Budget: Cycle the Full Camino Frances

With its collegiate church, old monastery and the impressive chapel of Santiago, Roncesvalles has a strong link to the Camino de Santiago. It is also one of the major spots of all the routes heading to the tomb of St James in the city of Santiago as this is where all pilgrims travelling via the French Way gather to to start their journey to Santiago de Compostela. Set at the foothills of the Pyrenees, this peaceful place seems to exist because of, and for, the pilgrims travelling on the Camino.

Leaving the Pyrenees behind us, we head towards Pamplona through the undulating terrain of the Basque Country via woodlands and hilly cultivated lands. One section of this route today ascends an elevation of nearly 500m. This can be tough going but is ultimately very rewarding when you arrive in Pamplona.

As soon as we leave Pamplona, we notice a drastic change in landscape: sunflowers and cereal fields surround us as we pass el Alto del Perdon (an elevation of 750m) before heading down to Puente de la Reina, where the French and Aragonese Ways to the city of Santiago meet. The second half of the day sees another change in landscapes as red earth crop fields fall away and charming villages and vineyards begin to appear.

Today is another beautiful day, travelling through vineyards and red earth crop fields. We also pass by a few famous landmarks of the Camino de Santiago such as the Monasterio of Irache and its bodega, and the steep climb up to Villamayor de Monjardin. Shade also decreases as we get closer and closer to Logrono, capital city of the well-known wine producing region of La Rioja.

Yet another great cycling day along red earth tracks and through the countryside of La Rioja. As the day goes on, we notice vines start to disappear and are replaced by more cereal fields as we approach Santo Domingo de la Calzada. This day can be seen as challenging as there are many ups and downs all day long and little shade.

The day is spent walking through hilly crop fields, crossing a few quiet villages before getting back to civilisation in the city of Burgos. This can be a demanding day as the length is challenging and there are a number of steep gradients to tackle – but the final destination in Burgos is well worth it!

All day long, you will notice the influence of the Camino de Santiago as there is not a single village we cross that does not have obvious references to it. Cycle your way gently through the countryside and enjoy the sunshine and fields of flowers lining your way to Fromista.

During this stage, we have a good understanding of the popular meaning ‘Castilla es ancha’ (Castilla is wide). Crop fields give patches of beautiful colour to the agricultural landscape all year round. The first half of the day is mainly flat and it gets a bit more undulating on the second half to Sahagun.

Today we cycle through the colourful Castilian Meseta or plateau. The landscape here seems endless as we pass over the flat terrain of the area, affording great views over the surrounding agricultural area. We finish the day in the vibrant city of Leon, a fantastic city to head out in and enjoy some of the local food and wine.

This is probably one of the flattest cycling days of the entire Camino Frances, but as we are on a high plateau, it still offers some great views and you will see Astorga down in the valley long before reaching it! In Astorga, take some time to visit the Episcopal palace, the cathedral, and the old city walls.

The last day of this section is definitely the most difficult but also the most rewarding one! We can enjoy spectacular views as we climb up to 1,500m above sea level to reach the famous Cruz del Hierro (the Iron Cross). The natural scenery and towns with rich history make this the best way to finish the section, before reaching Ponferrada: a city with a lively, and very pretty, mediaeval centre.

Today you will cross the region of Bierzo, a sunken plain nestled within a ring of mountains. It is a fertile land, with an agreeable climate that allows the cultivation of many types of fruit and vegetables. In Villafranca, don’t miss the garden of the ‘Iglesia de Santiago’.

If you would like to cycle at a more relaxed pace, we can arrange to split this section into two days, with a stop over in La Portela de Valcarce overnight.

Prepare for a challenging day with an ascent of 1000m. You will pass through the narrow valley of the river Valcace before tackling the ascent of O Cebreiro. Situated between the ranges of Los Ancares and La Sierra do Courel, this stage involves a steep climb in the course of only a few kilometres.

As we continue across the undulating terrain of the Galician mountains, the route offers more stunning sights and historical buildings. Finally, we reach Sarria, where pilgrims travelling from all over and by any means get to know each other! While in Sarria, it is definitely worth having a look at the town’s main religious sites, Convento de la Magdalena and Iglesia Santa Marina de Sarria.

This penultimate day starts with an ascent up through oak woods, passing the Romanesque Church of Barbedelo before cycling over the Belesar Dam in Portomarin. Continuing on the Camino to Melide is not too difficult – despite the typical Galician rolling hills meaning a lot of ups and downs along the way!

This is probably the most exciting day of cycling along the whole Camino as today we finally reach Santiago de Compostela! Before that, we will have to traverse the now-usual rolling hills of Galicia. The most exhilarating part of today will probably be on reaching El Monte de Gozo (Mount of Joy), where you can see the city’s magnificent cathedral in the distance for the first time, before arriving into Santiago de Compostela shortly afterwards!

After breakfast, we bid you farewell.
If you wish to stay in the area, we recommend that you:
– Take your time and visit the magnificent historic centre of Santiago.
– Continue with us along the wild Camino Fisterra (Finisterre Way), and stay overnight at the hotel in the lighthouse!
– Or take a bus to Fisterra to visit the unspoilt sandy coves and beaches of the west coast. With very few tourists, you are guaranteed a very special experience. Buses depart from Santiago Bus Station at 9am and 10am. Buses return to Santiago at 4:45pm and 7pm. The journey takes 3 hours.