Spain north to south

[7800]

Hi Guys,

I hope that you are all well and enjoying life. I am in the(very) early stages of planning a trip from Uk to Cape Town due to start in mid 2020. Does anyone have a ballpark idea how long would it take to travel from Bilbao to Tarifa via Murcia. Apart from a stop in Murcia for 4 days I will only be stopping to take in the scenery and rest. I will be riding small bike 250 t0 450cc I haven't decided yet.

Thanks in advance everyone

[tony johnston]

I have driven a Defender from Bilbao to Mercia in approx 12 hrs.and from there to Tarifa will take about 5 hrs.

[7800]

Thanks Tony that’s a great help. I think that I will need to split the Bilbao to Murcia section into at least 2 days then. I was thinking of keeping the hours riding to 6 at most. It will also depend on what time the ferry gets in to Bilbao. I might even spend the first night in Bilbao and head off early the next day.

[tony johnston]

One of the BRit FErries docks about 8am so I just grit my teeth and do it in one go.its all motorway so easy riding.

[PanEuropean]

Originally Posted by 7800

I think that I will need to split the Bilbao to Murcia section into at least 2 days then.

Yes, for sure, plan on at least two days.

There is some really fine riding up in the northern part of Spain, just south of Bilbao. I suggest you allow 3 days to get down to Murcia, as follows:

- first day to enjoy the delightful mountain riding up in the north of Spain.

- second day to haul ass ('transit') down to within about 100 miles of Murcia.

- third day to enjoy once again some delightful mountain riding just north of Murcia.

Sure, you could do it in a day (a single long hard slog), but what's the point? You're not running a road race, and you might as well enjoy some of the best riding areas Spain has to offer.

Michael

[7800]

I think that 3 days will be a good idea. I can’t ever see me getting back that way and the scenery looks breathtaking.

Cheers guys

[markharf]

PanEuropean speaks the truth, above, except that I can't even see the point to doing it in as little as 3 days. There is spectacular scenery of all sorts in addition to lots of historical and cultural sites, plus some of the most exhilarating twisty mountain riding you'll see between home and Cape Town, scattered throughout northern and southern Spain. I'd tend to blast through the center of the country in a hurry, especially during summer.

One thing worth thinking about, since you say you're leaving mid-year: it gets brutally hot in parts of Spain, to say nothing of Morocco, Western Sahara, Mauritania, and onwards.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark