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Cycling the Camino de Santiago

The Way of St James - Camino Frances

Guidebook detailing the 850km cycle route from St Jean-Pied-de-Port in southern France to Santiago de Compostela, following the original pilgrim route, with optional road variants. Suitable for most abilities and bikes, the route is presented in 19 stages averaging 45km each, with notes on the religious significance and local sites of interest.

Seasons

Both routes can be cycled between April-October, though as it is very hot (up to 40 degrees) in July-August these months are best avoided. Snow can fall on higher parts between November-March.

Centres

St Jean-Pied-de-Port, Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, León, Astorga, Ponferrada, Sarria, Santiago de Compostela

Difficulty

The off-road route is best ridden on a mountain bike or trail bike. It has steep ascents and descents on rough off-road trails. The road route, while reaching the same altitudes, ascends steadily on quiet asphalt roads with no undue difficulty for touring cycles. Less experienced mountain-bike riders can mix and match, using the road route to avoid the toughest off-road sections.

Must See

Rolling green hills, high chalk downland, vineyards, historic churches, architecture, local cuisine, Santiago cathedral housing the shrine of St James
ISBN
9781852849696
Availability
Published
Published
8 Mar 2019
Reprinted
6 Dec 2021
Edition
Third
Pages
264
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.45cm
Weight
290g
Overview

A guidebook to cycling the Camino de Santiago (Camino Francés or Way of St James) pilgrim route from St Jean-Pied-de-Port in southern France to Santiago de Compostela. Covering 770km (479 miles), this pilgrimage route through northern Spain can be completed in 2 weeks and is suitable for any reasonably fit cyclist.

Two routes are described, the first is suitable for mountain/trail bikes and is mainly off-road, and the second is a parallel route suitable for touring cycles that uses quiet asphalt roads. The routes are described east to west in 18 stages, each between 28 and 55km (17–54 miles) in length.

  • 1:100,000 maps and profiles included for each stage?
  • GPX files available to download? 
  • Refreshment and accommodation information given for each stage
  • Information on cycle shops with repair facilities along the route
  • Advice on planning and preparation

Table of Contents
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Mike Wells Cicerone author WELLS

By Mike Wells

Mike Wells has been a keen long-distance walker and cyclist for over 25 years. He has walked all the major British trails, the GR5 through the Alps from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean and has explored the Italian Dolomites’ Alta Via routes. He has also walked in Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Norway and Chilean Patagonia.

Mike has cycled the C2C route across northern England and Lon Las Cymru in Wales, as well as the Camino and Ruta de la Plata to Santiago de la Compostela. He has completed an end to end traverse of Cuba, a circumnavigation of Iceland and a trip across Lapland to the North Cape.

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