A Bit Spain and a Bit of France

A Bit of Spain and A Bit of France

Tuesday 22nd March 2016

Happy Birthday Pete xx

Yesterday morning we left our campsite at Ribadesella and initially used the mountain roads to get to an Aire at Cabarceno near Santander, and on the way we had the pleasure of having our coffee break on the edge of a precipitous gorge. Then our forward journey required us to make a quick trip into Lidl to replenish stocks before we arrived at our destination.  

The Aire is another ‘orange banner’ one, and it attracted us because the blurb in the Aires book  informed us that it is in quite close proximity to an open air elephant enclosure where elephants can be viewed roaming freely during the day.

The animals belong to Parque de la Naturaleza Cabarceno - a drive through ‘zoo’ that is highly rated on Trip Adviser, and  Wikipedia informed us that it has 12 miles of drive around tracks from which you can visit the animals.   So last night, between the ongoing rain showers, we nipped out to check if it would be feasible for us to cycle round.  The lady in the hut said ‘yes’ we could either cycle or go in the T4rdis because there are numerous parking areas where we could leave it and then walk to the animal pens to view. The only draw back was the entrance fee was expensive at 25 euros each - a price hype for the Easter hols.  

Although zoos don’t usually float our boat we decided that we would visit this one because it seemed different to most!  But because the weather was still dank, cloudy and cold, rather than use our bikes, we went in the T4rdis so that at least we could nip in for a warm and a cuppa  when we wanted.  

Now mostly the place was a delight - it's sighted in an old quarry with huge stone pinnacles and numerous rock formations all around.  

Also, for the most part, the animals are housed in huge grassy enclosures where they have the freedom to roam and mix with other spices - and even to come and say hello to the ‘animals’ on the other side of the fence.

One of the highlights of the day was the Bird’s of Prey flying display - initially they flew falcons, vultures and kestrels around a tiered seating area, and encouraged the birds to swoop and fly in very close proximity to the audience. 





 And then later larger birds, that included more falcons and eagles, were released from high on a hill, possibly about 1km away. They made a magnificent spectacle as they swooped in, and then swerved and changed their flight direction as they tried to grab the food  their handlers were enticing them with.

After that there were lots more animals to see, but the other highlight for me was the bear enclosure.  This was a massive pen with at least 20 bears roaming, dozing  or taking a bath!

The forefront of the pen was a huge grassy area, and the backdrop was a craggy cliff area where we spotted several animals taking a nap or roaming high up on the boundary.  Obviously, they weren't free, but to us it seemed the next best thing.  

Sadly, there were also some animals who’s homes didn't seem quite so picturesque, and our only other moan would be that none of the information was available in any other language than Spanish.

At the end of the day we both agreed it was a very good job we hadn't gone on our bikes - I think we would've froze!

Wednesday 23rd March 2016

This morning we set our sights on an Aire at Lekeitio where we'd arranged to meet up with John’s sister Val and her Husband - another John!  It really was lovely to see some of our close family members and have time to spend nattering and catching up on recent family happenings. 

We also went for a couple of walks through the quaint and historical narrow streets of the town which led us past the Gothic Basilica of Santa Maria, and then further on, down to the sea front with it’s harbour where we saw the fishing boats unloading huge quantities of what we thought were mackerel.

Then it was back to the vans for supper and more nattering, of course accompanied by liberal quantities of ‘pop’.  Most of our conversation centred around where we were heading next, but even after a couple of hours I don’t think any of us were any the wiser as to what the other couple were going to do, and then in the morning we all changed our minds anyway!

Thursday 24th March 2016

This morning it was farewell to Val and John, and even though we were heading in roughly the same direction we both ended up in different places, them on a campsite in Zarautz, and us on an Aire in San Sebastian.  Now to say the T4rdis was tucked in snug would be an understatement - I think we had about 2 feet on one side and maybe 4 on the other, and by 5pm every pitch was taken.  We did debate weather to stop, but as we'd already paid the parking fee (about £2.50) John felt we should, so when I'd finished sulking (I don’t like playing sardines), we decided we should go out and explore the university coastal town that is just over the border from France.  

