Off and Away in the Month of May

 After a brief sort out of the van we decided to spend a week back near Nottingham to explore an area with much potential as revealed by my recent visit. We stayed on a small empty Certificated Site near Underwood NW of the city and rode down to the Trent via the Erewash Canal. From here we carried on to the Attenborough Nature and Bird Reserve before heading through Nottingham city centre and then picking up NCN Route 6 north to Hucknall and back across to Underwood.

Moving on to Newstead we parked up near the station and rode through Newstead Abbey seeing a very young barn owl flutter down from a tree on his first faltering flight. We reached the Sherwood Pines Country Park for a coffee break and then returned via a network of tracks and trails through Newstead once more. A short drive brought us to the Griffins Head at Papplewick which offers a Britstop location in a large flat field that hosts a car owners club show on Wednesday evenings. It also provided a good meal and quiet overnight location so that next day we could drive over to Newstead to park up and catch the train in to Nottingham to visit the Sandstone Caves and National Museum of Justice. This worked really well as both are within easy walking distance of the station. The caves were remarkable and the interpretation and presentation gave a real feeling of how life would have been in the labyrinth of passages. Layers of development right up to the concrete footings of modern buildings covered the history of smuggling, political meetings, storage, beer cellars, a tannery and of course shelter during the bombing raids of WW2. My photos are on an SD card in a camera sent for repair so will appear with luck in the next post but it is a well recommended excursion. 

The NM of J had a good cafe for lunch after which we experienced a mock trial in the superb wood panelled court, looked at the myriad ways in which prisoners used to be treated and baulked at the various old cells and solitary confinement rooms. The history of the justice system was fascinating and well documented - another worthwhile visit. Our train back was a bit crowded due to an earlier cancellation but once back at the van we drove back to Papplewick for another quiet night.

Down at Wollaston Hall we visited the hugely impressive T Rex exhibition that displayed a life size replica skeleton containing some actual excavated bones. Walking round the Park gave us the opportunity to get close to red and fallow deer and some waterfowl with youngsters before we headed home.

I then went down to stay at Dethick on the quiet field near where friends are based and caught up with Barry and his son who have made great progress on his van conversion. It was a peaceful stay before a joint trip down to Wales which started with another Britstop at the Wheatsheaf, Baslow near Chatsworth - the quiet car park was ideal and having arrived early we had plenty of time to ride over to Bakewell and ride the Monsal Trail. After dining well we took a walk down to the Chatsworth campsite which was busy, rather cramped and at £45/ night not nearly as appealing as our arrangement.

 After an early get away we were soon at Ironbridge and parked adjacent to one of the old blast furnaces for a ride up to Bridgnorth along the Severn having briefly cycled along to the bridge and out to the excellent cafe near Ingenuity. We hadn't realised that the Severn Valley Railway has a terminus at Bridgnorth so were delighted to see a steam train arrive and cheekily walked through the restored coaches as the engine changed ends. Eventually with steam hissing and a whistle from the guard the return to Kidderminster departed. Talking to one of the volunteers he explained that steam days were being curtailed due to the shortage of coal following the Ukrainian conflict and will be constrained in the future by environmental controls. A bridge took us across to the castle with its lopsided keep and the castle walls path took us round to the unexpected Bridgnorth Cliff Railway where the friendly operator was keen to show us round and describe his day. After returning to Ironbridge we moved on to a vineyard near Wroxeter that offered another Britstop but as we arrived late and left early we didn't actually go in. 

 

Round by a small church on the Severn we parked up to ride cycle routes to Telford with its new bridge, down to the Coalbrookdale bridge and back along to Ironbridge for a pork pie. From here we returned to the van stopping for a couple of hours at the impressive Roman ruins at Viroconium near Wroxeter.

A substantial wall remains and others outlining the former bath houses store rooms and shops can be seen. School groups had long gone so we had the place more or less to ourselves.

 

A steady run over in to Wales saw us taking a steep road leading to Coco's wild camping where Andrew allows people to pitch where they like over 30 or so acres of undulating hills. There are no real facilities but the views were stunning and despite a stiff wind we were very warm and cosy watching the sun set.

A walk locally the next day took us past a clutch of very swish eco houses partially buried in the hill with a return via woodland as a squall gave us a soaking. However the sun reappeared as we got back so we were soon dried out and amused ourselves as a group of 4x4 vehicles with roof tents  pulled up on our exposed location and beat a hasty retreat after jumping out. A large scout camp away and below us would have perhaps overstretched the very basic composting loos so again we were grateful for the comforts of the van.

 

On Saturday the 21st of May we dropped in to Llandrindod Wells for some shopping before pulling up at Sue's near Llangurrig tucking away in her quiet field for an afternoon in the sun. A ride on the Sunday up to Nant Rhys bothy was cut short by cold winds and drizzle so we we were soon back in the van for a relaxing afternoon before rain fell that evening.

Monday saw us move on to stay at Devil's Bridge with a short walk in en route to call at Nant Syddion bothy where a quick clean up saw all well. The Vale of Rheidol narrow gauge steam railway's afternoon arrival pulled in - a guy on the bridge would have found all his photos somewhat obscured by the clouds of steam and those passengers in the open sided carriages looked a bit chilly. We then walked through the woods and gorges below the triple decked bridge and glimpsed the train returning to Aberystwyth across the valley. The large car park behind the three storey Alpine style Hafod Hotel made for a quiet night after a very good meal - we spoke to a local guy who was tiling some bathrooms but was also a keen photographer with a particular enthusiasm for kingfishers - he had taken some great shots.

Cors Carron bird reserve was the starting point for a ride in to Aberystwyth along the old railway line and down to the harbour. In town the old university buildings are at the start of a major renovation and in the marina we spied an unusual speed boat that looked like it would belong to a Bond villain.A hefty slog took us to the top of Constitution Hill by the cliff railway's top station for a good lunch of fish and chips, out of the wind with a panoramic view of the promenade. After returning to Cors Carron we decided to overnight up at Teifi Pools, very much an old favourite of mine, before walking across to Claerddu bothy which as always needed a bit of a tidy up. The rubbish was recycled at Pontrhydfendigaid before we called at Tregaron to look round the craft and jewellery centre and then drove over the Cambrian Mountains to take the forestry tracks to Moel Prysgau bothy. On a recent cycling visit I had not been able to take away the accumulated rubbish and disappointingly there was even more there this time. This combined with damage to barriers and tyre tracks in the ground leads me to the conclusion that it is mostly 4x4 visitors who do the damage as the amount of rubbish and abandoned kit was more than anyone could walk in with.

Three hours unpleasant sorting of rotten food, broken glass and smelly plastic saw all well once again and we took out the bottles and cans for eventual recycling down at Brecon. I played badminton in Brecon that night whilst Mandy stayed with the friends at Lower Chapel and on the Thursday morning we shopped before heading to Sennybridge Filling Station to do laundry before arriving at friends above the village where we would be staying four nights as they went up to London for a charity cycle event covering 100 miles. That evening we went see Kate Rusby perform at the Hay Festival and the following day saw them off on the drive east. With just two horses and two chickens to look after it was an easy gig, although our need to empty the van loo was thwarted by an over full septic tank necessitating a quick trip in to Brecon to resolve things.

