Viseu to Santa Comba Dão Ecovia
A 2-Day Cycling Trip
Investments will be back with the next post. But first let’s get away from the computer screen, Yahoo Finance, etc., for a while. Let’s relive our wonderful 2-day cycling trip and enjoy a few photos from our outing along the Viseu to Santa Comba Dão ecovia in beautiful northern Portugal. It’s a fabulous recreational facility and attraction to have about 2 hours drive away. You can see more about the ecovia here.
We’ve both been into recreational cycling as one of our favourite ways to exercise and spend leisure time since we arrived in northen Portugal about four years ago. So planning and undertaking this trip was a highlight for us.
New Riverside Hybrid Bicycle
Tania, my lovely partner, recently upgraded her bicycle to a very nice Riverside hybrid, perfect for short to middle distance touring. We’d done several shorter day trips, around 35km. But the Viseu to Santa Comba Dão ecovia was the perfect opportunity to try the new bicycle out over a 2-day trip and longer distance, 50km each way.
Viseu City, Northern Portugal
To make the most of the occasion, Day 1 was the drive to Viseu, check the city out, have dinner and overnight in a hotel.
Viseu is a very nice city to spend some hours looking around. It has a relaxed atmosphere, very attractive historic centre, with some great restaurants, cafés, etc. It can be hot in summer, up to 40degC, and cold in winter, often around freezing.
Outbound to Santa Comba Dão
Day 2 was the outbound cycle, 50km, from Viseu south to the city of Santa Comba Dão and overnight in Santa Comba Dão.
With the gentle elevation loss from Viseu heading south, the cycling through beautiful countryside was an effortless joy. The only blip in the picture was a lack of easy access from the trail end at the railway station, across a major motorway over the river Dão itself, into the city centre to our overnight accommodation. I’ll just say Santa Comba Dão could have done much better in terms of signage if they’re interested in developing their tourism sector. But for our overnight, the facilities at Casa Branca Alojamento Local in Santa Comba Dão were excellent.
Return Cycle To Viseu
Day 3 for the return 50km, and the weather was fabulous. Sunshine, blue sky with some cloud cover, about 24degC (75degF), and gentle variable breezes. A great breakfast at a local café, and let the return journey begin.
Tania was a little apprehensive about the distance and slight gradient for the return journey. She hadn’t tackled this kind of distance over two days before. But I assured her, with her great level of general fitness, probably near-perfect BMI, and plenty rest stops along the way, she would be absolutely fine. Which of course is how it turned out. It was a fabulous return-cycle.
Summing Up
Viseu to Santa Comba Dao ecovia is a wonderful experience for anyone of a reasonable level of fitness and some regular cycling experience.
It’s probably too much for anyone who doesn’t cycle moderate distances fairly regularly. An expensive touring bicycle, hi-tech kit and swag isn’t necessary. Just a reliable, comfortable bicycle, a way to carry enough water, snacks, and clothing for overnighting if that’s part of the plan. And don’t forget cycling helmet, sunblock and sunglasses.
I recorded the outward journey on the trail app Wikiloc, which you can view here. More cycling trips planned soon.
See article here about equipment and preparation for safe cycling.
