As more and more travelers discover the experience of cycling rather than walking the Camino routes, some of them chose to follow the well worn hiking trails, invariably riding past fellow pilgrims on foot. Naturally the hikers will be traveling at a much slower pace and it is simply good manners and good sense to consider their safety and yours, to make sure everyone has a Buen Camino - a good pilgrimage.

Don't aim for Strava KOMs
Cycling the Camino de Santiago is not by any means a race and in fact you would miss out on so much of the experience by not slowing down to smell the flowers and occasional field of cows, that it would be a shame. It would also very much against the spirit of friendship on the Camino to zip down a bumpy single track trail or cobbled village, weaving through the unsuspecting pilgrims. Also remember that down-hills are much harder on walkers than uphills. If anything, offer to shuttle a weary pilgrim's heavy pack to the next Albergue!

Don't practice your Freeride skills on the trail
Some of the forest trails on the Pyrenees and in Galicia would be superb for some root-ridden enduro decents, only they are designated hiking trails... Graciously shared with cycling pilgrims by the hikers who began walking the Camino over a 1000 years ago. As a mountain biker myself, I have often been crazy to speed down the single track on my 29er, and I know we are both good for it - but that is not the point of the Way and I know this is a lifetime journey to be savoured by me and by everyone else.

Don't ignore lost, broke down or tired pilgrims
Sometimes where you are rolling at a fine pace, the last thing you want to do is slow down, let alone stop, but part or the Camino spirit is one of selflessness and willingness to give or help out. Just because you are hauling down the tarmac hairpins on your way in to Ponferrada with nothing but the warm wind in your face and a grin from ear to ear - not everyone in your team might be riding so happily. So take the time to stop and help and if needs be pedal back up the hill to help fix that blown out tire - or just to give a kind word of comfort; I can tell you from personal experience you will be much happier if you do!

Don't block Doors and Passage ways
At the end of a long days ride, you can be so tired you just want to lean your bike against the closest wall and grab a cold Aquarius. Just make sure it is not blocking a local's front door or path of passage for fellow cyclists, hikers or drivers. This can happen a lot more often that people care to imagine, I know: I have done so myself to a shepherd who was no doubt even more tired than I was!
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Fit a bell to your bicycle
All our Camino bike rentals, rental packs and tours include a pretty handlebar mounted bell. Not only do they have a nice ring to them but they can keep you and your fellow pilgrims safer on shared trails and in the narrow streets of old towns and villages. If you are bringing your own bicycle to ride the Camino, make sure to fit a bell before you leave or certainly before you start your journey.

Make yourself known whenever you approach a walking pilgrim
No point in having a bell if you are too shy or forgetful to ring it to be heard! The point is to make your presence known before you pass the hikers, so if they are a little hard of hearing, let them know you are about to pass them by calling out some friendly heads-up words. As there are pilgrims from all over the world, I recommend using the timeless "Buen Camino" or Good Pilgrimage greeting!

Go slow when passing
To keep things safe, particularly when cycling on rough or technical sections of the Camino, it's best to slow way down when passing as you don't know when a hiker my decide to pull over for a rest, nor to which side. You won't know if they have headphones in or are hard of hearing so don't take a chance and just play it safe for both of you even after you have announced you presence.

Be a Goodwill Biking Ambassador
As you cycle the Camino you will start to feel the Camino "Vibe", a kind of kinship of fellow travelers on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Be a part of it! Help other bikers and hikers along their way and you help someone have a little Camino miracle with something as simple as a shared bar of chocolate or a plaster from your first aid kit, for a painful blister.

Can you think of more Camino Do's & Don'ts? If so, drop us an email and we will be happy to share your Camino words of wisdom here too!

Cycling the Camino de Santiago can be a once in a lifetime adventure, and as such, to make the very most of your journey, here are a few suggestions from a fellow cyclist and perennial pilgrim to help you on your Way!

We had planned to go through the route of the Portuguese Central way in 3 days, from 27 to 29 October 2018. We settled with Cycling Rentals to receive the bikes (in boxes sent by a courier) to our Hostel in which we stayed overnight when we arrived in the city of Porto, the day before the planned start of our journey. Similarly, we would just have to return the bikes, leaving them at our final lodging location in Santiago de Compostela. These hostels/lodges where we stayed at the beginning (Porto) and at the end of the planned route (Santiago de Compostela) have to be affiliated with Cycling Rentals. And so we did.

