The Primitive Way from Oviedo by bicycle

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many kilometres are cycled per day on the Camino de Santiago?

  Doing the Camino by bike allows the ‘bicigrino’ to cover more kilometres per day than a pilgrim on foot, easily double. The number of kilometres cycled per day depends on several factors:

  • physical capabilities of each person;
  • time available;
  • route and section chosen (technical difficulty of the terrain);
  • availability of accommodation.

  A priori, a pilgrim can cycle between 50 km and 100 km per stage. In flat stages, such as those of the Meseta, you can easily cover up to 100 km per day, although in stages with slopes, such as the arrival at Roncesvalles or O Cebreiro, it is perhaps more convenient to establish shorter stages.

• What is the best time to do the Primitive Way?

  The best time to do the Primitive Way is between spring and autumn. During these months, the climate is milder and more pleasant, avoiding the intense cold of winter. In winter it is likely to find rain and, given the altitude of some mountain levels, snow, so the cold season is not recommended.

• Which Camino is harder: the Primitive or the Northern Way?

  The Primitive Way is harder than the Northern Way because of its short but intense stages, with steep slopes and mountainous terrain. Although the Camino del Norte also presents challenges, it alternates mountainous sections with flatter stages along the coast.

• What services are included in the Camino de Santiago by bike?

  The Camino de Santiago by bike includes the following services:

  • Accommodation
  • Dossier with information about the stages
  • Pilgrim's credential
  • On-the-road helpline
  • Travel insurance

  In addition, you can customize your trip by adding the following optional services:

  • Luggage transport between stages
  • Breakfast or half board
  • Extra night at the beginning or end of the stage
  • Bicycle rental

  Unlike the group trips, no guide or support vehicle is included between stages. However, you will have a 24-hour hotline where you can contact us in case of any problem or unforeseen event, which we will solve quickly.

• Can I bring my own bicycle for a trip on the Camino de Santiago?

  Yes, you can do the Camino with your own bike. The important thing is that it is in good condition before starting to avoid problems. Remember that you can also rent a bicycle with us (MTB, e-Bike, etc., with equipment included) which you will find directly at your first shelter, and we will indicate where to return it at the end of your journey.

• Where will I leave the bicycle each night at the accommodations?

  Do not worry, most accommodations on the Camino have secure spaces for bicycles. They are usually garages or enclosed areas with security measures. When we organize your trip, we ensure that each accommodation guarantees this service. Additionally, if it is an e-Bike and you need to charge it overnight, the accommodations will provide you with a power outlet and electricity.

• Which is the hardest stage of the Camino Primitivo by bike?

  The one from Salas to Pola de Allande, 48 km. It is a succession of long climbs and descents, with ramps such as La Espina or the Alto de La Guardia, and it ends with the climb to the Alto de Lavadoira before dropping down to Pola de Allande.

  Pace yourself and make the most of stops in La Espina and Tineo, where you can stock up. The Puerto del Palo awaits the next day, so don't give it everything.

• What changes when you reach Melide on the Camino Primitivo by bike?

  In Melide the Camino Primitivo joins the Camino Francés, and from there to Santiago you will have better surfaces, more services and many more pilgrims. On the last stage, from Melide to Santiago, take great care with those on foot: in high season there are groups taking up the whole path.

  In Arzúa the Camino del Norte joins too. Then you pass near the airport, climb San Marcos and reach Monte do Gozo, with your first views of the cathedral.

• Does the Camino Primitivo by bike from Oviedo qualify you for the Compostela?

  Yes. It is 331 km to Santiago, above the minimum of 200 km by bike that the Pilgrim's Office requires to obtain the Compostela.

  Get your pilgrim passport, which is included in the trip, stamped at least twice a day over the last 200 km (at accommodation, churches or bars along the Camino) and finish your journey at Santiago Cathedral.

• Is the Camino Primitivo by bike suitable for beginners?

  It is not the best choice for a first time. The Camino Primitivo by bike from Oviedo is a challenge designed for experienced cyclists: it crosses the mountains of western Asturias with long, very steep gradients for almost the whole route, and some paths are in poor condition. It is also a lonely route, with few services until Lugo.

  In return, the scenery makes up for the effort. If this is your first Camino by bike, take a look first at the Camino Francés from Ponferrada or from León.

• Which sections of the Camino Primitivo by bike are best ridden on the road?

  The first stage, from Oviedo to Salas, can be ridden almost entirely on the original route. From Salas to Pola de Allande, if it rains, you are better off on the road: mountain tracks can become impassable, especially with panniers.

  On the climb to the Puerto del Palo, some ten kilometres of continuous ascent, the trail sections are very technical, so the road is the better option. And from A Fonsagrada to Lugo, the road is your plan B if you are running low on energy.

• Why is the stage from Grandas de Salime to A Fonsagrada so short?

  Because it is your breather after the Puerto del Palo: 28 km that you can treat almost as a rest day. But it is not flat: you pass the Chao Samartín hillfort and Bustelo del Camín, the last Asturian village, on the long climb to the Alto del Acebo among wind turbines.

  On the way down you are already in Galicia, and we recommend following the original trail to A Fonsagrada. Watch out: here the scallop shells show the direction with their open end.