ACT Spain Adventure
Every year we try to get at least one proper ride in, not just a long weekend away somewhere local, but a proper journey where the bikes are packed properly, the map is only a rough guide, and the aim is simply to ride good roads for a couple of weeks and see where they take us. This particular trip was exactly that sort of ride, the ACT in the Pyrenees.
The idea itself was simple enough on paper: take the ferry from Portsmouth down to Bilbao, ride across to San Sebastián to pick up the Adventure Country Tracks (ACT) Pyrenees route, follow it east across the mountains, and eventually begin working our way back north through France and Switzerland before returning to the UK through the Channel Tunnel. All in all it would amount to roughly three weeks riding across some of the best motorcycle roads Europe has to offer.
The Ferry SoutH TO THE PYRENEES
The trip began in Portsmouth with the evening ferry to Bilbao, and there is always something about the moment when the bikes are finally strapped down on the vehicle deck that makes a journey suddenly feel real. Helmets come off, straps are tightened properly, and somewhere in the tank bag there is a map of Europe waiting to be unfolded once the ferry reaches Spain and the real riding begins.
Two nights on the ferry might sound like a long time to people who have never done it before, but in reality it is actually the perfect way to begin a proper trip. It gives you time to unwind, walk around the deck, grab a few beers at the bar — or, in the case of one of my riding mates, somewhere in the region of twenty beers — and spend a bit of time thinking about the roads that are waiting on the other side.
Watching the UK coastline slowly disappear while the ferry pushes its way across the Bay of Biscay is one of those quiet moments where the trip properly begins. By the time the ship rolls into Bilbao and the bikes are fired back into life again, you already feel as though you are a long way from home.
Rolling off the ferry into northern Spain always feels like stepping straight into a motorcycling playground, and within minutes of leaving the port the roads already begin to hint at what the rest of the journey is going to deliver.
The first proper stop was San Sebastián, one of the most beautiful coastal cities in Spain. Sitting right on the Bay of Biscay, it is famous for its beaches, its food and its relaxed atmosphere, and arriving there immediately sets the tone for the ride ahead.
Spanish Roads vs UK Roads
One of the first things you notice when riding in Spain is the roads themselves, because quite simply they are in a completely different league compared with what we are used to back in the UK. The surfaces are smooth, the corners seem to flow naturally from one to the next, and potholes — which are the daily enemy of British riders — are almost non-existent.
Even the smaller mountain roads feel properly maintained and built to be ridden rather than simply driven, and the difference is noticeable almost immediately once you leave the larger towns behind.
Traffic levels are also dramatically lighter once you get away from the cities. Long stretches of mountain road appear where you can ride for miles without seeing another vehicle, something that feels almost impossible on British roads.
Even better, Spanish drivers tend to be very aware of motorcycles. It is quite common for cars to move slightly to one side or allow bikes through without any fuss, and compared with the stop-start congestion and unpredictable driving often experienced in the UK, riding in Spain simply feels relaxed and natural.
For motorcyclists, it really is a far better place to ride.
Into the Pyrenees
Leaving the coastline behind, the road quickly begins to climb and the entire landscape starts to change. The Pyrenees rise dramatically out of northern Spain, and within a surprisingly short distance the riding transforms from coastal roads into winding mountain routes cutting through valleys and forests.
Following the ACT Pyrenees route takes you deep into these mountains, and the trail weaves between Spain and France at various points, passing through remote valleys, forests and high mountain passes that feel as though they were made for adventure bikes.
However, the mountains had slightly different plans for this trip.
The weather turned out to be far from kind, and higher up in the Pyrenees we found ourselves riding through snow and ice, something we had not really expected for a ride taking place in May.
Temperatures dropped quickly as the altitude increased, and several of the mountain passes felt as though winter had never really left. On some of the more remote mountain tracks the local logging vehicles had carved deep ruts into the trail surfaces over time, and as the snow began to melt those ruts filled with water.
Sections of the route turned into muddy trenches, and in places the bikes were carefully picking their way through deep water-filled ruts while snow still sat along the edges of the trail. Progress slowed down considerably, concentration levels increased, and it quickly became obvious that crossing the Pyrenees was not going to be an easy ride.
But that is the nature of adventure riding, because sometimes the more difficult sections become the best stories once the trip is over.
Mountain Roads and Hidden Villages
Despite the difficult conditions, the Pyrenees still delivered some of the most spectacular riding imaginable. The ACT route takes you far away from the main roads and tourist routes, linking together a network of small tracks, quiet mountain roads and tiny villages hidden away in valleys that most travellers will never even see.
These are the places that make trips like this truly worthwhile.
Almost every day revealed another incredible stretch of riding, with long winding climbs that took you higher into the mountains followed by sweeping descents into valleys dotted with small villages and stone houses that looked as though time had barely touched them.
