Bilbao Roscoff June 2024

[simonhill]

I understand you can't book the train, in fact I'd advise you not to as deadlines are a pain.

I don't know where home is (yours not mine), but I've caught the Portsmouth to Waterloo train a few times. No booking, frequent departures and plenty of bike spaces. From London, Thameslink will take you north a bit - sorry to be vague on this bit but it isn't my route. Thameslink are also wheel on no booking service.

Someone will be on to help with the north of London bit soon, but there's hope, worry not.

[MrsHJ]

Just to say Plymouth to Birmingham new street is doable if you wish. It’s a an hourly cross country service with limited bike spaces. In terms of timing considèr aiming for the Sunday morning ferry- that’s a better arrival time for trains than the other which tend to be evening arrivals at 8pm.

Saint malo is also a nice choice though.

Thank you, I've looked at trains in my time frame and all say fully booked. Since I don't know the exact date I'll be able to do the distance in, I can't commit to a specific date. If I have to cycle home, Portsmouth is a lot shorter than Plymouth, with less hills, I hope

Fair enough.

Turning to your plans I know exactly when I’ll be on ferries etc as I’m an over planner! What do you reckon your daily distance is likely to be? Have you got a rough outline of your first week? I don’t know how strong a cyclist you are but I’d suggest for touring somewhere between 50-100km a day suits most people with some keen and regular cyclists doing more and those with small kids or taking an extremely laid back approach doing less.

I find a 50km day just too short for me and I run out of road too early. Others are keen sightseeers and stop to investigate lots of things and have a long lunch. For my next tour I’m aiming at around 75km a day with a few days over 80km and one over 90km.

[Tallslimbloke]

Thank you all so far.

Does any know the exact location of the Euskroten station in Bilbao please. A gpx route would be brilliant. I think I've found it, but someone on here may confirm or otherwise.
I understand that this train/tram goes from Bilbao to San Sebastian, where one changes to get the next to Hendaye saving going over Pyrenees.

Thank you again

[Jdsk]

...
Does any know the exact location of the Euskroten station in Bilbao please. A gpx route would be brilliant. I think I've found it, but someone on here may confirm or otherwise.
I understand that this train/tram goes from Bilbao to San Sebastian, where one changes to get the next to Hendaye saving going over Pyrenees.
...

https://www.euskotren.eus/en
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euskotren
https://www.seat61.com/international-tr ... astian.htm

Jonathan

[Tallslimbloke]

Just to say Plymouth to Birmingham new street is doable if you wish. It’s a an hourly cross country service with limited bike spaces. In terms of timing considèr aiming for the Sunday morning ferry- that’s a better arrival time for trains than the other which tend to be evening arrivals at 8pm.

Saint malo is also a nice choice though.

Thank you, I've looked at trains in my time frame and all say fully booked. Since I don't know the exact date I'll be able to do the distance in, I can't commit to a specific date. If I have to cycle home, Portsmouth is a lot shorter than Plymouth, with less hills, I hope

Fair enough.

Turning to your plans I know exactly when I’ll be on ferries etc as I’m an over planner! What do you reckon your daily distance is likely to be? Have you got a rough outline of your first week? I don’t know how strong a cyclist you are but I’d suggest for touring somewhere between 50-100km a day suits most people with some keen and regular cyclists doing more and those with small kids or taking an extremely laid back approach doing less.

I find a 50km day just too short for me and I run out of road too early. Others are keen sightseeers and stop to investigate lots of things and have a long lunch. For my next tour I’m aiming at around 75km a day with a few days over 80km and one over 90km.

50 miles/ 80km depending on terrain.

[Tallslimbloke]

...
Does any know the exact location of the Euskroten station in Bilbao please. A gpx route would be brilliant. I think I've found it, but someone on here may confirm or otherwise.
I understand that this train/tram goes from Bilbao to San Sebastian, where one changes to get the next to Hendaye saving going over Pyrenees.
...

https://www.euskotren.eus/en
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euskotren
https://www.seat61.com/international-tr ... astian.htm

Jonathan

Thank you

[simonhill]

Thank you all so far.

Does any know the exact location of the Euskroten station in Bilbao please. A gpx route would be brilliant. I think I've found it, but someone on here may confirm or otherwise.
I understand that this train/tram goes from Bilbao to San Sebastian, where one changes to get the next to Hendaye saving going over Pyrenees.

Thank you again

A search on Google maps usually locates most things. I use it extensively when touring.

Once located there is usually info on it, plus photos. Streetview can be useful for 'looking' at the place . Also reviews which I found particularly useful post COVID as a recent one meant the thing was open.

Enjoy.