Now, we were well aware that Easter was nearly upon us and that tomorrow would be a bank holiday, but it seemed that today was as well.  All the shops were shut and there were loads of people about, strolling along the lovely promenade that fronts the coastal aspect of the city - so we joined them and spent a pleasant couple of hours meandering.    

The architecture along the way was a very mixed bag of new and old but our attention was mostly concentrated on the Bay of Biscay’s incoming tide as it crashed up and quickly flooded the beach, and also on a chap who was using his paddle board like a surf board and was riding the incoming waves as they roared up the shore.  

We'd originally planned to stay in San Sebastian for a couple of days but because the Aire was so busy we'd more or less decided that we'd move on again in the morning, but even if we hadn't  I think what happened through the night and into the morning would have changed our minds! Our neighbours were 4 young Spanish men, and I think we knew there may be problems when they went out at about 10.30pm.  One or two of them came back around 2.45 and probably disturbed most of the site, however this was nothing compared with the noise that occurred between 7 and 7.45am  when the rest of them returned.  They hammered and banged on the door of their van almost constantly for the next 45 minuets - only 4 feet from my ear - in an attempt to wake their mates to let them in out of the teaming rain, and when that didn’t work they shouted and banged some more - it even woke John!  By 8.15 all was quiet again - I think they’d probably all passed out.

Friday 25th March 2016

Well, after our early start we decided to cross back over into France, so we aimed the T4rdis at a small Aire in the hills on the Col d’Ibardin - we felt sure we would find peace and quiet here - and we did - but the town is quite unusual!  

John tried very hard to go in but I kept his leash nice and tight

The T4rdis was  parked on the French side of the boarder, but as we walked up into the town we actually crossed the border line again and went back into Spain on foot.  Now, today was Good Friday, but that didn’t seem to make a difference here - all the shops were open and the main item that seemed to be available was alcohol - loads of it, and it was very cheap - apparently because it’s Spanish!  Maybe that would explain why the Aire was full of French vans and why people kept returning to them with shopping trolleys piled high with goodies!  

Anyway, we hadn’t come for that - we'd come for the walking!  We strolled through the town and did a bit of window shopping, but this also gave us the opportunity to admire the spectacular view of the Pyrenees on the left and the magnificent distant view of the sea and Biarritz  on our right.  Then we debated weather to go further up the hill, or to descend to the lake.  




The later won, but we were still rewarded with more stunning views of mountains and sea, and as we went along our chosen track we also had the pleasure of admiring lots of wild flowers that were just coming into bloom.

Maybe the shops will tempt us back in the morning!



Saturday 26th March 2016

Well they didn't - tempt us back that is! This morning we left our lofty perch on the Col d'Ibardin and headed down the steep and narrow twisty road towards the little town of Sare, and although the drive was uneventful it was at times stressful due to the amount of traffic and cyclists. However, we were soon settled in our chosen Aire on the outskirts of the village, and before lunch we nipped out to explore the cute but thronged little streets that were lined with artisan shops and busy cafes.  





On our journey this morning we had noticed a little rack and pinion train that John had read about and that would take us up to the peak of La Rhune from where we would have 360 degree panoramic views over the mountains and coast, but when we saw the queue we almost dismissed being able to go up.  




But then again maybe not, because there was a walking track that we could use, so after lunch, and a bit of debate we set off! We'd decided to set our sights on the summit but as it was 900 metres up and already past 2pm we agreed we might not make it all the way! (it was nothing to do with me being unfit!)

Immediately the path was very steep and the sun was very hot, and the further we went the more rugged the track became, so after we'd been walking for about 2hrs and realised we'd only gained just over half the altitude, we decided to change our goal. Instead we headed for Les 3 Fontaines, and then the edge of the ridge that had distant views of The Bay of Biscay, and the many towns including Biarritz, and possibly as far as the massive Dune de Pilat.