Occasionally we would drop into towns such as Siresa, Escalona, El Pont de Suert and Esterri d’Àneu, partly to refuel the bikes but also to grab something to eat and sit down for a while before heading back out into the mountains again.
Coffee stops became small but welcome breaks after cold sections at altitude, and they also gave us time to compare notes about the route ahead and the conditions we had just ridden through.
Spanish Food on the Road
Another thing Spain does exceptionally well is food, and it is something you quickly begin to appreciate when you are spending long days riding through the mountains.
Riding all day across remote valleys and mountain passes builds a serious appetite, and Spain rarely disappoints when it comes to finding somewhere good to eat.
Along the northern coastline and around San Sebastián the seafood is exceptional, with fresh fish appearing everywhere on restaurant menus and in many cases caught that same morning. Grilled fish, seafood stews and simple plates of incredibly fresh ingredients seem to be the norm rather than the exception.
Even in the small mountain towns the food remains excellent. Simple local restaurants serve hearty meals that are exactly what you want after a long day riding — good meat, fresh bread, local wine and generous portions.
It is one of those small but important details that quietly makes riding in Spain even better, because wherever you stop there is almost always something genuinely good waiting to be eaten.
Andorra and the Eastern Pyrenees
Eventually the route reaches Andorra, and arriving there feels almost like stepping into a completely different world.
After days spent riding remote mountain tracks and quiet villages, suddenly there are busy roads, large fuel stations and rows of motorcycle shops lining the streets.
It is quite a strange contrast after the isolation of the mountains, but it also makes Andorra a useful place to regroup before continuing further east.
Beyond Andorra the Pyrenees begin to change again. The mountains soften slightly, the air becomes warmer and gradually you start to notice hints of the Mediterranean appearing somewhere out in the distance.
Eventually the route drops down towards the coast near Llançà, marking the end of the ACT Pyrenees trail.
Turning North
With the ACT completed the journey was really only halfway finished, because from the Mediterranean coastline the route north began once again, heading through France and gradually moving towards Switzerland.
France offers some excellent touring roads, and the transition from mountain tracks to flowing countryside routes created relaxed riding days where the miles began to add up again without too much effort.
Crossing into Switzerland brought another dramatic change of scenery, with perfectly maintained roads, stunning alpine views and mountains rising around almost every corner.
From there the route gradually turned north again, working back through France towards the Channel coast, with stops in places such as Valence, Saint-Dizier and eventually Bergues near Dunkirk marking the final stages of the journey.
The Ride Home
The final run towards Calais always feels slightly strange at the end of a long trip. After thousands of miles riding across mountains, coastlines and countryside, suddenly the bikes are being loaded onto the Channel Tunnel train and the United Kingdom is only half an hour away.
Trips like this never really end properly, because you get home, unpack the bikes, and within a few days you find yourself thinking about where the next ride might go.
The Route and Itinerary
For this trip we followed the ACT Pyrenees route in reverse, we did this across 10 days rather than the 5 days recommended by ACT, this makes for a more relaxed trip, starting from Bilbao and working our way east across the mountains before turning north through France and Switzerland on the return leg.
While the route itself provides a solid structure, like most proper trips it was never about following a strict plan. Each day had a general direction and a rough destination, but conditions in the mountains, weather, and the pace of the riding often dictated how far we actually travelled.
Accommodation was a mix of small hotels and local stays booked along the way, with locations chosen to keep us close to the route while still allowing flexibility if the riding proved slower or more demanding than expected.
If you are planning something similar, having a rough itinerary is useful, but it is just as important to allow room to adapt. The Pyrenees in particular can change quickly, and part of the enjoyment comes from dealing with whatever the route throws at you.
A full breakdown of our route and overnight stops is available to download below.
Download our 10 day ACT Pyrenees itinerary (PDF)
ACT GPX Files
If you are planning to ride the ACT Pyrenees route yourself, the GPX files are not something we host or distribute directly.
We would strongly recommend joining Adventure Country Tracks (ACT) and downloading the official files from them. The work that goes into creating, maintaining and updating these routes is considerable, and supporting ACT helps ensure that these tracks continue to exist and remain accessible for riders in the future.
Photos from the Ride
As with most trips, the photos only ever capture part of the experience, but they do give a good sense of the terrain, the conditions and the scale of the landscapes we rode through.
From coastal roads near San Sebastián to snow-covered mountain passes, deep rutted trails and quiet villages hidden in the valleys, the Pyrenees delivered a huge variety of riding in a relatively small area.
You can view the full photo galleries from the trip below, as we travelled across Spain, Andorra, France and Switzerland.
Take the long road home — miles today, stories tomorrow.
