Euro trip - Pyrenees 2020

[GraemeW]

How many are interested in doing a trip to the Pyrenees in July? I need to know asap how many are seriously interested, as it impacts planning which needs to start now. Don't need to commit fully right now. 5 to 6 cars minimum is a viable trip. Thanks

Propose a sailing from Portsmouth to Bilbao evening of 8 July returning 17 July (16 July departure from Bilbao). 9 nights away, 7 days driving. Haven't worked out a programme yet, but probably head east on Spanish side of the Pyrenees and back again on different roads. Diving in and out of France. Ive driven the area in 2015 (not in an Atom) and others have done an Ariel Club trip in 2016. There are some fantastic driving roads down there.

You should take your car on at least one Euro Trip. An experience you never forget

[Karl V]

Interest registered...

[GraemeW]

[Rob Evans]

Interested;
a) If I have annual leave from work? Will check later today.
b) If I have a car?

Rob.

[GraemeW]

Good to hear Rob. Call in sick and buy a new car quick. Did the other sell last year?

[DMZ]

I’m not going to make it this year but I have looked at it before.

One thing I suggest is to have a look at this Ride magazine which contains a lot of info on good roads in the Pyrenees:
https://on.readly.com/s/GB!tu1kV6bx25f

Another thing is that I read or someone told me that while it’s a lot quieter than the Alps it’s still quite busy in the summer so I was personally aiming for an autumn or spring time. Given that it’s Spain that should be just fine weather wise.

[GraemeW]

Thanks DMZ. Yes agree, I would prefer to go at the end of the season in September, but Ariel@20 event happening sometime in September, so proposed July before school holidays start. I last went in May which was fantastic

[Anon]

I am interested, that is the Goodwood weekend though but this could be fun. My wife is interested but we would probably not stay away 9 days, but cut it to 5 days instead.

Do you tend to trailer the Atoms over?

[GraemeW]

Simon great. Re Goodwood FOS, yes thats an important event. I thought it was the weekend before. Our dates are not fixed yet, but propose July before school holidays start end of July.

2 of those 9 days are on the boat over. You could just do 3 days when you get there. We don't trailer over for northern Spain as the travel is on the boat, but other euro trips like Switzerland last year, trailering would have made sense, although we didn't.

[Trigger]

I would love to come - but both my sons have Graduation days that week from Uni - once I get dates I will see if any way to squeeze a few days in - maybe do the 5 days option.

[GraemeW]

That’s great Trigger

Summary of progress...

We thinking of moving this forward so Rob can attend. He’s on fixed rosters for the year. Unless of course that displaces too many others. But it may work and also allow peeps to attend Goodwood FOS

New proposed dates;
Wed 1 July evening depart Portsmouth for Bilbao arriving evening Thursday 2 July.
Thursday 9 July depart Bilbao, arrive Portsmouth Friday 10 July. All dates still to be confirmed

I’ve got outline routes. Details to follow. Basically travel east from Bilbao south of the Pyrenees , before heading West north of the Pyrenees. We will cross them repeatedly each way, where the best roads are. I’m proposing 2 bases one in the west and one in the east where we will stay a couple of nights and do trips out. Following past trips we think this will make the journey more relaxing not having to pack up every morning. It also allows drivers to opt out of a days driving if they want a break.

Those wanting to do the shorter trip could just travel with us to the west base the return home. The best roads however are in the East.

I hope to have the routes and hotels finalised in next couple of weeks so we can book

[Steve Gibson]

Provisional yes, here.

Some of the mountain roads to the west of Andorra are terrific driving and relatively quiet.

[Trigger]

Mmmmm after watching some program on last night with Bikers taking a recent amputee over an Alpine route by Mont Cenis, it made me wonder what off road tracks we may find for the Nomad brigade....

[GraemeW]

Trigger, Art Burasz of Mud Nomad fame offered last year when i was discussing this trip, to take the Nomads off road and meet the Atoms down route. He hasn't come back to me yet. He lives down there.

I have found some great roads for the Nomads as well. Once the main route is plotted we can do some more searching, as the the roads I normally look for are Atom biased, but the Pyrenees has loads of roads made for the Nomads :-)

[GraemeW]

Here are the details for this tour;

Book soon if you wish to join us for a great trip. Budget £3k. New members (other than those below) please PM me, even if you just thinking about it. We have had to move this trip forward to accommodate more drivers. Now 24 June to 3 July. 9 nights away.

1. TRIP MEMBERS

Graeme W - Atom
Steve Gibson - Atom
Simon Hart - Atom
Rob Evans - Atom (to confirm)
KarlV - Nomad
Dunny - Nomad
Trigger - Nomad (to confirm)



2. ROUTES

DRAFT Routes on MyRoute App here ---> https://www.myrouteapp.com/group/routes ... etime/desc
(these will be updated and added to. We will add in some more Nomad options). If you can't access this, let me know.

The route will take us east from Bilbao criss crossing the Pyrenees then return west again on different route. We will have 2 bases. One in the East and one in the west. We will have day excursions from there, or drivers can have a rest day if they wish.



3. FERRIES

Brittany Ferries
Wednesday 24 June: Portsmouth to Bilbao 1200 ->1245 (next day, so book a cabin). Ship: Cap Finistere
Thursday 2 July: Bilbao to Portsmouth 1530-> 1415 (next day). Ship: Cap Finistere



HOTELS

Thursday 25 June
Hotel Torre Zumeltzegi
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Rev ... untry.html
http://www.hoteltorrezumeltzegi.com/es/ar/1/inicio.html

Friday 26 June & Saturday 27 June
Parador de Sos del Rey Catolico
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Rev ... ragon.html
https://www.parador.es/en/paradores/par ... y-catolico

Sunday 28 June & Monday 29 June
Parador de Vielha
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Rev ... lonia.html
https://www.parador.es/en/paradores/parador-de-vielha

Tuesday 30 June
Hotel Vinas de Larrede
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Rev ... ragon.html
https://www.hotelvinasdelarrede.es

Wednesday 1 July
Pamplona Catedral Hotel. REQUEST SECURE PARKING
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Rev ... index.html