Following our break at this fantastic vantage point we set of on our return journey, and you would think that because it was all downhill it would have easier and quicker. WRONG - the gradient, the loose shale and the rocks that needed to be negotiated, along with the breathtaking views all slowed our decent. And additionally, I think we noticed more of the ancient woodland on the lower slopes as we passed old gnarled ivy covered oak trees amidst which wild horses grazed.

By the time we got back to the T4rdis we were very hot and the temperature gauge inside registered 32 degrees - needless to say doors and windows were flung open and our cooling off was assisted by a nice cold glass of cider.


Sunday 27th March 2016

What a night! The wind had started to rev up about 8pm, then the van began to rock, and then the rain started - and it continued with noisy ferocity all night long. But the morning dawned (an hour early) with bright sunshine which was promised to last all day. Therefore, our debate re if we should we go to the sea side or should we go to Dax for the cycling tracks was really a no brainier! The sea side it was, and we were soon on our way to a commercial Aire at Capbreton where the wild Atlantic was just over a large sand dune.  

Once the T4rdis was settled we pottered along the beach to the town, but as it was Easter Sunday, it was heaving - so really not very much to our liking.  


Therefore, we soon about turned and wandered back along the beach past several old concrete bunkers that had been dumped in the sea following a huge amount of erosion that had taken place over the years. Then it was back to our dune top location where we spent the rest of the afternoon sitting in the lovely sunshine and watching the waves pound up the beach. And for our entertainment, the incoming tide caught quite a few people out and soaked them up to their knees as they sauntered along.

Later it was back to the T4rdis for a steak dinner, and more entertainment was provided by 2 French couples who had their vans parked just in front of ours. They'd parked one forwards and one backwards so that their habitation doors were facing, and this also provided a gap between their vans where they set up their barbecue and table and chairs. Then they proceeded to cook, but what amused me the most was the fact that one of the couples brought out a parrot in a cage to join them, and as he squawked loudly, he seemed to be leading the conversation!

From the Left - Thomas, Evelyn, Rosie and Jack x

The other bonus for this Aire is  ....  We've got internet - and it's free - the WiFi that is not the Aire!  Anyway, it will be off to Dax tomorrow, and the next instalment may take a while, so bye again for now, but just before I go I'd just like to share this lovely photo of John's Mum with 3 of her Great Grandchildren.   Love to you all xxxx






















Click here to see our Spanish and French Camping spots

The Rain in Spain Falls Heavily on the North Coast!

The Rain in Spain Falls Heavily on the North Coast!

Saturday 19th March 2016

This morning we dithered - not with cold, but about what to do!  As we still had no wifi we could only check the weather forecast on our phones, but from what we could see it was for lots and lots of wet stuff over the next few days - starting  about 3pm in the afternoon.  However, the morning was bright and  sunny so we didn't want to waste this last bit of good weather, therefore with that in mind, we  discussed nipping back up into the hills to do a bit more cycling and then stopping at an Aire at Pola de Laviana. However, as our derrieres were still a bit delicate from our previous cycling adventure, that didn't overly appeal, so instead we decided to go on a scenic drive up into the Pico de Europa mountains.

John had spotted a mountain road with lots of twists, turns and hairpin bends on it that he fancied driving up, and as it was marked as a brown road on the map he felt the T4rdis and he would be well able to cope with it.  We did also take into consideration the possibility of snow - we were fairly sure there would still be some hanging about at the top - but we thought by now it would be fairly minimal - WRONG!









We set off and drove away from Gijon via the motorway, but it wasn't long before we started to climb up the AS117 - a pleasant mountain road that was reasonably smooth and divided by a white line, thus giving us plenty of space.  It took us towards Parque Natural de Redes and as we went we came across a resevoir - Embalse de Rioseco -  the water appeared quite green but it was beautiful and had several waterfalls gushing into it, so it was here that we decided to have our coffee break.



