The Bicycle Adventure Club - Come Ride With Us!

Green Spain and Picos de Europa 2023

September 2nd to September 17th

Ride Coordinator: Grant McAlister
Report by: Bo Newsom

Having been on many BAC adventures since 1999, I am happy to provide a report on the Green Spain and Picos de Europa 2023 tour.  Grant McAlister, BAC board member and ride leader, and Simon Profitt, Iberocycle owner extraordinaire, combined to design and execute an outstanding tour.  Meet up was in Bilboa, home to the Guggenheim museum, which was followed by a comfortable coach transfer to the far reaches of the Picos de Europa, Ponga, and the town of Cangas.  This is the ideal base for 4 nights and for 8 optional rides into the park, up to the lakes of Covadonga, around the area and to the seacoast.  The temperatures were comfortable, the landscape was limestone and green vegetation, and the climbing was abundant.

This was followed by multiple nights in Cosgaya, Cabuérniga, Villacarriedo, Santoña and back to Bilbao with required riding to transfer between towns. The entire area provides excellent riding, nice roads with light and courteous traffic, and beautiful scenic vistas.  The hotels utilized were all quite nice, ranging from avant garde to traditional to upper scale. All had quality linens, hot showers, good locations, good service and food, and good WIFI.  Breakfasts ranged from continental style to over the top.

I particularly enjoyed Simon’s well prepared and presented happy hour presentations on the culture, history, geology, food, geography, watersheds, language and etymology of the areas we visited as well as the detailed explanations of the ride routes and the sights we would be seeing.  I also appreciated his relaxed and laid-back manner, attention to detail and spot on delivery of tour leadership.  He has available an extensive fleet of well-maintained rental bikes and Ebike.

In summary, I would certainly do this tour all over again as would everyone that I asked in the group.  One note of caution, this area of Spain is mountainous, you will be climbing and some of it can be steep and there are usually no flat options.  Do not let this deter you from experiencing this tour of a friendly and impressive area of natural beauty and gastronomic quality.