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Hi All
I'm off to San Sebastian in a few weeks and will get a day or two pass to do some road cycling, assuming I can hire a bike.
Has anyone been and got any tips especially regarding any gpx road routes starting and finishing in San Sebastian, bike hire, general riding ideas?
I won't be dong anything heroic so aiming to do one maybe 2 rides of max 60miles. I assume I'll be doing a lot of climbing whichever direction I head out from there so won't bother specifying how many hills I'd like.
Obviously I can search the internet for some gpx's but its always nice to follow a route you know someone else has done recently if at all possible.
Cheers in advance
PS if people don't have cycling advice but do have advice on things to do, restaurants, bars, beers and wines to drink then I'm game for hearing them too.
If you've only got the one day, ride along to La Concha, east towards Pasaia, climb Jaizkibel, descend towards Hondarribia, then return along the coast. It's a relatively compact city, you're out into rural roads pretty quickly.
Jaizkibel is the signature climb of the area, gets used a lot in pro racing (although it's not especially hard unless you try smashing up it at Pogacar speeds!). Good views over the Bay of Biscay.
It's worth taking a gilet or lightweight waterproof. Northern Spain has a climate more similar to the UK than to "traditional" (southern) Spain.
Also, Basque as a language is not French or Spanish, it's unique and - much like Welsh - they're fiercely proud of it. That's not intended as any sort of criticism but knowing a few basic words or phrases will make a world of difference.
Try https://basquecountrycycling.com/ for rental. I've never used them but they seem to be the go-to option out there.
One memory of being there with basquemtb.com was remarkably good condition hill roads through native woodland and I thought "this'd be alright on a road bike". That was driving into the Pyrenees somewhere.
Also, agree on the Basque language thing - we felt properly fish out of water not recognising any words on a menu and staff not inclined to speak English. Google / AI translate has come into existence since.
Had a great ride up and over the Jaizkebel, into Hondarribia, down to Irun, up the Castel del Ingles climb and then back down towards San Sebastián… the Strava file has errors, but this bit 2 proper climbs and 2 great descents was magic. Oh, and the food everywhere is amazing
Cheers all, appreciated 🙂
Enough to be going on with there, I'll take a look at Jaizkibel, sounds perfect 👍
If you are able to go a little further west, the coast road between Ondarroa and Lekeito is absolutely fantastic.
If you are able to go a little further west, the coast road between Ondarroa and Lekeito is absolutely fantastic.
And quieter.
We stayed in Erribera just outside Ondorroa. Great MTB, if thorny and REALLY FRIKKIN STEEP. And the roads are also REALLY FRIKKIN STEEP when you get off the busier/faster roads. Great views, surprisingly humid and damp at times (take a jacket).
Apart from the Jaixkibel I can't recommend the area on a road bike, it's busy. The Spanish drivers are pretty careful around cyclists but the volume of trafic puts me off, I'm much happier on the MTB. The GI-2631 is a nice road that isn't busy but you have to get to it, we stay near Zarautz. As for speaking Basque, my mate born and bred Spanish Basque living in Zarautz won't utter a word of Basque, really not a problem. We've never had anyone in the Basque country refuse to speak Spanish to us, however we have had people refuse to speak French in Belgium.
Resident here. The Jaizkibel - Castillo del Inglés (aka Erlaitz when climbed from Irun) is a sound recc. I've guided for BCC and used that route. You can reach Lezo, where Jaizkibel begins, almost entirely on cycle paths. Takes longer to get out of town, but the main roads are quite hairy depending on what you're used to back home. Similarly, after descending into Oiartzun, there's a great cycle path (bidegorri in Basque, red way) to get you back. Erlaitz when climbed from Irun is steep, you could reverse the whole thing if you prefer a more gradual ascent, with views over to the Aiako Harria massif as you climb.
Out the other way, climb Igeldo directly out of the west of the city (400m), descend into Orio, climb to Aia via Andatzarate. At Aia*, follow signs for Asteasu. Add Alkiza climb en route if you feel fit. 85km. You're returning via Urnieta and Hernani, again there are cycle paths. I'd struggle to describe how to get onto them but I'm sure there's an app.
*Or at Aia, follow signs for Zarautz and ride the coast road to Zumaia.
The cycle paths and routes are on here, zoom in and roads with cycle lanes also appear:
https://www.weserradweg-info.de/de/tourplanner/?cat=21896084
Amazing, thank you so much all 👍
I will definitely look into the cycle paths- I don't mind busy roads (I live in Manchester and only road ride these days) but always best avoided if possible.
The GI-2631 is a nice road that isn't busy but you have to get to it, we stay near Zarautz. As for speaking Basque, my mate born and bred Spanish Basque living in Zarautz won't utter a word of Basque
Why would someone refuse to speak a word of Basque, it's impossible that they don't know any so it seems like a weird crusade...
Anyway, OP I had another idea. 90km 1500m. Leaving SS on the bidegorri to Oiartzun. There, follow Lesaka G-3420. First climb Arritxulegi 5km 7%, descend to the reservoir, next climb Agiña is a bit shorter. Views to Aiako Harria range, then over Navarra from the top of Agiña, lovely swoopy descent into Lesaka a pretty, mediaeval village. From there I climb 3km to Igantzi descending to the Bidasoa valley. You can cut that climb out and take a short cut towards Bera. Either way, you're following the Bidasoa river gently downhill to Irun - there is an gravel track down the dismantled mineral railway you can follow being careful of the potholes, ask for an extra tube if you're renting a bike, one tunnel has no lights but you can use your phone torch, not worth bringing a light for.
At Irun, you have to cross the city, there's no nice way to do it but follow Ventas, then Gurutxe, then you're back in Oiartzun.
From the last time I rode it: https://www.strava.com/activities/19500541563
re. bike hire, I know BCC look after the fleet*, I think it's Giant Ultegra Disc *I have to say that as the mechanic is a friend...
If you would like company I'm happy to join, although I'm away 2 weeks from the 21st Sept.