But the conditions of various stretches of the route were quite harsh, beyond our initial expectations. So we only managed to complete the course in 4 days. Nevertheless, it was quite exhausting to complete the entire course, even in a 4-day period. The ideal for those who want to make the Portuguese Central way, in less time than walking, so as not to be so physically challenged as we were, and to enjoy many of the attractions along the way, is to travel the entire path from Porto to Santiago de Compostela by bike in around 6 days. On foot this same route is done, more commonly, in 10 to 12 days.

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Porto -São Pedro de Rates 

On October 27th, we started our journey to Santiago de Compostela in the hostel where we stayed, without worrying about going to the Cathedral of Porto to start the journey. We recommend not to start the journey to Santiago de Compostela as we did, as this may bring difficulties in the first KMS when leaving the city of Porto to find the indicative signs typical of the Camino de Santiago (yellow arrows and shells). Thus, the ideal start is always at the Cathedral of Porto, and then go following with attention the indications of the Portuguese way, through the yellow arrows and shells.

On this day we went until the village of São Pedro de Rates, where we stayed overnight in the cozy local hostel (Albergue de São Pedro de Rates). Just before this village, we went through the beautiful monastery of Vairão, where there is also a hostel that seemed very friendly (Pilgrim's hostel of the monastery of Vairão), and that may be also an interesting alternative, in case you decide to stop a little before arriving São Pedro de Rates.


São Pedro de Rates -Rubiães 

The next day, October 28th, in the morning, we left São Pedro de Rates towards Rubiães, a long journey that day. The scenery is quite distinct from the one found on the previous day, because the urban areas found in the previous stretch were replaced by rural areas, through trails of land, often with many stones and irregularities of the terrain along the trails. 

This stretch has moderately uneven terrain in general, but has a particularly high one at the end of the stretch (Alto do Portela - Labruja). The journey at this stretch also becomes more interesting, as we cross through an essentially wine-growing territory (producer of grapes and wines). 

The ascent of Labruja, for those who are making the Portuguese Central way on bike, is especially harsh (when passing through there, we could not avoid associating the name with the term in Spanish 'La Bruja '-the Witch!). After overcoming all this stretch from São Pedro de Rates, it is an immense joy to find the hostel in Rubiães, which is also very comfortable and welcoming.


Rubiães - Pontevedra 

From Rubiães onwards the next day, October 29th, we had a challenge to travel another great distance to Pontevedra. We passed through Valença do Minho (last city of Portugal) and Tuí (first city of Galicia), on the banks of the river Minho, which we crossed to leave Portugal and enter the territory of Galicia.

After passing through Tuí, we proceed to O Porriño. In this city there is an alternative itinerary (which we strongly recommend!) by a natural grove called As Gándaras, by the left bank of the Louro River, which avoids the industrial polygon of O Porriño, the largest in Galicia, with heavy traffic, buzz and pollution (visual, sound and air).

After passing through Redondela further forward, we finally get to Pontevedra, to finish the long journey of this day. Throughout this day, the unlevelling is moderate and the route follows alternating the asphalt of local rural roads with trails of land and gravel, passing through beautiful woods and bordering streams with crystalline waters. The hostel of pilgrims of Pontevedra is at the entrance of the city, and is very large, with good accommodation and welcoming.


Pontevedra-Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela 

Finally, on the last day of the journey, we left Pontevedra towards the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Passing by Caldas del Rey, we went towards Padrón. Padrón is a locality of high cultural and historical interest, along with Iria Flávia, which is aside, and was founded by the Romans during the occupation of Galicia to explore the large amounts of gold found there at that time.
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This whole last stage is simpler to accomplish and presents only small undulations, always following the national road N-550. This final stretch is largely made on asphalt and urbanized areas, with the mention of the moderate and progressive uphill in the Milladoiro, which required a lot of effort because we already had enough accumulated fatigue from the journeys of the previous days.

