 | Home > Expedition & Overland > Pyrenees - West to East - opinions? |
 
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829  |
Hi folks,
Another in my series of Pyrenees questions, as the planning moves on. Though I've heard that 'East to West' is the normal/"best" way to follow the Vibraction Traverse or similar routes, it might be that it suits me to go the other way - Atlantic to the Med. This is because getting from home to the south coast of England is at least a three day trip if we're doing it comfortably, and not bashing on for two 10 hour days in a 29 year old Defender. At that stage, relaxing on a ferry to Santander seems attractive (though I know it's not cheap, booking now makes it 'acceptable'). This would see me at the Atlantic end anyway, and rather than motorway across to the Med, just to return the other way, I am wondering about the merits of just reversing my GPS routes and planning on doing it West to East. It also seems this would be leaving some of the 'best bits' to the end? I did search for 'Pyrenees' and scroll through four pages of results before asking. I'm sure there are views there somewhere, but not so easy to find. FYI, if I did Atlantic to Med, we'd then add on another two or three weeks ambling up through France and returning via Cherbourg/Poole or the likes. I know a lot of you guys are familiar with the routes having done them once or twice, so what are the opinions on West to East, or vice versa? Ta. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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5th Oct 2022 10:34am |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Thanks Scot,
With the exception of the dualled A90 all the way down to Perth, which will be marginally easier than the A9 from Inverness, I don't suppose our long haul south would be much different. But actually, you have highlighted another thought I had which was to do the same as you - potentially going in both directions - though I think we will plan to use the 'off road' sections in the Roadbooks. I suppose if we did West-East, and thought we'd had enough, we could then head north from there. If it was so good that we felt like we could do it again, we could just turn round and come back. Then we'd still have time to come up through the west coast of France. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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5th Oct 2022 11:14am |
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| Bluest Member Since: 23 Apr 2016 Location: Lancashire Posts: 3996  
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I did it the traditional way Med to Atlantic, just because that's which way the roadbook goes. We also wanted to use the tulip diagrams which would have been hard work going backwards. If you did it the other way, it may be even more visually spectacular as I found the scenery less impressive on the western end than on the east. 2007 110 TDCi Station Wagon XS
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5th Oct 2022 12:06pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
That's what I was wondering about - whether the scenery was more impressive in the east. It certainly looked that way on satellite imagery, though that tends to 'flatten' everything. If going west to east I had also realised that the tulip diagrams might take a bit of 'standing on your head' to make sense of!
Hopefully someone will chip in who's done the route both ways. THanks for the replies so far. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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5th Oct 2022 4:47pm |
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| LandymanStefan Member Since: 30 Aug 2017 Location: Surrey Posts: 860  
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Hi Guys, im going to join in and watch the thread. Having now done the alps a couple of times doing the 'famous tracks' me and the mrs are hoping to do the pyrenees next year. There seems to be a lot less 'named and famous' tracks like in the alps which you can quickly find through google searches so would be interested to know whats about.
Our rough plan was to head down and end up right in the middle between the med and atlantic then head east to andorra and finally to the med for relaxed holiday at the end to keep the mrs happy. If it turns out to be excellent we may do the other east to west half to the atlantic another time. Watching with interest  |
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5th Oct 2022 5:19pm |
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| Retroanaconda Member Since: 04 Jan 2012 Location: Scotland Posts: 2545 
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You must be pretty far north to need two 10-hour days to get to the south of England!
My method has been a day from the other half’s down to Folkstone (500 miles) which is a long day, but doable. Then a couple of easier days down through France of around 350 miles each. England is a miserable country to drive in so I generally work on the principle of getting it over and done with as quickly as possible. Don’t think west/east or east/west will make any difference at all to your enjoyment of the trip. Go with what works for your itinerary. |
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5th Oct 2022 7:47pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
 In the vicinity of Inverness.
So two 10 hour days is maybe a wee bit of an exaggeration. I wholeheartedly agree that driving through the motorway network down south is a pain, but still need to do it without getting grumpy and falling out with each other! I usually figure on 5.5 hours from the house to the border at Gretna, allowing for a couple of short comfort breaks (2hrs to Perth is a pretty consistent figure; an 1hr/1hr15 to the outskirts of Glasgow; another 1hr and a half or so to Gretna). Bear in mind we also sailed from Plymouth, and that I'm trundling down about 60mph. I've done a lot to the car to make it quieter and easier to drive - but it's still a 28 y/o 300Tdi at heart! This year it was Inverness/Lancaster; Lancaster/Taunton;Taunton/Plymouth - though I think that was a 5pm check in or something. I'll grant that the way back was a little faster -Southampton to Dumfries; Dumfries to Inverness - but still long motorway days in the saddle. Not my favourite at all. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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5th Oct 2022 8:20pm |
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| Retroanaconda Member Since: 04 Jan 2012 Location: Scotland Posts: 2545
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Ah, so you’re about 50 miles more in the highlands than me, I’m near Oban so the south coast is about 600 miles away. I’ve done it in one go once but it is a long old stretch.
Mine is 30 years old so I know what you mean. Soundproofing and other things help a lot but they’re always going to be noisy places to be. Is there a reason for Plymouth rather than say Portsmouth? I’ve never done the ferry route. I hear good things about the Bay of Biscay  |
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5th Oct 2022 8:56pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
Not much to choose from is it? The A9 is a pain - but I've driven it God knows how many times; the A85 and the A82 wouldn't be much fun either at the wrong month or wrong time of day.
Plymouth vs Portsmouth? Partly it was an 'homage' to one of the best holidays we ever had (pre-kids) we took our bikes to Plymouth and crossed to Roscoff for a fortnight's ambling around. We chose the same route for this year's trip - different mode of transport, same ambling around philosophy. Worked out really well. Partly also because if I've done all those motorway miles - from Stirling to Plymouth - I'd rather get onto the 'back roads' as soon as possible, and getting to Roscoff puts you right there - out of the way and pretty quiet. I had a previous career where I was always charging about the Highlands, deadlines, deadlines, deadlines, and since then I despise having to hurry anywhere in a car. I'd rather take the extra day and chill out than have to up the pace. It's also where the ferry to Spain leaves from, and again that would allow us to 'amble' from the get-go and keep on ambling for four weeks. I'm lucky in that I don't get bothered by sailing/weather so not too bothered by the Bay of Biscay! I was once sleeping (or trying to) in the converted fish hold in the bow of a 100 year old side-trawler, heading into a SWesterly force 8 between Fair Isle and down the west side of Orkney - a long night, but not bothered by anything other than a lack of sleep - that and a fear of sinking - but at least I wasn't seasick!! Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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5th Oct 2022 10:59pm |
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| steveww Member Since: 05 Jan 2022 Location: Uppingham Posts: 529 
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I am also considering a trip through the Pyrenees next year. Not done any detailed planning yet but my general idea is. Ferry across the Bay of Biscay to Spain. Go South for a bit to visit Rioja. Head North East into the mountains towards Andorra, smugglers route. Cross into France and head North along the cost. Finally Caen Portsmouth ferry back to Blighty.
Any information you have on routes and campsites in Spanish Pyrenees, please share. |
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6th Oct 2022 5:08pm |
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