A sunny Saturday saw us take back lanes to Trecastle and then cycle round the Usk reservoir where at the base of the dam a lovely couple have opened a small cafe in their garden after 8 years of renovating a semi derelict cottage. It was good to share experiences of the smallholding life, the rules around food hygiene, which seem as pedantic as ever and the peace and quiet of winter months in mid Wales.

Sunday was spent relaxing with a walk down to the Shoemakers for a pint before returning via the fringes of the Epynnt Military Range where a rogue shower caught us out.

Crad and Dawn returned safely but tired so we headed off in to Brecon for the night with a ride along the canal planned for Tuesday. This took us from Crickhowell down to Cwmbran via the good cafe at Goytre Wharf and then up to the Industrial Heritage site at Blaenafon before dropping down through the Clydach gorge and returning to Brecon in time for the evening screening of the excellent Top Gun sequel. We had parked on the Promenade so enjoyed a walk in to town along the river to the cinema, returning for a very quiet night.

I had contacted Kidwelly Town Council to arrange a stay at Kidwelly Quay tucked away down by the tidal estuary which is a Britstop and very lovely so with plenty of the day left, despite calling in at Llandeilo for the good kitchen shop and a nice deli lunch, we jumped on the bikes and rode round the old military  airfield to the expanse of Pembrey Forest. Tracks took us out to the vast and deserted beach with only some distant horses shimmering in the haze of a mirage to be seen.

 

We managed to lose sight of each other briefly but eventually met at the visitor centre where the campsite was rapidly filling up ahead of the Jubilee weekend. Back at Kidwelly we took in the pretty village and impressive castle before enjoying a great sunset from the old wharf. The Saturday dawned hot and sunny so we set off on a longer ride east towards Swansea, soon meeting up with a young German couple following NCN 4 to London. We left them at Burry Port and continued through the Millenium Coastal Park past Llanelli and round to Loughor where just up from the bridge a small park had a much needed ice cream vendor. It was a steady run back to Kidwelly where we could have stayed on but instead moved round to Laugharne to stay with an old contact from the days when I kept Rare Breeds animals. Leslie has moved from mid Wales down to the coast but still has a flock of mixed coloured sheep that provide her with meat, skins and above all wool for her spinning, knitting and weaving. It was good to catch up after over twenty years and we slept soundly on her yard.

Laugharne Castle, quay and the famous Dylan Thomas Boathouse were all a delight as the tide ebbed away revealing the mud flats of the estuary and we walked round the coast path for a couple of hours with stunning views across to Pembrey and the Gower Peninsula one way and Pendine to the west. We then drove over to Colby Woodland Gardens where Leslie was manning the craft stall in their gallery and were delighted to buy a beautiful lambs wool throw. The walled garden was a joy but we were running out of time so returned to Laugharne where a Jubilee party was taking place on the sports field but we had booked a table at 7 in the Poon Street Food Thai cafe. This was yet another memorable meal with the quirky owner, hard working chef wife and attentive waitress making for a really lovely occasion.After another night with Leslie we departed having bought some lamb chops, sausages and burgers moving only a few miles to a small CS at Llandybie where simple but good facilities complimented the quiet field with good views across the Carmarthenshire countryside. We walked down to Llansteffan on the coast and round on a circuit of perhaps 8 miles but got caught out opposite Laugharne by a heavy shower - a Polish couple had a night under canvas to look forward to as they were walking a section of the Welsh coastal path, but we were comfortable in the van on a showery night.

With a damp Sunday in prospect we caught the train in to Swansea from Carmarthen, mainly to enjoy the views of the areas we had been enjoying over recent days and walked down to the new Arena Arts venue reached by the new Oystermouth Bridge. A quick pint in the art deco Grand Hotel by the station and we were back to Carmarthen on the smoother and faster GWR Hitachi Hybrid hauled Express.

Empty roads led us to the Ferry House Inn at Llanstadwell on Milford Haven where despite its small size and slope we secured a place for the night in the car park overlooking the rising tide. The view from the bar was sublime so we booked a meal for the Monday night and then walked a short way towards Neyland.

 

On a stunning Monday morning we set off to join the old railway line up to Haverfordwest from Neyland with a quick look round a town that more than a decade ago was my shopping and banking centre when I lived in the area. Not much had changed and we were soon on our way to Picton Castle which was asking a fortune to visit, thus we rolled on and dropped down to a point on the Eastern Cleddau opposite Landshipping. A brief section on the A40 to Canaston Bridge  gave way to passing Blackpool Mill which is being restored and arrival at Landshipping itself where a large old house is also undergoing renovation. More empty lanes brought us to Lawrenny with its boatyard and campsite and a cafe overlooking the Cresswell River. From here we dropped through Cresswell itself and reached the impressive Carew Castle with its adjacent tidal mill. A final climb up on to a ridge led us easily in to Pembroke for the final castle of the day - Pembroke. Forty years previously whilst walking the Pembrokeshire Coast Path Greg and I had camped at the foot of its walls and it looked as impressive now as it had then with the still waters of the moat  and an abundance of wild flowers.

The Cleddau Bridge took us across the deep waters of Milford Haven and on to the Neyland Bridge from where we swooped back down to sea level and back after 56 miles to the pub for, you've guessed it, another great meal. we decided to make the most of the light evening and walked out towards the bright lights of the LNG and oil terminals with the now gas fired Pembroke Power producing up to 4 million homes worth of electricity. It was thought provoking to pass amongst such complex and indispensable infrastructure mindful of the events on the other side of Europe and the global impacts arising from them.

 

Moving on again we parked up at Dale and walked around St Annes Head with the tanks firing over at Castlemartin Ranges booming in the distance. In 1485 Henry Tudor Earl of Richmond had landed at Mill Bay with 4000 men from 55 ships - astonishingly within a fortnight he had passed up the west coast of Wales, crossed the Cambrian mountains and defeated Richard 111 at the Battle of Bosworth - a remarkable feat given the distance to be covered on foot through terrain that is still inhospitable in places today.

We moved on to a small well kept CL just inland from Druidston as cloud swept in but still walked down to the laid back Druidston Hotel where perhaps 25 years ago I had done some fencing work and occasionally returned for a pint on the terrace with its sunset views. No such pleasure on a foggy night but it was good to go back anyway.

En route to Solva we stopped for a walk on the wide sweep of Newgale Beach passing through an arch in the rocks at the southern end to reach a completely empty cove. Further round at pretty Solva we watched sea kayakers testing their skills as they left the sheltered harbour before finally reaching Porthgain, another beautiful harbour with the popular Sloop Inn and Shed fish and chips. Whilst down by the boats moored up the owner of the Shed rowed across to one of them to take more of the day's catch back to the fryer - as fresh as you could ask for. The remains of the old brick and slate works with huge brick hoppers all added to the charm of the place. Rugged Strumble Head lighthouse gave us our first seal sighting and we stayed a while in the old WW2 microwave communication test centre hoping to spot dolphins in the perhaps too choppy seas.

 Goodwick harbour and ferry terminal to Ireland is quieter these days as post Brexit much European freight goes directly to Ireland from Spain and France. The new Co Op in Fishguard replenished our stores before we stopped for a walk round the Old Town and Harbour as some youngsters swam in the warm sunshine. I had done some sea kayaking from here a few years ago and hope to get back on the water again at some stage but for now enjoyed the setting before moving on to Newport for a walk down the estuary and round on to its empty beach for a final excursion. The pub at Trewern put us in the corner of their large car park amongst trees alongside a feisty young horse who eventually seemed to approve of our presence. Returning to Newport we explored the streets and coastal path with everywhere seeming pretty quiet as Jubilee crowds had gone home and school holidays are some way off. Whilst out cycling we had seen a camp site with a Greener Camping Club banner so did some research on the web and decided to stay on one of their sites up at Mwnt.

