2018 Picos & Pyrenees - 10 days - All route days attached

[bikenav]

If your doing the smugglers etc as a novice you may feel more comfortable ascending the trail as opposed to decending if possible with your route plan.

[Hammy1]

Thx bikenav, yes is possible to change direction which is currently coming into Sort from Andorra direction,, looking at YouTube clips I think that is descending (confirmation needed please), so I will change the direction, thank you again.
Ps I'm starting to s#!€ myself already about the river crossing, having never done more than a puddle crossing!

[Tonibe63]

The river crossing is a puddle so don't sweat it , from Andorra to Sort is mainly downhill so yes I would do it the other way. Then pick up the trail from Civis to head West (ask the chap in the sovergnier shop for directions as you have a coffee) , there are a couple of steepish downhill bits but nothing to worry about and also a couple of puddles to cross but again we did it 2up no worries, the views are worth the effort and in my opinion is better than smugglers.

[Hammy1]

Tonibe63, thank you very much for this info although can't be for us this year as one of our must do roads for this trip is the C-462 which we are doing on the same day as the Smugglers route, but maybe next year!

[Simon_100]

Tonibe63, thank you very much for this info although can't be for us this year as one of our must do roads for this trip is the C-462 which we are doing on the same day as the Smugglers route, but maybe next year!

Yes, you should definitely do the C-462, that's why it's the first image that appears in the text of my blog!



Looking north from the café 'Coll de Port'

But if you ride there from Sort you will a) ride it the less well way around, i.e. south to north - although that's debatable! - and b) you'll be totally knackered but the time to begin to ride down the Smuggler's trail. So, IMHO of course, you should do it up from Sort and ride back via Coll de Nargo and Isona on the L-511, by which time it will be less likely to have any traffic ...

Regs

Simon

PS also the 'river' crossings will either be damp little puddles or raging torrents, even if there was heavy rains some days before, so that last thing you'd want to do is have to turn back at the end of a long day only to ride the while long way back again to get back to your accommodation that is nestling tantalisingly close beyond the cataract - don't ask me how I know this!

[Monster]

The Smugglers Trail is pretty easy and very enjoyable I would say (from a few years ago)

We did it in both directions although there wasn't much to see in Andorra

We did get stopped by 2 coppers on the way back into Spain ... we stayed at Camping Collegats

Here is the dreaded RIVER CROSSING - beware !!! Also another photo to give you an idea - it can be steep but plenty of grip

We were blessed with a beautiful day ... cows blocking the road in Andorra and horses had to be moved off of the Smugglers Trail

Bob on Smugglers Trail.jpg (142.69 KiB) Viewed 4072 times

Smugglers Trail.JPG (245.83 KiB) Viewed 4072 times

[Hammy1]

''raging torrents'' dreaded river crossing'' Thanks people!
After all the advice we will be travelling out and down the C-462 then Smuggler's route back into Sort, the day is 6:00 hrs on the bike & 170 miles when coming off the C-462 at Tuxient and then along the C-563. Another route could be coming off the C-462 at Saint Llorenc de Morunys and the along the LV-4241 this would be 6:45 hrs and 190 miles. By using Google maps street view and travelling the 462 to Tuxient looks fantastic but the extra 16 miles to Saint Llorenc de Morunys appears to be poorer and the extra 45 mins it would take would possibly not be worth it?

[Simon_100]

''raging torrents'' dreaded river crossing'' Thanks people!
After all the advice we will be travelling out and down the C-462 then Smuggler's route back into Sort, the day is 6:00 hrs on the bike & 170 miles when coming off the C-462 at Tuxient and then along the C-563. Another route could be coming off the C-462 at Saint Llorenc de Morunys and the along the LV-4241 this would be 6:45 hrs and 190 miles. By using Google maps street view and travelling the 462 to Tuxient looks fantastic but the extra 16 miles to Saint Llorenc de Morunys appears to be poorer and the extra 45 mins it would take would possibly not be worth it?

Your only problem, with those two ideas is that you're headings long way further east just to have to come back towards Sort on the horrible C16, including the Cadi tunnel, which is a toll - €9.52 I believe - and the horrible section of the N-260 between the north end of the Tunnel and Adrall, where it gets great!

It's up to you of course but take a peek at my suggestion above but turn off the C-462 before you reach St. Llorenç and take the back road via the Port del Compte ski resort. I'd be interested to see how Google times that round trip.

We did get stopped by 2 coppers on the way back into Spain ... we stayed at Camping Collegats

Yes, that happens all the time and makes the term 'Smuggler's route' a bit if a joke really ...

I'l be off to Collegats myself next week to open up my caravan for the season - drop in for a cup of tea!

Regs

Simon

[Hammy1]

Simon many thanks again, I have changed changed the route following your advice, Cheers.

[Simon_100]

Simon many thanks again, I have changed changed the route following your advice, Cheers.

OMG, now I have to bear the burden of Responsibility!

Regs

Simon