Once our coffee was consumed we continued along the Puerto de Tarna (CL635) - a mountain pass, that passed The Embalse de Riano, another lovely body of water, but sadly here there was no where to stop.  Then we noticed that  the higher we were getting the narrower and rougher the road was becoming - and then the piles of snow on the road side began to appear, and at this point John said 'not to worry, we've only got about another 30kms to go to get to the top'!

And it was more or less from there that as we got higher the snow got deeper and deeper and deeper - until in places in must have been at least 4 feet!   However, by this time both John and the T4rdis were thoroughly enjoying themselves - happily swinging and twisting around corners and hairpin bends, ducking overhanging rocky outcrops and squeezing in quickly to avoid the occasional oncoming vehicle! Me - I just hung on tightly and enjoyed what could only be compared to the biggest roller-coaster ride I've every been on!




Happily, the road was mostly clear of snow - there was just one  place where a large amount had fallen back onto the road - but we managed to squeeze by, and then we spotted a little alcove that had been cut into the snow bank  that allowed us to park.  John wanted to play snowballs, so while he was out of the cab I quickly jumped into the driving seat and told him it was my turn to drive now!



But then we looked up and noticed the clouds were gathering, and although it wasn't particularly cold we did think we should move on and start our decent before any precipitation started to fall.

However, before we set off  we remembered we hadn't had lunch so that forced to stop again - but this proved a bit difficult because most of the parking spaces were occupied by snow!  By now we were well into the Picos de Europa National Park, and as we rounded another corner our breath was taken away by the awe inspiring view of the sun glinting off the top of a soaring snow covered mountain, and very conveniently, there was a parking space so we dived in.  Lunch was soon ready and we sat chomping on our healthy salad leaves while we admired the fantastic view, and laughed at several people attempting to go for a walk wearing huge snow shoes - they didn't get very far!

Once lunch was eaten we really did feel that we shouldn't linger any longer so into gear went the T4rdis and off we went - down slightly better twisting turning mountain roads, through huge towering gorges and through several little snow covered villages.  For most of the way we also had the company of the River Sella - to start with it was quite narrow but with the extra water from the snow melt it soon became a roaring tumbling torrent, but as we got lower it broadened out and became much quieter and wider with canoeists paddling along it's very pretty path.

We were now aiming for a camp site just outside the town of Ribadesella - we had nearly a fortnights worth of washing to sort and we thought it would be good to have internet access if we were going to be kept inside by the bad weather.  It turned out to be a very good choice and has excellent facilities (but slow wifi) so we planned to stay for a couple of nights.


Sunday 20th March 2016

Well the weather forecast was right - the rain had hammered down all night and was continuing to persist this morning.  Oh well, a good time to get chores done, so 2 lots of washing were soon whizzing round, and then most of it went straight into the tumble dryer so it was soon all out of the way.  We also spent sometime planning our ongoing journey, some blogging, and a bit more just nattering, and I also Googled Ribadesella to enquire about it's interesting features.  It's described as a beautiful coastal town with the Picos de Europa mountains behind it and the ocean at it's front, and with it's name being derived in part from the River Sella which cuts the town in half and then empties into the Bay of Biscay ocean.

Borrowed from Google!

It's other claim to fame is a canoe race that takes place there every year.  It's held between the villages of Arriondas high up in the hills and Ribadesella and apparently hundreds of kayakers and canoeists come from all over the world to take part or to watch.

