Siesta Time !!

Friday 7th May 2010 A pleasant morning dawned, and so I decided to ride the 6 Kms to the National Park exhibition centre, where I spent a very pleasant few hours learning the history of the Picos, the geology, and the people. I then had a ride back to Potes, got some provisions and rode back to the camp site. I timed it well, as just after having arrived back the rain came, and so I had a good lunch of wine,cheese,chorizo and bread, followed by one of those famous Spanish Siesta's !! Sometimes you've just got to take it easy ... Congratulations to James, winning the Levenshulme seat on Manchester City Council, carrying on a famous Hennigan tradition !! Well Done http://www.manchester.gov.uk/info/362/elections/4699/local_election_results_2010 ..and the Conservatives managed to get in in the High Peak, even without my absent vote !!

Election --- Wot Election ??

Thursday 6th May 2010

The day dawned bright and clear'ish,

so I decided to do a walk from one of the books I've got, walking from Potes, to 3 of the remotest villages in the area...it was only supposed to be a moderate walk, 800 mts of climbing ,and to last 4 hours..

.

here's my route -- in Spanish

http://cantabriaenbici.es/primavera2007/40-ruta.html

If only, although I had a great walk, through mountaineous country through Frama-- and up to Lubayo a 'real' hill village, where the road, if you can call it that was really a mud splattered track, going 'straight up', and making me pant ! and warmed me up well...I should have said I'd chanced the shorts, and was glad I was wearing them, to keep cool...

I carried on across some high meadows, following an ever upwards track, till eventually I gained the top of the Collado de Porciedo, 800 mts, but, looking either side of the col, were two tops which I decided to climb --

Pico Pumar, and Mediajo, both of which put a couple of hundered meters on my days climbing - but it was worth it with great views all around, although the highest tops in the Picos were still hidden under cloud.

I carried on through the ancient village of Tudes which had a 'Bar des Ingles' ( I think that's the English bar !, although it was closed... )

and through the abandoned village of Porcieda, who's only occupants were the local herdsmean and his grazing cattle - along with obligatory 2 dogs !

It was then a stroll (!) through some Oak bark forests, differing areas, and eventually dropping me down into Potes...

It had taken about 6 hours ! of walking and meandering,

I'd not met another single walker....

and No Ballot Boxes in sight...

Hope the High Peak Ballot isn't decided by 1 vote, I'll have to own up...

A gentle stroll back to the campsite, and Chorizo 3 bean stew, followed by Chicken Dopiaza ( courtesy of wayfarer meals)...a good snooze later..

Warmer in the Picos...

Wednesday 5th May 2010

Today is a lot brighter, and after a slow start Mr Sun really came out to play...

I met a chap who arrived late night from down in the South of Spain - it was too HOT for him !!,and as he neared Potes, coming over the mountain pass got stuck in a snow drift !!!

Eventually he was rescued by the only other motorist on the road, and managed to make his way to the campsite.He's been here before,from Lancaster, and seems a mine of information - which I'll take advantage of...

I've had a walk into the nearby village of Potes, which was very quiet, although I can imagine in high summer will be very busy with 'tourists'

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Spain/Cantabria/Potes-257640/TravelGuide-Potes.html

where i got the obligatory bread and local cheese,along with some climbing maps, back to Wally for quick lunch, then on the road bike for a 5 mile climb out of Potes, along the Road towards Fuente De...and a really fast ! return for shower, and tidy up.

The views of the surrounding mountains keep opening up,so hoping to get higher as the time progresses....

All in all a good day, so will celebrate with meal at the site restaurant, which looks OK !

Q What's the mystery object....found in Wally ??,answers on the blog...

The Rain in Spain is a real Old Pain!!

Tuesday 4th May 2010

It's freeeeezin in Spain, there's hailstones, heavy rain and not much prospects for ir getting better....

still mustn't complain...or should I ??

Had a good night's sleep in wally, very comfortable, although i thought it was heavy rain, rather than large hailstones banging on top of the roof all night... i awoke to a grim looking sky...and it didn't dissapoint..

still, managed to keep reading the Sunday newspapers, have a respectable breakfast and lounge around until late afternoon,

when the skies cleared slightly, and i walked up the hill behind the campsite to the monastery of St Torebo http://travel.viamichelin.com/web/Destination/Spain-Potes/Tourist_Site-Monastery_of_Santo_Toribio_de_Liebana-Santo_Toribio_de_Liebana

where there is a piece of the cross of Christ...

in fact I had my own private veneration of it from a monk, who couldn't speak English...as I couldn't Spanish...

http://www.thetablet.co.uk/article/6496 this makes interesting reading,,

then a 1000 mts climb to the Church of St Mary of the Angels ( just like Levenshulme !!)

and back to the campsite for pasta dinner...

praying for sun tomorrow !!!-- its a Red sunset--no Rain

Rough Sea's Ahead -- Joe's in Bed !