Returning up the coast I noticed that the small farm where I used to live is now a CS - I always thought its location and wonderful view would lend itself to such an enterprise, even though it always seemed windy up there.

We parked up at Ceiwbr to walk a section of path back to the Witch's Cauldron, a huge collapsed sea cave, and were delighted to spot another seal out at sea and then tucked away in the calmer waters of the Cauldron a young pup lolling about waiting for mum to come back with a meal. It was a lovely sight as he eyed us cautiously from way below. We moved on for a look round Cardigan where the Council have changed the rules about parking for vans and display an illogical and contradictory sign - I will email them asking for an explanation but at present their website is down. Two fire engines were attending a shop fire so the main street was closed to traffic as onlookers gathered round.

 The proposed site at Mwnt wasn't quite as we expected, and we realised had no loo emptying facilities so a quick glance through various apps saw us arriving at Fedwig a couple of miles away where Andrew welcomed us to his huge field at Nantycroy with a stunning view, good facilities and a high hedge to tuck away alongside to avoid the strong wind.

 

We walked along to Mwnt beach on the Friday with food, blankets and towels plus wetsuits but the sea felt really cold leaving us to enjoy a day in the sun as the wind sporadically whipped up the sands and waves. Despite my earlier comment there were several families there with school age children who presumably had forgotten the disruptions to learning caused over the last two years by Covid and made up part of the estimated 140,000 pupils currently not attending school.

That evening we walked down to the picnic table that Andrew has placed on his lowest field but to escape the wind crossed the coast path and walked down a rocky outcrop to tuck away opposite one of the old sea cliff slate quarries that are dotted around this area. The sun slipped behind a cloud bank to give an unusual sunset before we returned to base.

Our final day was a return to the bikes - with a descent to the Cliff Hotel at Gwbert passing some stunning new houses and then the road in to Cardigan where we had another look round and an early lunch at the Castle bistro. My buddha bowl was remarkable with 17 different fruits or vegetables and wild rice which energised us to head out to Poppit Sands. The previous evening we had heard a helicopter and were saddened to hear that a local man had drowned there after assisting two children caught in a rip tide. A donation was made at the RNLI station before we headed up the steep hill towards Moylegrove. A sharp local shower soaked us in minutes - no trees up there to shelter us - but on the long descent to Cilgerran we soon dried out. We dropped further down to the river to read about the tradition of coracle fishing on the Teifi before cycling through to the Welsh Wildlife Trusts Centre nearby. After refreshments and a browse of the shop we took back roads to Fedwig where a few more campers had arrived but it was still pretty quiet.

So after a busy and enjoyable month away we set off for Sheffield stopping in Lower Chapel en route to collect my 3 spare CampingGaz cylinders in preparation for my next trip. As I anticipate cylinder gas to be tricky to obtain in Germany and Poland let alone the Baltic states I will be taking all 5 cylinders full from Britain - 2 full Calor 3.9kg which I won't be able to fill and the 3 Cgaz which I might. However as it is only a two month trip with care the whole lot should get me through as I intend to cook less and with summer temperatures need cooler showers.

A final bonus on our return was to head through the Peak District to Bugsworth Basin on the Peak Forest Canal where friends were staying at the Navigation Inn to enjoy some paddle boarding. We were able to stay by the pub so had a very enjoyable meal together, I've not seen Denise for a couple of years now so it  was good to catch up.

 So the Baltics next which I hope will be amazing. I have a sailing from Harwich on the 29th of June and return on the 30th of August. This will give me the leeway to return to Portugal in early December as we still have to work around the post Brexit 90 day limit - thanks again Vote Leave. What so far has Brexit actually achieved ??????

Anyway relax and enjoy the show : here.

 

 

THE RIDGEWAY AND GRAND UNION CANAL PLUS RUTLAND WATER

From our secluded location in the New Forest we cycled on a chilly day up to the pub at Nomansland settling in for lunch just as a short sharp blizzard blew through although a weak sun emerged for our return ride through the woods where spring was only just showing signs of arriving.

We crossed to Wales for me to collect mail and catch up with friends at Sennybridge and Brecon - all were well with a fairly mild winter and recent dry spell making life easier.

We called at the bothy in the Elan Valley to check all was in order and removed the usual bags of rubbish before returning north to Sheffield where Mandy had mail to deal with and I had an oil change booked for the van.

I then stayed overnight in York where members of the family live and met my two cousins, aunt and uncle for a rare gathering of the clans before returning to the pub above Todmorden that I had used last summer as part of my undertaking of the Trans Pennine Bridleway. Here Pete turned up after a frustrating end to a walk on Shap when he locked his keys in his van and we enjoyed a good catch up.

The following day we rode the Mary Townley Loop with a good mix of tracks and trails, long climbs and stunning views across to Rochdale and Manchester on a cold clear day. A sleet shower caught us out as we returned through Bacup after a tough day so the warm pub was very welcome for an evening meal.

 

Pete left for home as I cycled down to Walsden for the train in to Manchester and another out to Hadfield from where I completed the final section of the TPB around Saddleworth Moor and crossing the M62 passing through beautiful deserted moorland and along well surfaced tracks.

Mandy drove out to Dethick near Cromford for a night with Pete and Nina who are off to Suffolk for a month to enjoy a family wedding whilst also awaiting their new van, expected in the summer but held up by the Ukrainian conflict (wiring looms are made there apparently) and the chip shortage that has been affecting the global automotive industry.

I stopped in Shropshire on the BH Sunday night to see Penny who was staying at her sisters and also dropped in on my brother who has had the disruption of a new septic tank installation to contend with - so glad I no longer own a property.

Dropping back to my favourite little site at Llangurig it was good to catch up with Sue the owner and ride through the forest, first to Nant Syddion bothy where a spring work party had pretty much finished off the extensive repair and redecoration works that began last summer and then back to Nant Rhys.

 

This bothy was also in good nick with the daffs out on a sunny afternoon - it was good to be back in such a stunning area although the mountains of Morocco would have been my preferred choice.

I returned to Brecon for the Wednesday badminton session and again enjoyed catching up with good friends before at Lower Chapel I replaced all the brake pads as a warning light had come on whilst in the Pennines - 30,000 miles seems a reasonable mileage and I also stripped and cleaned the sliding calipers, renewed the fluid and gave everything a good inspection as I plan to have my MOT done early this year to allow me to make full use of a planned return to Europe in July - watch this space. A new living area carpet was carefully cut and fitted and everything given a good hoovering after the four months away and a meal in the local pub celebrated Jan and Ian's 40th wedding anniversary. 

 

Jan, Ian and I spent a lovely day over near Llandovery where friends have recently bought a small woodland for peace and enjoyment - something I have considered in recent years. It was a delightful spot with bluebells and a good variety of deciduous trees and more being planted as the Scots pine has been harvested and removed. Barry is a skilled mechanic and welder and has upgraded a small quad with a larger engine, tyre chains and an articulated trailer to take in materials for a shelter and woodshed and take out firewood.

