After three weeks on the road, we rolled into Cóbreces to meet up with my sister, Louise, and my brother-in-law, Robert, for a well-earned week of rest.

Another warm day and some sharp climbs meant we were working hard right until the end. But we made it — and the local bar was a perfect place to toast the ride before unpacking and settling in.

We’ve loved every minute. The weather’s been kind, the riding memorable, and we’re genuinely grateful we got to complete something like this.

Now, with no need to be anywhere for a few days, we’ll take a bit of time to let it all sink in. And who knows — we’ll probably start thinking about the next trip.

Today, like most days on tour, we woke to warm sunshine. A gentle pedal along the coast got the legs moving before we headed cross-country into Santander.

We’re feeling a real sense of satisfaction having completed what we set out to do. There’s still a 60km ride tomorrow to the house where we’ll spend the next week, so tonight will be a quiet one. We’ll celebrate properly tomorrow.

We departed from Bilbao this morning, enjoying the dedicated bike paths under perfect sunshine. We are still in good form, rejuvenated by the previous day’s rest and a little jazz in the park we stumbled upon after dinner.

Our route led us through the port area, where we watched the Vizcaya Bridge — a historic transporter bridge that still carries cars and people across the river

We then followed another excellent cycle path north into the countryside. Along the way, we passed the sprawling Petronor refinery near Muskiz — a huge, complex engineering structure, which I always find fascinating.

The ride then brought us to the coast, presenting some punchy climbs and stunning beaches. We concluded our day in the town of Laredo, ready to rest and recharge.

Tomorrow, we head into Santander for the night. Come Sunday, our “holiday” truly begins with a week’s stay in a house further down the coast.

With nowhere to be, we had the whole day to explore. We spent the morning at the Guggenheim Museum, then wandered the streets of Bilbao. A bit of bar hopping and pintxos tasting led perfectly into an afternoon nap. Bliss.

Tomorrow, we head back to the coast—time to climb a few more hills.

Today’s ride into Bilbao was all about one thing — the climb up Sollube. A proper Category 2 effort that gave us incredible views and a real sense of accomplishment.
The rest of the day was a mix of descents, urban sprawl, and eventually rolling into Bilbao where we’ll be for the next couple of nights. We’re having a Bilbao city break!

After yesterday’s adventures, today we were in cruise mode. The first 15 km followed a coast road that was made for cycling — smooth tarmac, barely any traffic, and the sea glinting beside us as we weaved through forested hills.

From there, we headed inland with some gentle climbs into the countryside, stopping for lunch at a small bar surrounded by locals. The final stretch took us up the estuary into Mundaka, where we rolled into our harbour-side hotel just before 2pm. An early check-in and a swim completed a comparatively easy day.

Dinner by the water tonight, and then it’s on to Bilbao tomorrow for two nights.

Our first full day in Spain gave us a nice contrast to France — we climbed over 1,000 metres (that’s about 3,280 feet) across just 61km. Not bad considering all the gear we’re lugging around.

A road closure forced a slight detour, which turned into a bit of a comedy. We ended up walking our bikes down a steep hillside track that was more suited to hiking boots than cleats. Pretty sure Garmin and Google Maps were in cahoots… or maybe it was just user error. Either way, it’ll make for a fun video.

We’re in Mutriku tonight—had a drink by the harbour, dinner in town, and stumbled on Gaba Beltza (Mutriku’s “Black Night”)—a fiery Basque festival of witches, music, dancing and flames.

Today we crossed the border into Spain. We made it—thanks to some sensible control from Robyn, who made sure we didn’t get swept up in a Biarritz night that was absolutely going off.

It was a shorter ride today, but the early hills gave us a taste of what’s to come. We arrived in Donostia (San Sebastián) for the night. Some tapas and a few glasses red has set us up nicely for the next couple of weeks in Spain.

After two weeks, over 1,200km, two rest days, and twelve days of cycling, we’ve reached Biarritz — our last night in France.

Today’s ride had everything. We started at the beach (though someone had clearly turned off the heat), rolled through pine plantations and open fields, had coffee in a very French town, lunch by the sea, and wandered around Bayonne, where there was music playing everywhere.

We arrived in Biarritz just as a pride march was kicking off — and had a perfect view of it all from our hotel room balcony.

It’s also the summer solstice today, and with a touch of irony, after two weeks of sunshine, the clouds have rolled in. No sunset for us tonight to farewell this leg of the trip.

Tomorrow, we ride into Spain. The distances will be shorter this coming week, but there are some solid climbs ahead. Bring it on.

Another gloriously hot, sunny day had us working hard to cover our 100km and arrive in the seaside town of Contis. Nestled along the Atlantic coast, Contis is known for its long sandy beach, relaxed surf vibe, and distinctive lighthouse standing watch over the dunes.

Only one full day left in France before we cross into Spain on Sunday. Time really does fly when you’re having fun.

Today was all about rest and relaxation. That said, our bodies are still in “go” mode, so we were out the door by 8:30am. A walk along the beach led to a morning coffee, then into town to check out the local market. We picked up some lunch and ate it overlooking the sea. We came back to the hotel for a swim in the pool and a siesta.

With another 100km ride tomorrow, we’ll set off early to get most of the ride done before the afternoon heat.

Still time for dinner and a glass or two of vino to wrap up another perfect day.

We only had 40km to ride around the bay to our next hotel — where we’ll be for two nights, with another rest day tomorrow.

We had a late start after a leisurely breakfast at our B&B, and even squeezed in some washing before hitting the road well after 11am. It was hot, and we rolled into the lunchtime school traffic. Apparently kids still go home for lunch and then head back — very French.