[MrsHJ]

Thank you, I've looked at trains in my time frame and all say fully booked. Since I don't know the exact date I'll be able to do the distance in, I can't commit to a specific date. If I have to cycle home, Portsmouth is a lot shorter than Plymouth, with less hills, I hope

Fair enough.

Turning to your plans I know exactly when I’ll be on ferries etc as I’m an over planner! What do you reckon your daily distance is likely to be? Have you got a rough outline of your first week? I don’t know how strong a cyclist you are but I’d suggest for touring somewhere between 50-100km a day suits most people with some keen and regular cyclists doing more and those with small kids or taking an extremely laid back approach doing less.

I find a 50km day just too short for me and I run out of road too early. Others are keen sightseeers and stop to investigate lots of things and have a long lunch. For my next tour I’m aiming at around 75km a day with a few days over 80km and one over 90km.

50 miles/ 80km depending on terrain.

That’ll be fine for that route- you may well find yourself blasting on and doing a bit more once you’ve settled into it. It’s pretty flat although we diverted inland to go over the Roncevaux pass when heading to Santander so I haven’t done the stretch around Bayonne and Hendaye. We loved Lacanau plage when we cycled down to Spain. Coming back that way from the med last year I found the area around Soulac a bit depressing- not sure if it was my frame of mind or the lack of people in early June. Anyway I stayed in Royan and really really enjoyed the lovely light and winding up that stretch to Rochefort (that’s the photo with the fab bridge up above) and La Rochelle and then for me I quite liked going off plan and nipping inland to La Roche sur Yonne. Are you doing the Saint Nazaire bridge or heading over the Loire at Nantes? I’ve done both and they’re both ok although people seem a bit cautious about the bridge these days. You’re going to have a wonderful time.

Could you post an update once you’ve done the train as it’s been asked about a few times so some on the ground testing and feedback would be great.

[Tallslimbloke]

Fair enough.

Turning to your plans I know exactly when I’ll be on ferries etc as I’m an over planner! What do you reckon your daily distance is likely to be? Have you got a rough outline of your first week? I don’t know how strong a cyclist you are but I’d suggest for touring somewhere between 50-100km a day suits most people with some keen and regular cyclists doing more and those with small kids or taking an extremely laid back approach doing less.

I find a 50km day just too short for me and I run out of road too early. Others are keen sightseeers and stop to investigate lots of things and have a long lunch. For my next tour I’m aiming at around 75km a day with a few days over 80km and one over 90km.

50 miles/ 80km depending on terrain.

That’ll be fine for that route- you may well find yourself blasting on and doing a bit more once you’ve settled into it. It’s pretty flat although we diverted inland to go over the Roncevaux pass when heading to Santander so I haven’t done the stretch around Bayonne and Hendaye. We loved Lacanau plage when we cycled down to Spain. Coming back that way from the med last year I found the area around Soulac a bit depressing- not sure if it was my frame of mind or the lack of people in early June. Anyway I stayed in Royan and really really enjoyed the lovely light and winding up that stretch to Rochefort (that’s the photo with the fab bridge up above) and La Rochelle and then for me I quite liked going off plan and nipping inland to La Roche sur Yonne. Are you doing the Saint Nazaire bridge or heading over the Loire at Nantes? I’ve done both and they’re both ok although people seem a bit cautious about the bridge these days. You’re going to have a wonderful time.

Could you post an update once you’ve done the train as it’s been asked about a few times so some on the ground testing and feedback would be great.

Yes, I'm put an update on the train. Someone posted a video on YouTube which I looked at but details are not that great about location.

Possibly St Nazaire Bridge but intend to go to West of Nantes believe there's a ferry at Le Pellerin to cross. North to Blain then onwards to St Malo.

[MrsHJ]

Yes, I’ve heard of the ferry too. That photo with the canoes is near to Blain (to the east of it somewhere I think- edit, no to the west near Saint Vincent sur oust).

Very mild warning- I found a bit of an affordable accommodation dead spot around blain and ended up staying there in a self catering apartment that didn’t take bikes. They said to put the bike in a sealed bike box in the çentre of town. Only problem was that I had a pretty flimsy lock and you would use that to seal the bike box so I hiked it up to the apartment anyway which worked ok. Maybe I’d have found more options if I’d investigated more deeply- it can be a drawback of the canal that it doesn’t go through particularly populated areas and my overall laziness in looking for alternative types of accommodations. One of those days I regretted not taking a tent as I’d have preferred to be outside.

[simonhill]

That Le Pellerin ferry is shown on Google maps. Runs every 20 minutes. Recent reviews a few weeks ago, so should be OK.

Website here:

https://inforoutes.loire-atlantique.fr/ ... info_60323

[Tallslimbloke]

Thank you all.
Think I've finally worked out where the Eustroken station is in Bibao and how to get there.