That evening the three of us went over to Builth Wells to see folk group Gigspanner - excellent.

 

 

 

On Sunday Phil and I drove round the stunning Llyn Brianne reservoir and parked up at Nantystalwyn to ride the top track round to Moel Prysgau bothy where there was some cleaning up to be done and rubbish to be bagged up which of course we were unable to remove. Down at the confluence yet another barrier may deter the idiots who still insist on driving up to the bothy causing damage to the ground, river banks and bothy frontage. We cycled out via the wonderfully remote Soar Y Mynydd chapel and then drove home through Llanwrytyd Wells and over the Epynnt Ranges via Tirabad - a route I haven't done for over 20 years.

 

My plans were now to head in to Wiltshire and begin riding The Ridgeway an ancient rack that once linked Dorset with East Anglia. The remaining section links West Overton near Avebury with Ivinghoe Beacon in the Chilterns so I decided to start from east of Swindon using The Blowing Stone Inn at Kingston Lisle as a base. On my way through Swindon I called at Steam, a museum dedicated to the Great Western Railway and Brunel as well as the history of railway engineering and manufacturing in the town. It was well worth a visit and tied in nicely with last year's visits to the SS Great Britain. I noticed on a photo of old coal waggons that they were transporting coal from the mines at Abercrave where I had spent 15 years on the farm - happy memories.

The pub was actually closed on Mondays and Tuesdays but were quite happy for me to stay in their tree shaded car park surrounded by fields which was perfect for my needs. The pub is part of the excellent Britstop network which lists over 1100 places where self contained vans can overnight for free.

A steep climb past the Blowing Stone itself (Google it !) brought me up on to The Ridgeway on a superb day with blue skies, fields of bright yellow rape and the green Wiltshire Downs rolling away into the distance. The route passed the remarkable Wayland Smithy's long barrow and Uffington Hill Fort  before at West Overton I stopped for lunch in the sunny churchyard.

A return route using the byways and bridleways that criss cross the area passed many horse training gallops before a final descent brought me back to the pub after 57 miles.

Wednesday's ride took me through Wantage and on to Goring on Thames where a decent cafe refuelled me for the return via Didcot and the Nuclear Research facilities at Harwell using country roads and bridle paths that might have been hard work after rain. Back at the pub I enjoyed an appreciative pint and thanked them for an excellent stay - food is only available at weekends otherwise I would have eaten there as well as the menu looked very good.

 On my way through Wantage once more I visited the excellent Vale and Downland Museum with its history of the area's geology, farming life and recent more modern developments such as the nearby location of the Williams F1 racing team's HQ. They also cover the life and reign of Alfred The Great who was born in the town and ruled much of Anglo Saxon England from 871 to 899 and was highly regarded as a progressive monarch.

A small Certificated Site at White Mark Farm east of Watlington provided a base for my last two sections of the Ridgeway, firstly riding back to the cafe at Goring and then heading east to Ivinghoe near Tring - red kites are well established in the area and liable to swoop like gulls on food so many eating areas have a netting cover. Around here The Ridgeway is often footpath only but the Icknield Way also passes through the area so I enjoyed various sections of that that were off road as well. A glimpse of Chequers, the PM's country residence, and other large houses confirmed that this is a well to do area but many of the towns and villages are seeing large new housing estates going up and of course HS2 is having a big impact. However for now the superb routes along the Chiltern escarpment were largely empty and I enjoyed mile after mile of good riding on chalky tracks beneath lofty beech trees.

A rather rundown CS near Aylesbury provided a base for exploring the Grand Union Canal for a couple of days before I moved on to Leighton Buzzard for a spin up the GUC to Milton Keynes - the canals are remarkably peaceful despite being so close to centres of population and being a ''wide canal' there were some very impressive houseboats seemingly permanently moored up as well as numerous dilapidated boats where people seemed to be living very dismal lives, no doubt cold and damp in the winter. Between these two extremes of course are the hire boats and continuous cruisers who were a friendly bunch.

At Roade north of Milton Keynes I used another Britstop in the middle of the village and parked up before walking across to the Canal Museum at delightful Stoke Bruerne near the longest wide gauge tunnel at Blisworth where a boat and its crew emerged from the gloom after an exciting passage of almost 3km.

North of Northampton I parked up to ride the section of NCN route 6 up to Market Harborough that follows the old railway line partially used by the Northampton and Lamport Heritage Railway with an interesting collection of engines from the early days of diesel motive power. The area was previously quarried for Northampton ironstone which was removed by the line until fairly recently.

Up at MH I picked up an arm of the GUC and returned south via the long flight of locks at Foxton enjoying a bacon sandwich at the basin cafe before passing round the Spencer family's Althorp estate and returning to the van after another 50 miler.

Moving north again I stayed at another Britstop location : Ferneley's Ice Cream parlour and Dairy Barn Cafe. The hugely friendly owner was quite happy for me to stay on the car park next to a field of sheep and I joined her later as she gave a young farmers group a tour and history of the farm's recent diversification in to home made ice cream. I decided to stay two nights so after a good breakfast in their cafe drove down to Oakham and parked up for a ride round Rutland Water including the Peninsula which was something I've been meaning to do for years. There was a good variety of birdlife and traffic free routes for most of the ride with the church at Normanton particularly appealing. Unfortunately a short but torrential shower had me drenched just before I got back to the van so I was grateful for the heater as the water warmed up for a hot shower. Oakham Castle grounds contain the Great Hall with its collection of hundreds of ceremonial horseshoes traditionally presented to the de Ferrers family by peers of the realm on a first visit and is a fine Grade 1 listed example of Norman domestic architecture.

 

After another quiet night at Ferneleys I bought some of their delicious ice cream and headed north again to park near Southwell in Nottinghamshire and ride various sections of NCN 645 and 6  towards the Sherwood Pines Forest Centre and eventually Clumber Park returning via Wellbeck Abbey. Again remarkably rural riding given the area and good trails that with the relatively flat ground made for very enjoyable progress.

Back at the van the car park was so quiet and inaccessible that I decided to stay the night and before loading the bike changed a gas cylinder that had run out. I was annoyed to discover that the replacement still had a faulty valve that made tightening the regulator impossible unless you gave the cylinder dome a sharp tap with a hammer to create a small indent - not something you really want to do... I had reported this issue on a number of cylinders to Calor last year so will pursue it once more.

Anyway after a peaceful night I was away to Sheffield after a busy and rewarding month covering a variety of scenery and experiences in largely good weather.

My plans for July and August are to head to the Baltic Sates via Berlin and Poland - before then we hope to get a few weeks following the Welsh coast round from north to south so much to look forward to and be grateful for.

A few pics here...

NINETY AND OUT

 After returning to Asseiceira I gave the the van a good clear out and tucked the bikes away before heading across Central Portugal on a sunny Monday evening heading towards Lisbon. My route avoided the toll motorways and brought me in from the north after a night at the large aire in Coruche which is next to a Lidl and provides free hook up with no fee. This would explain why it was almost full and I noticed a few mainly French vans with quads on trailers and the camel/palm tree stickers that indicated to me that they were also waiting in the hope that sea crossings to Morocco would resume shortly.

