Warm winter riding

[biggaygibbon]

Am thinking about getting away over Xmas and NY to escape the madness and try and find some sun. Thoughts at the moment are Morocco, southern Atlas, or the southern tip of Italy - perhaps a long loop from Naples.

Anyone have any routes or general tips?

Cheers

[99percentchimp]

I've been thinking of this too... might have a crack at the Via Algarviana in S Portugal. Should help keep the winter doldrums away. Did a bit in the summer and once the temps drop it should be good. can't help with Morocco or Italy - sorry

[Mpolo]

Morocco is great friendly cheap interesting have been over christmas a few times and are doing 5 weeks this christmas. fly into marakesh with BA then go south
have a look at farawayvisions.com for some of our previous trips
we can give you some more tips if you're interested

[TheBrownDog]

+1 here for Morocco. Great riding, friendly people and very interesting. Once you get away from from the bus loads of Euro tourists dressed in designer combat gear, it's a pretty special place. Have to say I found some of the poverty pretty depressing and dont start me on how they treat donkeys, but I'll be back there one day.

Another place to think about is Crete. It might be an island but its huge and parts of at the less developed western end feel incredibly isolated while never being more than a few miles from a decent village. It has hundreds of miles of goat and farm tracks. You can pretty much sleep where you like and no one will bother you - I recommend the beaches. I was camped in a village square once and the only issue I had was an old lady waking me up to give me some bread because she thought I was homeless. Brilliant place.

[biggaygibbon]

Thanks guys. I have been surfing over Xmas and NY in Morocco and loved it. Someone flagged up security as an issue. But not sure that it is too risky there.
Had not considered Crete. Will have a look.
Italy is interesting because it looks like you can fly into Naples and then head south past Vesuvius. There are lots of national park areas all quite close together as well which is interesting...I don't have a clue what Italy is like for camping/wild camping though...

[TheBrownDog]

I don't have a clue what Italy is like for camping/wild camping though...

I did a whistle stop week long tour through Umbria and Tuscany 3 years ago and wild camped a couple of times, but then just used campsites, which are everywhere, never seemed even close to full and had restaurants and showers. Wild camping, I used the arrive late leave early approach, hid myself in forests and never saw a sole. It was peak summer so mosquitos were a bitch and it was pretty hot at night, which was why I went to campsites after two nights - I simply had to shower everyday.

It's another part of the world every human should cycle through. They love cyclists and you can't lean your bike up against a fence for more than 5 minutes till someone comes over for a chat. My favourite part is the simply incredible food - you expect that because it's Italy, but you can stop in what seems to be a fly riddled pit of a road side cafe and they will serve you a pizza you would kill a close relative for back here.

I wasn't looking for off-road stuff and didn't really find it, but there are of course loads of lovely smooth beautifully maintained white gravel roads that turn into slippery filthy routes of death the second it rains. Big fun though .