Something else to go on the list.

http://portugaldivide.com/en/portugal-divide/

Never visited Portugal - looks very nice.

I like the look of this... same sort of height gain and distance as we did during the Spanish coast to coast thingy.

Anything that might be warm and sunny currently appeals.

I can't see the distance etc?

I plotted a rough route on Google maps.

Around 1000km and 12000m.

Ah, thanks Nigel.
Why such a long time limit then?
September any one....

Bearbonesnorm wrote:Never visited Portugal - looks very nice.

You'd hate it. It's hot, the sea is cold and the beaches are full of bronzed topless women.

I did a two week holiday on the Algarve in the 90's and took my bike. All I remember is deserted villages where everyone had left to work in the resorts. Derelict farmland because all the farmers worked in the resorts and anyone that was left had a barky dog that wasn't tied up and wanted to bite people.

Rode the TransPortugal XC Stage Race a few years back; cracking event if you want to live like a pro, with mechanical support, massages, god accommodation etc. Not bikepacking, but some great riding and 99.9% in the saddle. Am I correct in thinking there is no set route for this event, therefore a road ride, much like TCR?

Am I correct in thinking there is no set route for this event, therefore a road ride, much like TCR?

It says, pick your own route either on or off road ... or a mixture of both.

I went to Portugal in October and loved it.
Really clean, everyone was friendly, they’re all obsessed with recycling, food was great, it was nice and warm and not too busy.
Definitely recommend it.
We were down on the south coast near Faro

Ridden a few times in the Algarve on the Via Algarviana (long distance path from east to west ending at the SW corner - Cap St Vicente).
Via Algarviana BTT by 99percentchimp, on Flickr

Can get blisteringly hot so all my riding has been 0600 - 1100 max in the summer but dry autumn riding was great.

Via Algarviana BTT by 99percentchimp, on Flickr
Untitled by 99percentchimp, on Flickr

I can heartily recommend the solar powered fish restaurant on Ilha Deserta (where the southern most point and finish is....) - the beaches are deserted even in August
Ilha Deserta by 99percentchimp, on Flickr
Ilha Deserta by 99percentchimp, on Flickr


Villages are very quiet but the cafes are great when open and can be very cheap (think great coffee, pastries and massive bean and sausage/black pudding casseroles for buttons ).

Via Algarviana BTT by 99percentchimp, on Flickr

Not sure of the riding in the North but I would imagine it's great - note it can be cooler and there has been very large areas affected by extensive forest fires last summer.

Anybody have a crack at this recently?

Really tempted to do it next year, maybe with the Grand Depart in June; long days, and good weather almost guaranteed...

Plotted a route on Komoot, and it came out as 1,131km, with 17,000m vertical, mostly on minor roads, I think! Komoot refuses to let my route go over the big bridge in Lisbon (perhaps closed to bikes?), and has another ferry crossing a bit further south, which could be tedious if crossings are not regular. Might have to tweak it a bit to ensure re-supply and overnighting are not problematic.

https://www.komoot.com/tour/50551289/ed ... dSkJLe0AA=

Have I missed anything obvious?

Can't open your komoot tour I don't think, it's private. Be interested to see options

Just checked - my routes are private by default, so I deliberately changed that so it could be accessed. Don't know why it is not working!

Quite a big change when going from 'bike tour' to 'mtb' auto-routing; like the idea of mixing up road with off-road sections, but as I was planning on taking the gravel-bike, I don't want to find myself on long stretches of technical singletrack.

Not a Komoot expert, so unsure how much I can tweak the routing options - perhaps that fidelity comes with the paid version?