Viva Espan’a !!

A pleasant journey on the ship, saw me having a Gourmet meal (and wine) in the posh restaurant, and an equally posh (and hearty ) breakfast… interspersed with my palatial accommodation in the cheap recliner seats, and latterly on the floor !

I did manage to see something of the sunrise… blowing my hair around ! and leaving me time to ponder where to go on arrival in Spain…

The sun was shining quite nicely as we arrived at Santander, although it had been a smooth crossing, where I had seen some common porpoises flying though the waves (sadly no whales or sharks though), I was feeling a little ‘hazy’, and so decided to change my plans (what plans ?), and drive less than a couple of hours to Potes, in the Picos de Europa national park … nothing like some snow capped mountains and bracing air to help me stop swaying up and down…

I arrived at Camping la Viorna, before 2 p.m., quickly settled in…and decided to have a nice bike ride in the afternoon/evening sunshine … up along the road, climbing towards Fuente De (to save for another day), lovely , got my legs going although I kept my ‘sea legs’ !!, I only went about 18 kms, and a good exhilarating downhill ride back to the campsite , managing to get to 57 kms an hour ! The evening views reminded me why I came here.. settling down to an early night !

I was up bright and early the next morning, ready to take on the mountain road, from Potes to Fuente De’, a long 25 kms away, all of which was uphill, was I ready ? – you bet ( I thought)… the sun was already beaming down as I set off just before 10 a.m., in trepidation, wondering whether I would be able to get up to the top, with not being out on the bike much recently ! I slogged my way up,up and up!, bit by bit the kms markers showed me getting nearer.. as the tour buses and cars flashed by me, and I took plenty of rests,food and water, eventually cresting the rise, and seeing the flags flying around the ski station and cable cars… I could and had done it after all !

I treated myself to a Chorizo Pincho,Coffee con Leche…and 15 minutes rest before clambering aboard the bike for a fast and furious descent… I realised I must be getting slower, as previously no cars have ever passed me, today 4 did ! It didn’t stop me storming down the centre of the road, managing to get a top speed of 69.9 kms per hour , and a 1245 mts gain, almost the height of Ben Nevis ! Wow, modern technology tells you allsorts ! (including how slow I was going up !) I was back to the campsite for a nice lunch, afternoon rest…and not much else, before another early night !

Following day, it was a little cloudier, so I decided on another bike ride, before any rain arrived , and rode out through Potes, along the desfiladero de la Hermida, a steep limestone gorge (with road along the river at the bottom), a twisty turning route, that gave me chance to have a look at the steep rocky cliffs, that I couldn’t see when driving ( as I had to concentrate ! ) through Hermida itself, and to a viewpoint dedicated to salmon fishing, before a little rest,  turn around and ride back up the gorge, and to the campsite..not too bad, another 40 kms ride, at a fairly steady 20 kms an hour ( and 1200 mts height gain ) !

Some clothes washing, lunch and siesta called for, until the rain arrived… and it’s forecast for another few days, so I’ll probably head off again tomorrow, maybe even go back to the plan… who knows ?