Old Favourites

Our excursion along the deep Douro Gorge gave us another perspective of this impressive ravine with the sun showing up the extraordinary geology. lichens and 'tidemarks' caused by the fluctuating water levels of Portugal's largest  hydroelectric scheme but by late afternoon we were crossing the dam over in to Spain to pick up the fast empty motorways for a 200 mile whizz south. Due to the hour's time difference we arrived around ten in Valencia D'Alcantara a few miles from the Portuguese border for a quiet night on the aire alongside the bull ring.

Monday morning gave us the opportunity to visit the regular market held in the main square alongside the church. The extensive range of fruit and veg left us spoilt for choice so we headed over to the clothing stalls first where the dour colours and patterns of the items on display were somewhat uninspiring. However I was attracted to some underwear bargains and left a happy bunny. Chorizo and serrano ham, sheep's cheese, a huge bag of fruit and veg plus some treats from the bakery completed our shopping so we headed towards Porugal stopping only to fill up as diesel is 10% cheaper on the Spanish side.

A side trip to the stark rocky ridge where last year I had watched vultures nesting was unproductive as presumably they are yet to arrive so we carried on through the empty customs and border buildings to the viewpoint above Castello De Vide alongside the beautiful chapel. A Spanish touring cyclist lugged his well laden bike to the top - his matching panniers and well equipped bike were equally impressive.

We then headed out to the Barragem half way towards Nisa where we planned to stay two nights.It was a scorching day and after a walk round we decided to take the narrow track down almost to the water's edge that was out of reach to the larger vans already parked up.

After a couple of hours in the sun we took the bikes out for a couple of hours as it was cooler and took a mixture of empty roads and unsurfaced tracks to Povoa e Meadas, the nearby village and back via an inpressive menhir that had recently been returned to its upright position.
Just as we returned an almost full moon rose across the water and after an evening meal we decided to sleep with the van door open to the striking view.

Tuesday dawned bright and sunny as a few local fishermen arrived for the day and we explored the far side of the water but failed to find a way round as the tracks dwindled to footpaths.
Thus after lunch we headed along another clutch of tracks and lanes to Nisa whose historic centre was a maze of narrow lanes and alleys with in one corner a colourful diplay of umbrellas suspended across the street.

On our return we stopped at the tiny bar near the dam for a cool beer and felt that with the nearby cluster of affluent vanners he was missing a trick by only offering cold beers and soft drinks. 
Once we were back we spoke at length to an English lady who'd bought a van I had admired a year or two ago at the Birmingham Camper Show. They felt it was not that well built and had a long snagging list for their return home, they also felt that it lacked ground clearance due to the underslung gas and water tanks.
After another night under a full moon we departed for Portalegre in a search for Campingaz but despite the 'stockist locater'app it was unobtainable in either supermarket - strangely we noted that neither butcher sold lamb at this time of year.




After a salad lunch on the slopes of Marvao we parked up alongside the walls and climbed through the streets to the castle where at the top of the main keep millions of flying ants were swarming. From here we could see the blackened slopes to the west where a summer fire had scorched a large swathe of the chestnut and oak forests. We dropped in to the small shop to surprise Joao who assists at the campsite before shortly turning in to the familiar gates of Camping Asseiceira.
It was good to see Gary again and over a cuppa we had a quick catch up before settling down in a private corner and offloading the bikes. Apart from a brief return to the UK in mid November I will be here until the New Year which is a very pleasing prospect.

Yesterday we cycled to Galegos and then through the quiet border lanes back to Valencia and then took a turning to La Acena De La Borega for a beer and tapas before taking tracks to the impressive dolmen El Mellizo.

An ice cream on the way home set us up for the final few miles and later that evening we joined Gary and some other guests at the Pau de Canela restaurant in nearby San Antonio das Arreias. I enjoyed baby squid whilst Mandy chose a more restrained omelette both accompanied by delicious chips and a mixed salad. Profiteroles for afters left us feeling replete as we walked home on a mild night.
Today we have been to see a project that Gary has in mind for the next few years - an olive oil factory last worked in 1975 that he hopes will provide a home plus adjacent holiday lettings. The old settling tanks, pressing equipment and various associated fittings will be incorporated in to what has the potential to be an interesting project..