We weaved through cars, walkers, and a surprising number of cyclists on a network of bike paths that hugged the coast.

We’re in Arcachon, settled in for some proper rest, then a couple of day to complete the French part of our holiday and Hola España.

We were up early to catch the first ferry across to Le Verdon-surely -Mer and rejoin EuroVelo 1. With 120km ahead of us and not much research , we were a little nervous about what the day might bring.

As it turned out, we had a dream ride: smooth tarmac, a mix of quiet country roads, dedicated bike lanes, and segregated paths — all helped along by perfect weather and a tailwind. We made great time, arrived at our B&B to discover it was just across from the water so headed out for a relaxing dinner out.

Tomorrow’s ride to Arcachon is only about 40km and then we’re into another rest day. With today ticked off, it’s really starting to feel like a holiday.

As we roll into our second week on the road, there’s nothing repetitive about this journey. Each day brings new challenges, fresh experiences, and the subtle changes in towns and landscapes along the coast keep us engaged and curious.

Our legs have settled into the rhythm now, and so has our routine—coffee stops, lunch breaks, the occasional ice cream, and of course, the evening meal.

Tomorrow is our biggest ride yet—over 120km—with a ferry crossing first thing in the morning. We toyed with the idea of an early night… but ended up going out for dinner instead. C’est la vie.

Feeling refreshed after a day off, we set out early, only to be overtaken by the local cycling club. Robyn decided she wanted a tow, and since it was a bunch of old fellas, we tucked in behind them for a few kilometres much to their amusement.

The rest of the day had a bit of everything—country tracks, canal paths, fast empty tarmac, and the most splendid bike route into La Rochelle, where the Sunday crowds were out in full force. We’d made such good time that we could explore the town, check in, have a swim, and still head out dinner.

No Lycra, no alarms, just the luxury of a slow start.

We took care of our Saturday chores this morning: washing, shopping, and a long, lazy lunch. The rest of the day was all about switching off and relaxing. A well-earned break before we hit the road again.

Day 6 was our last ride before a well-earned rest day. As beautiful as the EuroVelo 1 route is, it winds its way through every nook and cranny to show you everything. But when your goal is to get to Spain and actually have a holiday, it can be a bit much.

So today, we took a more direct inland route along some fabulous country roads. We still passed through charming villages and got a real sense of what rural France is all about.

A thunderstorm added some drama — which we dodged by sheltering in a doorway for an hour — before we rolled into Les Sables-d’Olonne. There we rejoined EuroVelo 1 for a relaxed cruise to our hotel.

Six days in, and this trip has already delivered more than we expected: stunning scenery, memorable moments, and some solid riding. A win on all fronts.

We rode out of Nantes this morning with the city’s bike commuters streaming in from every direction. The bike infrastructure here is incredible — dedicated lanes made it easy to find our way. It took about an hour to work our way across town and out to the estuary, and from there, we aimed for the coast.

A DIY lunch from the supermarket (baguette, ham, cheese and fizzy pop) fuelled us for the next leg. EuroVelo 1 followed the coastline and led us all the way to our hotel overlooking the beach at La Bernerie-en-Retz.

Dinner was at the hotel restaurant — a few courses, a bottle (or two) of wine — and no rush, because tomorrow, at our next hotel, we’ll stay for two nights and take a day off. We are on holiday, after all.

After two days and more than 160km along the canal path, it was a bit of a shock to find ourselves detouring through the countryside to reach Nantes, our stop for the night.

Thankfully, the route into the city was well signed, and we rolled straight to our hotel with time to spare—enough to wash a few things and head out for a look around. We did a bit of sightseeing and reflected on the journey so far, including an unexpected run-in with a goose along the way.

Somewhere between the canal and the cobblestones, we also replayed how I ended up with a rather severe haircut from the night before.

Compared to our previous stops, Nantes was buzzing. A few drinks at a café and a good meal later, we’re feeling ready for the next leg—out to the coast and our first night by the sea.

Day 3 took us from Lodeac to Redon along the EuroVelo 1 – the route that will eventually carry us to the Spanish border. We rode most of the the 100 km route along the Brest to Nantes towpath. Mostly tarmac, with a few gravel sections, it was blissfully flat after yesterday’s climbs.

With the sun shining, Robyn said it actually felt like a holiday. We passed through a few beautiful old towns along the way, arriving in Redon nice and early – plenty of time to explore, have a few drinks, and find something good to eat.

Tomorrow, we continue toward Nantes, still on the canal path – so we’re hoping for more of the same.

Day one in France kicked off with an 8:15pm arrival in Saint-Malo and a 110km ride to Loudéac. We followed the estuary south, then stumbled upon the medieval town of Dinan—a nice surprise, since we’ve done almost no planning beyond booking our hotels.

From there, a 60km cross-country stretch on quiet, empty country roads led us to a final rail trail into town. With the sun on our backs and tired legs, it was a cracking way to start the trip.

And we’re off!

60km from Bracknell to Petersfield for lunch with Tom, Nelly, Wendy, and Michelle, then another 30km to Portsmouth to catch the ferry.

A comfy cabin overnight—and next stop, France!

We’ve arrived in England and kicked things off with a test ride—from Mum and Dad’s place in Bracknell to see Louise and Rob in Harpenden. The ride out was fab: sunshine and trafic free paths along bike route 61. The return trip the next day? A little more “character building” thanks to the Chilterns and a solid dose of English rain.

Everything’s working—legs, bikes, and gear. We even managed to back up after a night of great food, good company and too much wine. A promising start for our 3 week cycle to Spain.

A few more days here with the old folk, then it’s off to Portsmouth and the ferry to France on Sunday.