Monday 3rd May 2010

Well, if this is Rough I'm the best sailor in the world,and years of avoiding sleeping on ships has been wasted..!!

As i awoke crossing the 'rough' seas of the Bay of Biscay...all was calm, and pleasant, the sun streaming through the chink in the blackout blinds at 07-30 a.m., the only distrurbing sounds were...the sleeping assorted backpackers,zonked out all around...

I crept out of the lounge onto the sunny decks, and had a morning stroll in the pleasant sunshine...the sea around may be rough, bout our onward journey was calm, and smooth.

To celebrate I had my final (for a while,I think) 'Full English', peculiar you may think on a French ship, travelling in International/ French Waters, en route to Spain ! Still very enjoyable...

A pleasant morning passed as the Pont Aven cruised gently towards Santander, and arrived there, under increasingly threatening black skies around 12noon GMT, 1300 local time...

As we all gathered in the garage, and re-united with 'Wally' who semed to have travelled well ! I bumped into a couple from Mancester/Co Leitrim and Co Clare, who were emigrating to Murcia, Southern Spain,along with their 'old' Campervan, trailer loaded with many possesions, and their dog. They said going to Murcia, being in the mountains,the best bit was that the kids refused to come, as it wasn't near the sea ( not a bad idea!)..

Anyway, off to the Frenetic start of Continental Europe, and the chaos that is Santander port, with a rain shower to welcome me !!

Fortunately the ferry company had provided an 'easy escape to Santander' route, and that together with 'Wally' and 'TomTom' speeded me on my way to the motorway, and onwards to my first stop in the Picos de Europa...

As I travelled along the motorway the heavens opened to an almighty downpour...just my luck, left good weather in England, to rain in Spain.....and I'm not even on the plain!!

2 Hours of driving brought me to Potes, and my first campsitehttp://www.campinglaviorna.com/

Pleasant reception, and on deciding which pitch I was to use, set up, and took bikes off, and thought I'd done so well, beating the intermittent rain,

and connecting the electric...all between showers...

&Unfortunately on filling the water tanks mustn't have closed tap properly as it was empty when i tried to use it later...still I'll survive on bottled water until I next move..

I was comfy in 'Wally' with the heater on, and my first cup of

'Spanish' PG tips tea !!

Followed by dinner of Chilli con carne, and chocolate Pud..with some of Dot's flapjacks to round everything off....

This is the life, may get used to it !! Just hope the sun puts in an appearrance !!

Q What get's wetter the more it dries ???

Ready for the High Seas !!

Sunday 2nd May 2010

Upbright and early this morning, for one of Dot's famous 'Full English' breakfasts- unbeleivable , been hear for nearly two weeks, and only just got one, how time's have changed ! (Thanks anyway)

Then off to Brixham, for 10 a.m. mass at Our Lady Star of the Sea church

http://www.stellamarisbrixham.org.uk/ - quite apt considering where I was going later in the day...where the Parish Priest, Fr Guy de Gaynesford gave a quite heartening and stirring sermon on the recent scandal of abuse within, the Cathoilc Church, exhorting everyone to prayers of Atonement, particularly of the 4 Fridays of May (don't forget, do it !!)

Following church back to dot's for a final lunch, hugs of farewell, and on the Road just before 2p.m. for the easy journey across to Plymouth, less than an hour away.

Driving along the Hoe in Plymouth brought back memories of Gerard and Sarah's weding here some years ago at the Royal Citadel http://www.ecastles.co.uk/citadel.html

then onto Brittany ferries checkin area, and onto the Pont Aven http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/fleet/pont-aven

although it seemed to take ages to get onboard, once on, abandoning 'Wally' in the garage,I was soon established in my comfortable 'Pullman seat' No cabins for me-- too tough (or cheap?)

A film crew was on board filming someone, unknown to me, but there was a vague recollection of him being a TV personality...if anyone knows him -tell me...

A pleasant evening followed, and after steak and chips, followed by strawberry tart, and persusing the Sunday papers I settled down to a nights sleep amongst the backpapers and other cheapskates !!

i could hardly tell the ship was moving , but it was gliding steadily across the Sea ..

Night, night....