Our circuit of the 'Roman Steps' walk was interrupted by a clap of thunder and some rain as we reached the road back but fortunately an engaging Irish lass who lives locally stopped and dropped us back at the site.

Here we have relaxed and caught up with news as I have taken up the internet pass available at £5 a day- my roaming data allowance having been used up over the past month.

The photos are here - my Spot device seems to need new batteries or has a fault but Marvao comes up on any map search.

Gorges, coast - gorgeous mountains.

After climbing back over the pass to the south of Potes we dropped through cloud and showers before taking the side road to Cains in order to start the Cares Gorge walk from the southern end. Despite the rain it was an impressive experience once more with numerous tunnels, bridges and an exposed walkway that had replaced a collapsed section of tunnel - to increase the experience a section was left open to the river far below with only a grate to stand on.

The adjacent small waterway that also snakes through the gorge was empty and at one point we saw an engineer on a quad following the concrete lined canal through a route every bit as impressive as our walk - an enviable job.
On our return the sun broke through and we headed off in search of a place for the night. This arrived sooner than expected in a nearby village, Posada de Valdeon, where the community had installed an aire with hook up points, water and waste facilities, loos and showers in the sports hall and all for 10 euros paid online.

After a walk round the village with its many old farm houses and elevated grain stores we enjoyed a peaceful night leaving next day for the lakes above Covadonga.
However it was a National Holiday in Spain and the traffic was heavy heading that way so we decided to head for the coast and stopped at popular surfing beach of Rodiles where a largely empty grassy car park was our base for the night. The beach was large enough to swallow the visitors and we enjoyed walking the full length admiring the surfers out on the roaring waves.
Next day we cycled in to Villaviciosa for food before returning for a relaxing day on the beach and a walk to a good vantage point that evening.
Sticking with the coast we visited Llastres with its pretty harbour and maze of streets covering the hill behind the town and felt it to be much nicer than the more popular Cudillero.

Cape Bustio felt very exposed but a good two hour walk rewarded us with excellent views - the 1:25,000 mapping on my GPS proving again very useful.

Puerta de Vega's aire located behind the substantial sea wall was a great place to stay and handy for a walk around the headland with good cliff and coastal views.
The maize harvest was well underway with the large combine devouring great swathes at a time.

Lluarca was another attractive fishing port with plenty of interest around the harbour and good views from the small chapel way above the town after which we headed south inland towards the mountains once more.





Our planned stop on the Sende del Oso had no water or waste working but another mile or so up the road a much nicer alternative was the aire at Teverga from where the following day we began a 60 mile ride following the vias verdes first and then looping over the mountains with a long climb before a fast descent back to a sunny cafe at Tunon by the mediaeval bridge. A meal out that evening was just reward but Mandy was less than pleased after the event to discover we had enjoyed baby eels in one dish.

En route south we passed through the stunning mountains and gorges of the Somiedo National Park and walked a route from a high pass on the Asturian border to the Lago de Cueva and others located high in the hills with cattle grazing the deserted slopes.
After refuelling we stopped overnight in the grounds of a cafe that provided facilities, free if you had a beer or two there and then continued on to Astorga with one of the finest cathedrals I have visited. Gaudi had also had a hand in the proposed Bishop's House and the evening light lit up his remarkable design flair.





We cycled out partly following the Camino de Santiago passing various earnest hikers heading along the famous pilgrimage route before turning off for striking Castrillo de los Polvas with its iron stained stonework looking superb in the bright sunshine.






Puebla de Sanabria had a substantial castle and pretty old town surrounding its solid walls and finally we pulled in to an aire on the slopes of Braganca's castle with easy access up to the main keep, the church, Romanesque town meeting house and the cluster of streets that define 'old town'. The newer centre was a short walk away and worthy of exploration with its paved, traffic free boulevards and fashionable shops.
Quince trees were heavy with fruit alongside our overnight spot and we slept soundly again very grateful for the independence the new van provides with hot water, a shower, loo and, if needed, heating. Despite the mountains and climbs we seemed to be getting a creditable 40 mpg and found eating out etc very reasonably priced.