Written by Andrew Leach

I first heard of the Camino de Santiago when I was walking the Pyrenees about 10 years ago. I thought at the time it would be interesting one day perhaps to continue my journey on to Santiago de Compostela and so complete my journey from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic.
Last year a French acquaintance named Paul had just returned from his 'Camino' and we spoke of travel, walking, food and many things. Although he never entered my house as he was delivering logs, there was an empathy between us. I brought him back some special Abondance cheese from France which he likes, as a thank you for the wood. He inspired me to cycle the Camino.

The History / Legend of St James is much a character of Legend in Spain as St George is in England. Facts about his life are hard to come by, although it is certain that he was beheaded by Herod Agrippa in Jerusalem in 44 AD... the rest is however hypothesis. His body and head are said to have been taken by his followers Athanasius and Theodoro to Jaffa where a stone boat  was commissioned and within a week this boat and precious cargo were washed up at modern day Padron only 20k from modern day Santiago de Compostela where he was buried.


For 800 years he appears to have lain undisturbed and forgotten until a hermit called Pelagius had a vision of a star shining on a field (Compo - Field; Stela - Star) and his tomb was discovered. Some time later king Alfonso II declared St James patron of Spain. He was often reported to be seen in battle against the Moors on a white charger. A Church was built over his tomb and so the modern history of  Santiago de Compostela began.

This summer Gerard, Michael, Neil and I set off for Bilbao to cycle the Camino. We carried just the very bare essentials... it was going to be hot.

We planned to cycle about 100k every day, over some beautiful landscapes to parts of Spain which we had never heard or imagined of .. look up Burgos, Leon, Logroño.. to name but a few of our stops, these places were a revelation to us.

The people we met along the way came from all points of the compass; Levenshulme to Christchurch NZ and everywhere in between.

Everyone we met had a different story and reasons for their journey.. too many to tell here, although one chap we saw in Santiago dressed as an old fashioned Pilgrim had been walking for years and has lived off the land without money or any modern day accouterments. Others had walked the last 100k to receive their certificate. Some people had walked/cycled from Poland, Austria or Italy, you name it and here were to be found pilgrims. One German boy I spoke with had walked into Santiago in bare feet.

The reasons for their journeys? As numerous as their origins, spiritual, penance, in memory of loved ones, a challenge? Others because it was just there to do.


The food along the way was in most places wonderful (pilgrims fare on average for 3 course was on average €15 inc of  wine, coffee & water) Accommodation was excellent and inexpensive, we stayed in small hostels or converted Monasteries, which offered good value. We could have stayed in an Albergue for about  €5-€10 per night but the thought of a large dormitory for the night wasn't for us.

At every stage along the way you received a Stamp to prove the distance you have travelled and at the end you receive a certificate once your credentials are produced .

We travelled through the Navarra region and on to the Castilian flatlands at between 800 and 900 meter for two days in the searing heat with little or no shade and arrived in Galicia with it's green mountainous landscape. I hope to return in the future to explore and experience some more of this beautiful part of Spain with it's friendly people and interesting culture. It is really a hidden part of Spain which I would imagine few British people have visited.

On our penultimate day we stopped in a small town called Sarria and visited a small church, we sat outside had a sandwich and drink and set off again. We all said we needed more food and a coffee and decided we would stop somewhere soon. We must have passed a few dozen places selling coffee and  were leaving town up a steep hill when Neil's foot slipped off a pedal, we all stopped to see if he was ok when a voice from behind me said "Hello Mr Andrew Leach, how are you". At first I didn't recognize the face with the goatee beard and black shirt and I was trying to figure out who it was; then I realised it was Paul... the Guy who had inspired me to do the Camino. Was this Divine intervention, purely coincidence or just chance? He was working at a restaurant and served us some excellent fare and we talked for a while said our goodbyes and cycled on.


Arriving in Santiago was something of an anticlimax, with it's busy streets and pilgrims everywhere and we were tired after another long hot day in the saddle.
Did we have a religious experience? what had the journey taught us, we spent some hours discussing this over dinner that night.

It was a great journey on a terrific landscape, meeting interesting people... And you find out things about yourself and what your body is capable of. I cycled for 5 days with a badly sprained ankle, most people we met had blisters and bandages here and there.

Everyone was in agreement that it was a real sense of achievement, one we're unlikely to forget in a hurry.