Part 6 of our bicycle Trip, from Pamplona to Santiago Di. Compostella

About this blog

This is our final Trip on the camino to Santiago di compostella, this year starting from Pamplona, where we arrived by plane. Again we were riding by bicycle, no changes to our gear, wich is next to perfekt for riding through all kinds of terrain, from road to mountain path.

As you will read in the blog, we set our day trips to an average of 60km, with little or many hills to climb. Our Destinations were all larger Villages and city´s, first of all because we had reserved the hotels in advance, second because we wanted to do some sightseeing and have good restaurants around to choose from.

What changed this year was that as we got closer to the end, especially on the part Pamplona to Leon, the original Camino had beend destroyed by the spaniards! Not only had they built Roads on top of the camino, putting the pilgrims to walk for hours next to cars and trucks passing by, they even had the nerve to built a 4-lane highway right next to it, destroying the old "charm" of the original passage through northern Spain.

Having seen the camino from the Czeck border - through all of Europe - and finally in spain I can tell you one thing: the most beautiful part of the pilgrimage isn`t in spain anymore, it stops at their border! But having said that, the Camino from Astorga to Sarria is the most beautiful part. Afterwards, you meet many "wannabe pilgrims" who start their journey just 100km short of Santiago to get there pilgrim certificate.

Having said this, if you really want to do the Spanish camino, go by bike. There is no point in walking it. I saw hundres of pilgrims with hurt feet, limping, in pain, showing strong derangments in their gait cycle, sleeping in overfilled hostels. In contrast. bikers overcame the dull "walk by the road" in 2 or 3 hours, and had therefore time to choose their sleeping place, often choosing the more pricy but far more comfotable hotels instead.

Of course you will not be able to do on bike all the original camino the "foot pilgrims" do, but there isnt the need. 60% of the camino is right next to a road, so you will not miss out on anything on the bike, and foremost you will get healthy to Santiago.

Believe me!