We are now in Portugal at Miranda De Douro and have stayed on only our second camp site to get laundry done - a medium bike ride this morning took us to a remarkable viewpoint over the Douro where we now intend to take a river cruise before heading a couple of hours south to the Spanish/Portuguese border near Marvao.

Piccies sit here as ever HERE

To begin at the beginning.....

So - the Gap Year.

After returning from my last trip in early 2017 it became obvious that dear old Mum who had coped with such dignity with the loss of Dad some four years previously was now in need of additional suppport and as a trial she agreed to try residential care at the superb Hagley Place care home in Ludlow. The staff made her feel very welcome and within a week she was asking if she could move there permanently.
Mindful of her advancing frailty this seemed a very sensible solution and in time it became clear that she would not be returning to her new home in Bishops Castle. She had managed three happy years there but we all accepted she was entering a new phase in her life.
Thus over the late Spring and Summer of 2017 I began to head off again reassured that she was happy and safe, but generally staying nearer to the UK and taking shorter trips. Highlights included the traditional week in Scotland with old friends, a new experience in house sitting in a charming corner of Devon and a superb three weeks in France cycling the Nantes - Brest Canal. 
Unfortunately Mum developed Alzheimer's which produced a frightening and rapid decline in her abilities and whilst Hagley coped very well and met her ever changing needs she deteriorated quickly and required a hospital admission in September. Following her discharge she was extremely frail and required constant care and supervision.
With some misgivings we decided to visit Northern Spain in late Autumn before my usual Portuguese winter foray and spent three weeks enjoying the many excellent Vias Verdes (disused railway lines converted to cycle tracks - www.viasverdes.com English version available) of Northern Spain, a superb return for me to the Picos D'Europa and then a pleasant few days in Marvao before Mandy flew home.

In late November on the very day I was also returning to the UK the home rang to say Mum had taken a turn for the worse and whilst en route to the airport another call confirmed that she had quietly passed away.

Thus on my return I became very much preoccupied with arranging a funeral in line with her wishes, the placement of her ashes alongside Dad in my brother's lovely garden and then attending to her affairs.
This became a focus of my attention for the following 8 months and suffice to say that whilst most public and private bodies acted with sympathy, sincerity and even efficiency her life time bank - Barclays - continue even to this day to be apalling in every way. They should be ashamed of the way they treated a loyal customer especially as, after acting in a similar way following the loss of my father, they had promised to change.


However over the summer of 2018 everything finally clicked in to place with the tedium enlivend by a memorably harsh stay above Brecon during the Beast from the East, good cycling breaks near York, in the Yorkshire Wolds and in Lincolnshire and a tough undertaking of the Devon Coast to Coast Sustrans Route - far harder than we had anticipated. A long trip to Scotland was cancelled thanks to the delays from Barclays but we made the most of the unusually good weather that marked Summer 2018.

However Mandy became seriously ill in late June after a routine op and had a very close shave with sepsis which rather put our plans on hold but remarkably by late July she had begun to recover and we undertook a gentle tour of some of our favourite haunts, catching up with friends and enjoying the continuing good weather. Highlights of this fortnight included the superb Newport Transporter Bridge, a BBQ by the Severn on a perfect evening and a visit to North Devon where old friends are embarking on a new life in a very lovely part of the world.


With Mandy now almost fully recovered I decided to head off for August starting with a challenging cross Wales ride from Chepstow to Conwy staying at various bothies, returning to house sit hedgehogs, ducks and rabbits in Devon and then celebrating a clutch of birthdays with a memorable helicopter charter over the Devon countryside.



In early September I assisited the usual reprobates in running the final Brecon Beast Mountain Bike Charity Event. Over 700 riders enjoyed a demanding route and succeeded in bringing the total of funds raised over the years to more than £100k. Sadly intransigence and obstruction from two local public bodies has made running the event in future years impractical and I think all those involved over the previous years will remember with great pride the many expressions of thanks and appreciation from entrants across the board.

So finally in early October I felt able to set off on another longish venture, Mum's affairs were finally sorted,  and for those who've followed the blog over the years and noticed the new image at the top I was in a new home.