Lisbon airport is pretty straightforward and after just two circuits of the pick up zone I spotted Mandy heading across with her luggage. Within minutes we were crossing the superb Vasco da Gama bridge and heading east - there was loads to catch up on of course and we stopped briefly at the Montargil reservoir to stretch our legs - it's a lovely spot and I have overnighted there in previous years.

It seemed very surreal when we all caught up back at Asseiceira and after an unusual wet start to Wednesday morning we set off on a favourite walk to the old Roman steps that cross a small river and passes through the rocky land dotted with cork oak, some displaying the red trunks seen after the year's harvest.

We enjoyed riding the local tracks and trails that I had recce'd previously, crossed the odd stream without incident and enjoyed the custard tarts at Bernadino's in Beira. A meal in Santo Antonio on the Friday was excellent with the good company of Gary and Joao before we headed in to Castelo de Vide on the Saturday to see the market, climb up to the castle and revisit the small chapel that looks across the valley. Here I noted that a new via ferrata had been installed which looked fairly straightforward so we decided to return in a day or two and took off for a relaxing afternoon in the hot sun down by the Povoa lake. We took a small track down to the shore where we could enjoy the peace and quiet with the yellow mimosa flowers creating a stunning scene.

A beautiful sunset from the top of Marvao's remarkable castle brought to an end a long overdue visit to a part of Portugal that I am immensely fond of and feel very fortunate to have been able to return to.

After a final day at the campsite we packed up and returned to the vf. I've had the kit for a decade now but it has never seen the light of day so was still in good order. After a few silly photos I then set off in earnest to enjoy an hour or so of safe but hugely entertaining ascent with traverses and an exposed section that merely confirmed that climbing is not for me. I shot a Go Pro video and took some stills as the location and views are stunning before we returned to Povoa for a couple of nights down another narrow track with a perfect spot surrounded by yet more mimosa.

The following day we cycled up to Montelvao who's newly painted water tower was being muddied up by dozens of nesting house martins. A coffee in the small village bar set us on our way for a long loop exploring more rural tracks and visiting the Meadas menhir before returning for a quiet night. The actual aire above the lake is still closed so a few other vans were dotted around the shore and a Spanish guy seemed to be living in a makeshift tent nearby. Storks were nesting in both the trees and on top of electricity poles and a variety of waterfowl also arrived at the lake at dusk. A tiny bright green Mediterranean Tree Frog was poorly camouflaged on a dry branch but had gone by morning.

The uncertainty over Morocco opening persisted so we decided to head generally east and enjoy some of the places I had visited on my way down and explore others. A quick walk round Caceres and lunch in the main square preceded a return to Logrosan where the small aire has water and waste facilities and is tucked amongst trees on the edge of the town. We walked in and saw a group singing and raising awareness about International Womens day before walking back to the van. Early next morning we were away early to follow the Via Verde towards the thermal solar power station passing the old station buildings and then turning off to a large reservoir. This is linked to two others by a large water channel that contours around the local landscape for many miles. We followed its sinuous route back to the two reservoirs, climbed a short hill and then descended rapidly to Logrosan after 50 tough miles.

 

The monastery at Guadalupe could only be visited by tour so we tagged on to a Spanish group understanding very little of course but still being astonished at the extravagance of the decorated chapels and altars. A planned lunch in the square evaporated as having brought us menus and drinks the waiter studiously ignored us for an hour so we departed and headed east staying at a small picnic area below an old water mill.

The following day we came across a honey festival in a small town and were tempted in to buying some delicious chocolate and two lovely wooden nutcrackers.

Skirting south and east of Madrid brought us to the small village of Brea de Tajo where we parked on a lofty spot adjacent to the bull ring with a grand view over the plain. From here we took a rural track to cut across to the VV Del Tajuna but following the recent rain it became muddy to the point of unrideable and then worse as the remarkable clay soils completely  jammed both wheels on both bikes.

We managed to carry both to a firmer track and at the road picked out what we could before down in Orusco a car wash enabled us to get the crud off and after a coffee with friendly locals ride up to pretty Ambite. We then headed south to the junction with another VV and returned to Brea for a quiet night.

We stayed on a campsite for two nights at Canamares to do laundry and other domestic essentials and experienced a strangely exhilarating atmosphere as we cycled back down the impressive Priego gorge with gusty winds and a bizarre light, we extended the ride by following the old road up to a col and zipping back through the new tunnel and then following a side road with a river based swimming zone and another deep gorge beyond. A spectacular looking VF in the gorge was closed for maintenance but would be worth a return visit one day. Back at the site the wind had destroyed our table and the light had turned an unusual yellowy orange. The showers had a wood burner in each room so were very cosy and we settled in for a quiet night. The area is known for the production of willow for weaving and sheaves of the newly cut crop were standing drying in the fields or stockpiled in the farm yards.

Moving on we came to the remarkable rock formations of the 'Enchanted City' which would have been better in bright sunlight but by then we had learnt that much of Spain and Portugal was being affected by a huge Saharan dust storm which had blown in - this explained the electric atmosphere and unusual lighting of recent days. The rocks had eroded in to some remarkable shapes and were huge - ' The Ships' were as big as a ferry and the animal shapes surprisingly convincing.

We arrived at tiny Trasmoz which has one bar only open at weekends, no shop and a small church but a new aire with all facilities, marked concrete pitches and even an area of astroturf by each space. Water for one euro and electricity for four convinced us to stay the following day during some very wet and windy weather with a quiet day in the van passing very enjoyably.

It cleared up the following day although temperatures were still low as we climbed the road beneath Moncayo to 6,000' before a fast decent in to Tarazona where a coffee in a warm bar soon had us thawed out. From here the easy VV de Tarazona took us along to Tudela where we found a good cafe run by a hard working Chinese family. Retracing our route to Tarazona we took a side road back to Trasmoz arriving back after 50 odd rewarding miles with much ascent.

 

It was a short run to Arguedas where we stopped on the large patch of waste ground on the edge of the village which serves as the overflow to the official aire which is small and quite tight for the larger vans.The wild flowers made it look lovely and there was plenty of room beneath the cliffs that contained the remarkable cave houses occupied until surprisingly recently. We walked up to explore and were tickled pink that friends had also visited the very same kitchen with its oven and hidden bedrooms.

 From Arguedas we cycled up to the access point for the Bardenas Reales (Badlands) which are a unique geological feature in a semi desert area that has featured in various films over the years. We cycled down to the first feature on a sunny but windy day and then rode round the perimeter road with a stiff head wind in parts and the uneven surface making it quite hard work. However the scenery was stunning and we stopped for lunch near the military base that occupies the central no go zone.

Back at Arguedas we walked in to town and the following day cycled up in to the surrounding hills with a Mediterranean Ladder snake providing interest.

Olite's aire was ideal for visiting the beautiful old town with its central square dominated by a very extensive castle that we enjoyed exploring  - it was in good condition and well worth a visit.

 

The aire at Sos Del Rey Catolico was on the edge of another delightful old town which we enjoyed exploring before heading off to visit the castle and church at Javier and then the Monastery at Leyre.

At the latter we obtained the key for access to the impressive crypt and then the church above. By pure chance as we lingered a little longer twenty or so of the Gregorian monks emerged silently from a side door, took their places below the altar and began a wonderfully moving series of chants and hymns.

We returned to SDRC for the night and then starting at Liedana where we had shopped followed the short VV through the impressive Foz de Lumbier Gorge to Lumbier itself, seeing a rather unusual T5 camper conversion and meeting a British couple with a very nice looking T3 conversion.

