanetS is not keen on wild camping), we would be happy to use hostels or cheap hotels if needed from time to time. I am thinking that over near the Atlantic the temperatures won't be prohibitive in late July and early August, but will everywhere be ridiculously rammed in holiday season?
Any advice from those experienced of riding these routes gratefully received!
We are away in the Alps for the early part of the winter, so to allow our 90 days touring we need to start around 18th May. Initial thoughts, for an easy predictable reintroduction to touring is ferry to St Malo, Greenways across Brittany to Nantes, then down the Atlantic coast of France on the EV1. We have cycled most of this previously (2016 and 2017), so no stress there. From the Spanish border we would follow the EV1, which goes inland down to the south coast of Spain, then back northwards up the Portuguese coast. From where the EV1 finishes, follow our noses to possibly join a Camino route in reverse back to Bilbao or Santander - this should be doable even for us old crocks within our 90 days.
So - advice needed - what is the route through Spain and Portugal like? Are there adequate campsites? (for various health related reasons JanetS is not keen on wild camping), we would be happy to use hostels or cheap hotels if needed from time to time. I am thinking that over near the Atlantic the temperatures won't be prohibitive in late July and early August, but will everywhere be ridiculously rammed in holiday season?
Any advice from those experienced of riding these routes gratefully received!