Whilst I actually purchased the van a year ago I have been ensuring that it is up to the task of matching the quite remarkable achievements of the old battle bus. Finally retired at 345,000 miles and 18 years it has I believe gone to a new owner and I now enjoy considerable comfort in a familiar but more refined vehicle.
Over the year I have had a full service including cam belt and water pump, changed the leisure and starter battery, had a new Eberspacher diesel heater fitted and as a precaution changed the clutch and DMF. Some rust around the screen was addressed although unfortunately this involved a dispappointing hiccup as the new screen leaked requiring the removal of all the interior trim, carpeting and seats at the front to dry things out.
Whilst in Portugal last Autumn the alternator failed and was  a sod to change but the old one is now refurbished and carried as a spare along with the usual filters and brake pads.

With Autosleeper managing to fit a very seviceable shower and loo in the LWB Topaz van and with the transfer over of some kit from the old bus I now have a very comfortable home that will I hope set the scene for many years to come - it is now 13 years since I gave up the smallholding life in the Brecon Beacons and I hope to be on the road for at least as long again.

The crossing to Santander on Brittany Ferries' flagship Pont Aven was smooth and enjoyable with porpoise spotted alongside.
Santillana Del Mar provided an unscheduled stop as having driven rather embarassingly through the traffic free mediaeval village centre ( never believe a sat nav) we found we could park overnight for 10 euros and were able to explore the narrow lanes and alleyways more appropriately.

Next day Gaudi's Caprichio at nearby Comillas was a cultural treat and San Vicente de La Barquera made for a pleasant stroll before we headed for the parking above the stunning beach at Pechon where we had enjoyed excellent swimming in good surf last year. However despite the summer heat the sea was cold even in wetsuits but nevertheless we enjoyed a good day on the beach and two quiet nights in a beautiful location.
Heading south over the Cantabrian Mountains we decided to tackle a peak on the Tres Mares Ridge and climbed steadily as the mist blew in on one side. Excellent views of the Picos were our reward before we dropped to Cervera de Pisuerga for a quiet night in an aire where we were able to fill up with water and dispose of waste.
Following the scenic road west to Triollo we took a shortish walk to a pair of viewpoints before unloading the bikes and setting off on a circuit of the Camporredonda reservoir including a side trip up to Cardano de Arriba where the lofty peak of Esperguete loomed over us.
A bottle of the local cider in the sun at a small cafe set the scene for the wobble back to Triollo after which we headed on to another aire at Velilla del Rio Carrion.
Food and fuel were obatined at Guardo on the Monday morning before we took the high Puerto De San Glorio road over to Potes in the Picos. From the magnificent Mirador de Llesba we watched as the clouds lifted from the major peaks of the Picos and I remembered my stay there overnight four years ago under a starry sky.
Camping La Viorna in Potes was as beautiful as we remembered and is a credit to the family who own it. We made use of the laundry facilities with washing drying very quickly in the dry mountain air - it was our first proper campsite in a week but closes at the end of October.

Yesterday saw us taking the Fuente De cable car up in to the mountains where we began a long walk through incredible scenery to the col at Horcados de Rojos from where we watched astonished as intrepid hikers descended a fixed wire down in to the valley below as part of a traverse of the main Picos range. Across the dry glacial basin the impressive Naranjo de Bulnes towered over the view and after a good lunch of bread, cheese and tomato we decided to climb the actual peak reaching the 8500' summit for the most rewarding views after a breathless scramble.
With a fair way to go if we were to catch the last cable car down we didn't linger long and arrived back at La Viorna tired and ready to enjoy an excellent meal in their small restaurant.




Today we decided on an easier day and just walked in to Potes, stopping briefly en route to assist a Dutch couple as the lady had sprained her ankle. Potes has an attractive older centre and the La Soldreria provided us with one of the best meals in recent memory whilst sat in a sunny courtyard.
This afternoon has been spent uploading this lengthy update - tomorrow we move on to the impressive Cares Gorge and then the Covadonga Lakes before we head back to the coast and NW Spain.

Piccies should be available here.