Loved the ferry from Portsmouth to Bilboa - I shared a 4 birth cabin with TV and window. I slept like a baby and it was nice to relax and chill before and after the trip - granted both crossings were calm. I've signed up for Brittany Ferry updates and will grab an early bird ticket for next year.
I loved the Pico's and will go again next year. I did the Potes Triangle anti-clockwise and would have happily done it again the next day clockwise. I also did a little wandering around the single tracks on the mountains. All fantastic - great roads and wonderful scenery. I love the Spanish people, the food and the coffee and with the west of the region yet to explore, I'll be going back next year and spending my entire time doing the north of Spain.
I've done the east end of The Pyrenees before and this time I did the west. The west seemed busier but maybe The Tour de France had something to do with that. Never-the-less, still a lot better (bigger mountains and stuff) than the land I call home. The French are a little more random with their friendliness - much like the English but they are also a bit nuts (which I like) and the French win at food. Laruns was a great town with fantastic roads all around it. Lots of dog shit in the street - never noticed that about France before.
The bike was nearly faultless whether in a straight line mile chomping at 90 or in first and second climbing goat tracks, though as you would expected, when you're sitting right on top of a 1200cc and there's no air to keep it cool, it got a little hot. The rear shocks are well, shocking. As previously mentioned in this thread, I had a moment on a fast right hander where I thought it was never going to settle (2 seconds felt like an hour as I drifted out to the edge). It was better with the pre-load increased and further still fully loaded but with that sorted it may be the best "all rounder" I have owned.
Here's some links
https://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/
Hotel Villa De Cabrales, Picos.
Reasonable priced, big, clean rooms, extremely firm beds and very friendly staff. They had a resturant/breakfast but practically lived at the bar opposite when I wasn't riding.
https://www.hotelcabrales.com/
Airbnb, Laruns, France
Bigger and better than it looks in the photos. Self catering, huge garage and parking outside the property - tumbling distance from bars and cafes. It's opposite the cheesery where they make the local cheese. Nutty locals (mostly farmers), lots of dog shit on pavements and lone (friendly) dogs wandering around.
https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/26940191 ... Jl3zFtIX8Z
Hotel Agroturismo, Bilboa
20 minutes from the ferry - converted farmhouse. Breakfast only. Their attitude was "treat this like your own home". Very modern and clean, great gardens - a little oasis.
https://housity.net/hotel/agroturismo-iabiti-aurrekoa/
See here for some Pico's tips and The Potes Traingle route
https://www.ride.co.uk/routes-content/e ... ue-country
A few more pics
Picos
The road south of Laruns
Laruns Airbnb
Hotel Agroturismo, Bilboa