After moving on to an excellent newly improved aire with bike washing and a service point complete with track pump and tools at Irurtzun right on the VVs Del Plazaola we cycled up to and then through the remarkable Leitza Tunnel which had some beautiful limestone formations mid way along where a stream ran out of the rocks. Back in town I had a much needed haircut and was able to chat a little with the young Moroccan guy who ran the place - by now of course my plans to go there were well and truly scuppered and we had a ferry home from Bilbao a week later.

We next moved on to Leitza itself and cycled back to the north end of the tunnel from the old station which seemed to be OK to park at overnight. We then headed north to Andoain to enjoy an ice cream before returning along the same route as it passed through numerous tunnels and along various valleys.

 

Our final VV began near the French border at Irun and headed east in to the foothills of the Pyrenees in Basque country to Doneztebe. Flooding had washed away some of the route but we passed through Bera and Sunbilla from where we could see a mountain top on fire which fortunately looked as if it wouldn't spread far. 

Back at  Irun we drove up to the recreation area at Enterria where families were packing up after barbecues and picnics to leave just a number of other vans and ourselves parked up for the night. It was a quiet spot and we made use of the water and waste facilities before leaving the following morning as the day's visitors began to arrive.

We started following the coast road round towards Bilbao which was busy on a sunny Sunday but took us through some lovely port villages giving us a chance to have a few hours on a beach and walk round Ondarroa and Lekeito before staying inland at a monastery that provides simple accommodation for pilgrims on the Santiago de Compostella route. We were the only occupants of the car park in marked contrast to the busier aires down on the coast.

 

 

Monday round the coast was much quieter and we enjoyed a light lunch at Elantoxbe where two artists were brightening up the harbour shelter before the sat nav expertly brought us to the aire for Bilbao high above the city and conveniently placed for the bus down to the centre. We enjoyed the Guggenheim and its environs, walked through the smart shopping areas and caught a late bus back for our final night of the trip.

 

With plenty of time to spare we headed to the port stopping en route to get laundry done and look in vain for a gas supplier - we will revert to Calor in the UK but I had hoped to take 3 full Camping Gaz ones home ready for next time.

Passport and security checks at the port were easy enough and we joined the lines of vehicles waiting to board the new Brittany Ferries LNG powered vessel the Salamanca on its maiden return crossing to Portsmouth. There is new infrastructure for refuelling as the ship carries 800,000 litres stored at -162 degrees C - somewhat sobering but I guess the way the world of heavy duty engines is going.

When I had booked a few weeks earlier the best cabins had gone but our internal four berther was fine and we had taken out tickets for the Commodore Cafe which was a good decision as unlimited snacks and drinks were on offer plus a good view of the seas ahead. It was a calm crossing for which I was very grateful and we enjoyed the experience immensely. Some folk were a bit greedy with the food and wine on offer and guarded their prime seats by the windows jealously. The tickets included the evening meal and breakfast, both of which were staggered to maximise space but this resulted in some long queues, something they will need to address. We passed the Isle of Wight as the sun set and docked on time after dark in Portsmouth where again customs and border control were simple enough.

An hour or so later we rolled quietly down the track to our little hide away site near Ringwood arriving just before midnight to sleep soundly in this quiet and secluded spot.

I found it very humbling to have been able to get way at all after the horrors of the pandemic and felt hugely privileged given the events in Ukraine to have been away and returned safely. The Brexit 90 in 180 rule seems ludicrous and was yet another little mentioned consequence of the decision to leave - I as yet see no benefit to the UK in that decision in this and many other areas of life, the economy and business. There are work arounds and I am making plans to get away again by late June with plenty already going on now I'm back - a further blog will cover events to date shortly.

Pics here as per usual.

In and Out and In and Up in Portugal

 

In Trujillo I walked from the parking by the old bull ring in to the historic centre with its huge main square dominated by both the church and, high above, the castle or alcazaba The Iglesia San Martin was stunning both inside and out as was the castle which also boasted remarkable views around the largely flat surrounding countryside. Pigeons were taking prime nesting spots in the old walls and a warm breeze blew on yet another cloudless day.

 In Caceres I recognised the aire tucked away near the older centre and walked up to the maze of streets that surround the numerous traditional buildings before spending a quiet night alongside a few other vans. The following morning I walked round to the nearest laundrette but had to wait a while as a lady had requisitioned all the machines for a vast pile of linen. Once mine was done I returned to the van to put it all away and then walked back in to the centre once more. A small restaurant with a sunny terrace provided me with an excellent menu del dia which I enjoyed at leisure before a second quiet night.

As I'd not been able to grab a large machine yesterday I took a second load round only to find the same lady with a similar huge load in progress, however she let me use one of the machines but seemed reluctant to give up the dryer.

A large Carrefour supermarket gave me the chance to stock up with plenty of good food and other items before I headed towards the Portuguese border hoping that there would be no Covid hassle. En route I filled up with diesel as it is considerably cheaper than Portugal at around £1.20 a litre and used a car wash to clean 8 weeks of dust off the van and bikes.

There was nobody at the border and within minutes I was taking the familiar and exceedingly narrow short cut through Gallegos to Santo Antonio Das Areias where Camping Asseiceira looked as welcoming as ever.

It is three years since I have been here and it was wonderful to see Gary looking well and the site still immaculate and unspoilt. I noticed new walking path signs in the area and that more old houses had been restored which Gary said was down to a push to encourage tourism and tempt younger people back to the area.

Over the next few days we caught up on news, visited his project to convert a former olive oil factory in to a new home and I was introduced to a long term resident who deals in cryptocurrency and an English guy who has been staying a while. Otherwise a few vans turned up for various nights but it was quiet - very few English winter visitors have made the trip but he had had a lot of Portuguese 'staycationers' over the previous summers, which I guess may bode well for enticing people to consider relocating to the emptier rural parts of the country.

I enjoyed various bike rides on the network of quiet lanes and rural tracks returning to the old station at Beira where a new business hub has been built as part of the repopulation drive.

Whilst giving my old bike a good clean and service I noticed that the front brake lever was hardly working so headed off to Portalegre in search of a replacement. However I was tempted by the availability of new bikes in the shop and took a couple out for a test spin. Realising how decrepit the old Cube felt I decided to forget repairs and asked the guy to prepare a Scott Scale carbon fibre hardtail with a 1x12 set up, 29'' tubeless wheels and hybrid SPD pedals Thus an hour later and a few bob lighter I left with a new machine to enjoy - an early birthday present or a late one given that over the last two years I had found it impossible to source the right bike in the UK

Back at the site I transferred various accessories and mounts across which did away with the shiny new look - thus I hope reducing the possibility of theft - and then stripped the old Cube of anything useful including the almost new tyre (which will fit Mandy's bike), the newish caliper and rear brake lever, all those small bolts and screws that are easily lost and then put the various bits of metal in the recycling bins and the frame in  another. It has been a well used bike across many countries and covered thousands of miles - many in tough conditions but like my old T4 van had just about reached the end of its useful life. Fond memories have just made me look that old girl up - still on the road, 353,000 miles on the clock, passing its MOTs regularly but only 8,000 miles in the four years since I sold her on - what a contrast to the stellar mileage I put on - 240,000 in 12 years! Do the math - it's a factor of 10.....

