Adventure Bike Rider Forum

I have long wanted to visit Portugal and do a ride across the country, and various on and off road ride reports here and elsewhere have whetted my appetite thoroughly...

The idea of riding the Portugese section of the ACT route looks and sounds fun https://www.adventurecountrytracks.com/act_portugal/ Although for some reason, I prefer the idea of riding S to N rather than the N to S route on the GPX route, but no real reason at all behind this mind The ride back can then encompass the EN2 route I thought, but I am still at the very early stage of route planning... Bike choice is still being decided... Little NX400 is great, but not so brill on making up time on a motorway, but the Vara is a handful off road, albeit it does work! So how gnarly is the ACT route??

I am thinking that late May would suit me best, and I am guessing by then the weather should be OK, even in the mountains??

I am minded to use real beds as I'm less keen on camping unless I am based in a location for a few days, and can unpack creature comforts for an extended stop. So, costs?? I may use the return trip for a jaunt back through France, so would use the F1/Premierclasse type hotels, is there a comparable outfit in PT or Spain?

Any great thoughts anyone?

Steve - you have a PM

Steve T

I arrive Bilbao 16th May and plan to do the ACT North to South.

Our paths may cross.

Cheers......

dunarin wrote: ↑Sun Feb 10, 2019 7:36 am I arrive Bilbao 16th May and plan to do the ACT North to South.

Our paths may cross.

Cheers......

Im planning the same for next year! what bike are you riding? and i will head back to the port by road so will be interested how long it takes you, please keep us all posted

Sent you a PM Steve, have plenty of info re a trip North to South we did in 2015 on the Dakar.
Great place and fantastic trails.
Will

dibbs wrote: ↑Sun Feb 10, 2019 9:00 am

dunarin wrote: ↑Sun Feb 10, 2019 7:36 am I arrive Bilbao 16th May and plan to do the ACT North to South.

Our paths may cross.

Cheers......

Im planning the same for next year! what bike are you riding? and i will head back to the port by road so will be interested how long it takes you, please keep us all posted

KTM 790R, good chance to test it out. I won't be heading back North though, making my way East on/off-road and leaving the bike in Barcelona, ready for the next challenge - Gibraltar Race Express

3 of us going in March for 7 days , we have cobbled together some sort of route but have no idea what the weather or terrain will be like. We are on KTM 1090/1190 so hopefully wont be too difficult. It will be only the northern part due to our times .

I'm going solo beginning of August would be great to hear how you get on, Enjoy

Well my recent research (back of a fag packet figures/distances, which is how i roll lol...) suggests that from Santander to Braganca (start of the ACT route) is about 300miles, (1 day) then ACT recommends 5 days to get to Tavira bottom of Portugal (roughly 150 miles per day! which seems fairly easy as 50% of the route seems to be on roads) Then motorway back to Santander is about 600 odd miles, (2 days) so i reckon with ferries to and from the port from Blighty, (2 days) then 10 days for that type of trip is dooable!

Can anyone who has done this trip let us know if this is feasable please??? or am i way to ambitious lol....... (previous trips suggest that i might be hehehehe...always bite off more than i can chew!!! )

Braganca to santander is just 6 hours... Mostly motorway then scenic roads... But weather dependent and how long it takes to get off ferry..