Forest Gravel Loop East Of Santader, 72 km Day

This is a good fit for riders who are comfortable on a bike for five or six hours and have tried gravel at least once. You do not need racing fitness, but 72 km with 1,050 m of climbing is a real day, so regular rides of 40 to 50 km beforehand will make it enjoyable rather than a grind.

It is not the right choice for complete beginners to unpaved riding. They will get more from the Riverside gravel intro first. Riders who want long, sustained climbs off-road should look at the Volcano gravel day instead.

The route east of Santader alternates between two kinds of riding. In the pine woods the tracks are shaded and mostly firm, with loose sections of gravel, needles and dust where traction changes quickly. Climbs here are steady rather than savage.

Between the woods, quiet farm roads link the sections. They give you recovery time, easier conversation and a chance to regroup. Because the loose surface slows everyone down, the day feels longer than the distance suggests, so pace yourself early.

A gravel bike is the natural choice, and a bike with wider tyres will be more comfortable on the loose sections. Check with the partner when booking whether bike hire is available and what size range they hold.

Bring enough water for a full day, food for the climbs, a light layer for the shaded forest and sun protection for the open farm roads. Keep your hands relaxed on the descents, look well ahead, and brake before loose corners rather than in them.

Think of the three gravel rides as a ladder. The Riverside gravel intro near Santader is 34 km of wide tracks for learning handling. The Forest Gravel Loop doubles the distance and adds sustained climbing and technical reading of the surface.

The Volcano gravel day near Santader goes further again, at 88 km and 1,600 m, with volcanic landscape and beech woods. If you finish the forest loop feeling strong and keen for more, that is the natural next step.