Al's Route Notes on EV1 Portugal

Route Notes for EV1 Portugal Atlantic Route -  June 2019

Background:

Route cycled from North to South because of prevailing northerly winds at this time of year.

Independent touring on fully loaded Thorn Raven Touring bikes with Rohloff gears.

GPX files downloaded from Eurovelo Portugal website in May 2019 to Garmin Edge Explore.

We are experienced riders  of “mature age” with 16,000 kms of cycling on Eurovelo routes.

Positives:

Many short sections on good dedicated cycle paths maintained to a high standard and suitable for touring cycling. GPX routing on these was good and, indeed, necessary. Surfaced road sections were, in some places, quiet with either a  good cycle path or an extra lane for slow traffic. The numerous cobbled sections were in good condition and a good bone shaker.

Negatives:

When cycling Eurovelo routes, I invariably find myself shouting at the lardy route planners who I imagine designed the route from Google Maps. This journey in Portugal was no exception with many sections of the route failing to come close to the essential standards for road surface set by European Cyclists Federation.  Many of the other criteria set by ECF and Eurovelo when applied to the Eurovelo Portugal  would rate this route “Badly Rideable” or “Not Rideable (ECF definitions).

Examples:

Sections of sandy gravel and large stones on slopes in excess of 10%. (First time it has taken the two of us to push one bike)

Sections on deep sand

Section on GR route with over 100 steps

20km section where the road surface had long ago been destroyed by fire leaving large loose stones, fine gravel and endless potholes.

Section on Motorway.

Section on road clearly signed “Cyclists Prohibited”

Numerous tracks barely rideable with loaded bikes.

10 Km Section through the most difficult part of Lisbon shown on GPX as a straight line.

5 Eurovelo signs in 600kms.

Portugal is a beautiful country with much to recommend it and I’m sure there is the potential for some excellent cycling. Unfortunately  the advertising for this route is, in my opinion, fraudulent. After 10 days, we abandoned the gpx route and made our own way south. We had lost faith in the route planners but worse, we feared for our safety and frequently resorted to pushing.

I challenge the designers of this route to load up their bikes with camping kit for a fortnight on the road and complete their route with a smile on their faces.

Having got rid of that, I can honestly say that we finished this route with an immense sense of satisfaction.

gone swimming

Till the next time.