 

 

 

Anyway I tested the new wheels on a ride out to Castello De Vide passing an old friends former smallholding and heading out to the Povoa reservoir where numerous storks were nesting. The aire has been refurbished but remains closed for now and unusually there were no vans dotted around the shoreline, either a sign that the local police are moving people on or that visitors have yet to return in the usual numbers and possibly a combination of both.

As well as new footpath signs there are a bewildering number of mountain bike routes signed but basically they all follow the tangle of tracks and trails and for me it was reassuring to know that the vast majority are open for use enabling me to link various options up using the Satmap GPS to create some memorable rides. 

Back on site Gary and I tested and charged a pair of AGM leisure batteries that Russ had left following an upgrade and we decided they were in better condition than Gary's existing LB in his van so we will replace that one in due course.

In the background I have been monitoring the situation regarding a sea crossing to Morocco as by late March my post Brexit 90 day limit is up but to date the ports are still closed so I may have to return to the UK within a month. As Mandy is able to join me next week  we will probably spend a week at Marvao, two weeks looping up through Spain and then cross France quickly for a short ferry hop home.

The possible plan to get a ferry to Italy, cross Greece quickly and then spend three months in Turkey is somewhat hampered by the delays obtaining the 3 different PCR tests required despite my fully vaccinated status so I think I will be more than grateful for this winter trip and look forward to longer ones in the near future as Covid recedes and measures ease later in the year.

Thus after ten days at Marvao I decided on a short trip away heading via the Douro to the Sierra D'Estrella, Portugal's highest mountain range.

A quiet aire on the southern fringe of the park saw me adjacent to a Dutch family whose two toddlers seemed to be enjoying the adventure - the sight of them playing with buckets and spades on a pile of gravel reminded me of a photo I took on my first visit to Morocco of two small kids doing exactly the same and looking just as content - do we sometimes provide too much in the way of devices and gadgets to our youngsters...

Round at Loriga the village had installed a new aire which was really only accessible for smaller vans so I had it to myself. A group of local men were attacking a huge pile of tree trunks with a chain saw and tractor powered log splitter but called a halt soon after I arrived to enjoy beer, bread and cooked chicken in the warm sun.

 

I set off to explore the village passing a classic old Beetle before spotting a sign for a marked route up in to the surrounding mountains that reached an RAF memorial. I set off and climbed steeply on a track that then ended and became a footpath across the boulder strewn mountainside. It was hard work but I was determined to get there as had the local villagers who in 1944 had struggled up there to the scene of a crashed British Maritime Reconnaissance plane, a Lockheed Hudson, that had been en route from Gibraltar to London. The six airmen perished and their graves are still carefully maintained in the local cemetery - although bizarrely according to local archives three were destroyed by a 'mental patient' in 1972  and had to be replaced. The site is marked by a simple cross and no wreckage remains - local tungsten miners and charcoal burners had carried the remaining metal away to be repurposed in an area where even outside of war times were hard and materials in short supply.

My intention the next day was to visit the highest village in Portugal, Sabugueiro but judging by the numbers of cars heading that way it was a popular Sunday afternoon out. Thus I dropped down a side road and parked up in a small village lower down where a walk along a water channel took me in to the hills before leaving the waterway and contouring round the slopes before returning through pine woodland. The intriguing processionary caterpillars had hatched and I came across many of the ponderous lines of these creatures following  their leader across the ground.

 

 

Towards dusk I reached Sabugueiro which was now deserted and settled in for a quiet night by a chapel in a small square. Unfortunately the bin lorry came round at 5 the next morning which gave me the idea to get going and watch the sunrise from Torre, Portugal's highest mountain. It was a good drive on empty roads as the skies lightened and in temperatures around zero I was rewarded with a spectacular photo opportunity. After breakfast I began the long twisting descent through the Estrella National Park and by late morning was crossing back in to Spain. I stopped at Ciudad Rodrigo to walk the city walls with their superb views - outside a fair was setting up whilst within in the main square a remarkable transformation was taking place ; vast amounts of timber were being used to erect tiered seating and sturdy walls to turn the square in to a bull ring for the following weekend's carnival.

 

 It was a huge amount of work and I guess the place will be packed out. I'd only parked at the aire but as I arrived I met a couple from Northern Ireland in a large old Mercedes self converted bus who were looking for a property to buy in Portugal - he was a real character having served in the British Army, spent years in the Merchant Navy, then oil rigs around the world and most recently several years on the Stena Irish Sea ferries. I was also intrigued by a young Spanish guy camping out of the back of his estate car - he carefully set up a folding table with cloth and cutlery and then produced a stove and began cooking  - good to see this way of life appealing to so many characters and with such different approaches.

Between Bejar and Hervas I parked up at the old station of Banos de Montemayor, famed for its Roman thermal springs and followed the VV del Plata north to Bejar itself before returning to spend a hot afternoon in the sun. The following day I took the same VV south passing through Hervas to reach the trail end some 15 miles away. The old station did for another night and I fetched a couple of buckets of water from the spring to top up my tank. 

Today I passed through Plasencia where at last I found a Campingas outlet in a garden centre - several others promised by the locator app had not even existed. At £20 it is much cheaper than the UK and I expect a cylinder to last 10 days or so which is all hot water, cooking, washing up and the overnight fridge use. By staying off grid and avoiding campsites my total cost so far in 8 weeks away has been the £15 spent very early on at an aire with hook up for 3 nights - cheap living.

From the visitor centre for the Monfrague National Park I enjoyed another VV 12 miles each way that followed the old Madrid to Valencia D'Alcantara railway which has been superceded by a newer line that runs nearby. It was a good surface and passed through tree dotted grazing land with healthy looking cattle - both Spain and Portugal are seeing a drought and farmers are feeding their stock which is unusual in winter, in contrast to the UK feeding is normally only required in the dry parched summer months. In contrast to the storms back home I have had one afternoon of showers in the last 8 weeks...

This evening I am parked up in the square of Relvas which sits below Monsanto regarded as one of Portugal's prettiest villages. I walked up earlier on a cloudy afternoon which wasn't the best for photographs but was an improvement on my last visit in 2013 when according to this blog I had visited in stormy weather and there were trees down and tiles off roofs. The blog also described my previous visit to the Estrella around the same time  when the summit was shrouded in thick fog and snow lay on the roadside - no wonder I didn't recognise it. After 17 years on the road and so many amazing adventures I guess it's inevitable that I forget about some of the places I have visited but as the Estrella proved return visits are always different and can be an improvement on the first occasion, although the opposite can also be true.

 

Anyway that's everything up to date - shopping and laundry in Portalegre will precede my return to Marvao where I hope to borrow the vacuum cleaner and give the van a good clean out before my trip to Lisbon.

 A few pics here....

East to the Med then inland to the Centre

 As I pulled in to the aire at Cretas amongst olive trees I realised we had stayed there a couple of years ago en route to Barcelona but not actually ridden from there. The old town was full of beautiful stone buildings, cool arched walkways and was attractively lit at night.

I set off along the Via Verde heading north for a couple of hours noticing a transformation from pines to olives and almonds in the surrounding scenery. It was warm by day but again nights were frosty.

 

The VV also headed south with the lofty tops of the NP dels Ports looming and an isolated top with a ruined chapel caught my eye for a possible walk. The old stations were mostly abandoned although one did have a cafe based in an old railway carriage but it only opens in the summer. One other station also had a closed cafe but its wifi was still working allowing me to do a bit of planning whilst I enjoyed the last of the oranges from Burgos. The following morning as I prepared to leave a tractor turned up with another plus trailer followed by a 4x4 which contained a film crew. They were here to record the first tractor with its olive harvesting attachment - basically a large fan unfolded around the base of the tree and then two jaws gripped it and shook it violently to dislodge the ripe olives. It was fascinating to watch and the small crew took various clips, did interviews and launched a small drone for aerial shots.

 

I moved on to a huge monastery below the ruined chapel I had seen and enjoyed the 90 minute walk up steep paths for a panoramic view before dropping in to Tortosa where the aire was well organised but located under a rather noisy bridge. It was almost full but by tucking away beside a larger French van I was well shielded from the traffic.

The next day I cycled north up the VV de Zaffran to reach the old station with its wifi, again passing through a number of tunnels and crossing various rivers on lofty viaducts - it was a very enjoyable section and also passed a large weir that diverts water from the Ebro in to a huge network of canals that irrigate the rice paddies of the delta. Orange and lemon groves were full of fruit about to be picked and there were a number of spring flowers out in the warm sun.

A long but flat ride, initially along an irrigation canal and then following the Ebro River finally brought me out on the coast of the Med - the Ebro actually rises quite near Santander so had been following a pretty similar route to me over the last few weeks. The sea was calm and in the lagoons behind and on the flooded rice fields a range of birds and waterfowl were dabbling in the waters.

 

Back at Tortosa I found a laundrette and supermarket before heading out to the delta again for a stay on another busy aire on the south side of the river. I guess as it was the coast and warmer the increase in numbers was to be expected but again there were very few UK vehicles. I rode out to the coast and took a number of long sandy tracks along the shore line to reach the enclosed lagoon at the north, home to hundreds of flamingoes. It was flat easy cycling and the miles soon added up - 40/50 a day being my comfortable average.

The following day I returned to the coast, followed a sandy track and treated myself to a day on the beach where at one point a large tractor turned up to dredge the outlet from the irrigation channel so that the fields could dry out a little for planting.

Moving on I climbed high in to the PN dels Ports to the summit of Monte Cova arriving at the same time as two Spanish cyclists who shared the remarkable views before they shot off downhill. I fixed the GoPro to the screen and followed them with the camera set to speed up the descent making for an entertaining clip. Hidden corners were still quite icy but the cyclists had descended safely as I passed them and turned inland to Morella.

The aire is across the valley from the walled town and castle so has a good vantage point and being a small van I could park away at the end of the terrace with enough room for a small private 'garden' - thus out came the solar panel and chair for a couple of hours.

 

I walked in to town the next day passing the remains of a three tiered aquaduct that had brought water in for many years from a distant spring. The lofty castle was reached by a series of narrow streets and had a bull ring within its lower walls. The various levels and battlements culminated in a substantial courtyard at the top with the main keep and made for a very worthwhile visit. Down in the town I chose a small but smart restaurant for lunch and worked out that only the second Covid dose and booster Q codes actually enable you to enter premises in Spain.

After a quiet night I got up early to catch the sun rising over the town before heading to Viafame where another castle loomed over the town. A young German lad was touring in his BMW estate car with a roof tent and had a slide out kitchen with stove and cool box in the boot - he'd also made a hot water system by mounting a section of black painted plastic 6'' pipe horizontally on his roof rack with a filler cap and spout - ingenious..

The aire at Segorbe was no more than parking along a road by the railway station but it was quiet enough and allowed me to pick up the VV de Ojos Negros north that ran to Teruel and beyond and passed through more almond orchards and empty landscapes.

The location for the village of Alcala de Jucar was spectacular - set deep in a limestone valley and overlooked by a beautiful castle it made for an enjoyable half day. The steep streets beneath the castle have many cave houses set deep in to the rock - ideal for winter warmth and summer cooling - and there is one incorporated in to the castle as well which was fascinating.

 

The village of Lezuza west of Albacete was my base for two nights - the aire was a large old dusty football pitch with plenty of space and no other occupants. From the village a 40 mile mountain bike route was signed so I took a photo of the board, translated the route on to my GPS and set off for a memorable ride through empty farmland passing many uninhabited dwellings and not seeing a sole. The route used various tracks and trails and offered expansive views before returning me to the quiet parking once more. I used the facilities to fill with water and deal with the bathroom before loading the bikes on again and spending a comfortable night with the heating in use again as inland was much cooler at night.

A few miles away I parked at an old station to ride a length of the VV D'Alcaraz which skirts the mountain range of the same name before pulling up at a rather small aire in Riopar alongside a Dutch van. The following day I took a drive through the Sierra D'Alcaraz following a very quiet minor road and then another through Bogarra and Ayna. Whilst stopping for lunch on the forest road down to Molinicos the Dutch guy turned up on his scooter and we enjoyed a good chat over coffee in the sun. I stayed the night in Molinicos which was the start of a good walk up in the hills on a hot day with a ruined village towards the end providing a snapshot of a lost way of life.

Heading inland again I stopped above Ruidera in an aire amongst pine trees by the Penarroya reservoir with a dramatic castle overlooking the flat water. It was a lovely spot with a good sunset.

The wetland bird reserve of the Tablas de Daimiel is suffering from a lowering water table caused by agricultural boreholes so whilst much reduced in area it still attracts a wide variety of birdlife which could be seen from the various walks that crossed the reserve on duckboards. At dusk the birds were very vocal but it soon became a very peaceful place to spend the night with just one other van parked nearby.

A stunning drive through the Sierra de Cabaneros brought me to an unusual aire - it was fairly new, fully fenced in and watched over by CCTV. Payment for water, waste or electricity plus a nightly fee would have been around £10 but as I had no need for these services I pushed on eventually parking at the old station in Aldenueva de Barbarroya for, you've guessed it, another VV. With the rest of the afternoon still available I knocked out 20 odd miles up to Calera y Chozas before returning for a quiet night. On the Saturday I headed south to the final station before a long tunnel under the Sierra de Guadelupe which is closed off although a Camino Natural (rural track) does carry on over the Puerto de San Vicente to the monastery at Guadelupe. Back at A de B a party was starting across the line at a house and a few local kids turned up to drink a few beers right next to me but all was well and it was quiet by late evening.

 

On arriving at Logrosan I realised it was another aire I had used before and indeed we had cycled the VV before as I recognised the huge solar thermal power station and long concrete canal structure as I headed south. Storks were nesting on the poles and pylons, cranes in their hundreds were prowling the fields, buzzards and kites floated overhead and I saw three otters cross the path ahead of me as I returned in the late afternoon to find three other vans pulled in amongst the trees - all UK plates. One had managed to damage his awning so they were all busy trying to repair it so I left them to it and created some very successful chickpea and onion burgers for tea.

Today I have moved on to Trujillo for one or two nights and expect to be at my friend Gary's small campsite near Marvao in Portugal by Wednesday. I've not seen him for 3 years so it will be a good catch up after which I will look at the options for crossing to Morocco by late February. After 6 weeks in Spain the Brexit clock is slowly counting down and I will need to focus on my options.

Anyway an update from Portugal next week will follow - meanwhile click here for more pics.