Anyway, later in the afternoon we I got a bit bored so, as it had stopped raining,  I persuaded John that we should go for the 2kms walk down into the town so that I could take a few pics for the blog!  We donned our waterproof coats and off we went, and it was ok until we got there - then the heavens opened and the rain sluiced down.  Well, I was ok cos I was wearing sports trousers, so although they got wet they didn't really hold the water, but John - he was wearing heavy cotton trousers that were soon soaked through and clinging to his legs, and to make matters worse, the water was running off his jacket and cos his trousers were already so water logged it was going straight down his legs and pouring out into his shoes - by the time we got back to the T4rdis he was squelching loudly with every step and looked somewhat like a drowned rat - I'm not sure if he found it funny - but I did!


Monday 21st March 2016

Well, we've got a bit of a bonus this morning - Sunshine after a whole night of rain - however, maybe it wont last!  The campsite is described as having lovely views of the Pico de Europa mountains but they certainly aren't peeking out of the dense cloud that is hanging over them this morning!

Anyway, it doesn't really matter cos we're not stopping.  This morning the T4rdis is just being prepared for launch towards Santander where John has picked out a pretty Aire that overlooks an elephant enclosure (just behind a big wildlife park) - just hope we're down wind of it!

So with our move, and as usual of late, we are unlikely to have any internet connection for the near future, so it's bye from us until we reach our next area of 21st century technology x

Click here to see our Spanish Camping spots

About Half Way Across the North Coast of Spain (part 2)

About Half Way Across the North Coast of Spain (part 2)

Saturday 12th March 2016

Today was another moving day - this time on to Foz - apparently there are 3 Foz’s - one in Portugal and one in Brazil,  but we were heading for the one in Northern Spain!  Our journey was to be another 100 kilometres or so, but the time passed quickly because mostly the roads were quite good, and it was another picturesque drive with beautiful coastal vistas of craggy shorelines opening up regularly as we topped the many hills.  And then came a little surprise! The T4rdis must have decided that we needed a tea break because all of a sudden we were turning left into a very narrow lane that led down to a tiny cove.  As we zoomed down the lane, with our wheels touching the grass verge on both sides we prayed we wouldn't meet any oncoming traffic, and luckily we didn’t.  Then, after about 2 kilometres, we were reward  with a lovely little deserted beach that provided a splendid place for our break.

Once back on the main road we soon reached our destination - another orange banner Aire that overlooks a river estuary, and then has unrestricted views out to sea.  When we arrived we parked up with several other vans on the sea wall and sat and ate our lunch while we admired the lovely views from the T4rdis’s windows.    

The tide was right out so there was only a little river of water running through the estuary and then lovely white sandbanks in the rest of the basin. However, the tide soon came racing in and completely filled the area, and as it was quite windy, the little wavelets were lapping up the sea wall just a few metres away form our tyres - and the icing on the cake - it’s free so we'll be staying for 2 or 3 days.

Eventually, when we'd drank in the view for a couple of hours, we decided we'd go for a walk, but as usual on this part of the coast, along with the lovely sunshine came a howling wind.  We wrapped up and headed off towards the little Marina where we found a raised walkway that headed out over the beach and continued into the ocean for about 100 metres - it looked a lovely place to walk so off we went.   

All was well until we got very near to the end - then a large rogue  wave roared up into the air and splattered down on us - it didn’t quite wet us through but it did cause us to take a deep breath as the cold sea water pattered down from a great height!

Sunday 13th March 2016

Now, on Sunday mornings we usually treat ourselves to smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for breakfast, but this morning we decided to try something different - Octo-pus testicles tentacles and scrambled eggs (John says an 8 legged cat!).  It wasn’t bad, but the suckers were a bit chewy - (wouldn't have been your cup of tea Sharon!)

Thus fortified, we set off for a walk. From our little reccky yesterday we knew there were long distance coastal paths in both directions, so this morning from our door we turned left, and tomorrow we will go right.  Happily, it was another lovely sunny day but the wind was still gusting so it was quite deceptively cool - I think John was asking these chaps if they’d seen the weather forecast!

Right from the word go we were walking on paved coastal path that was well supplied with view points and benches, and because the going was so easy, all our attention was given to the lovely wild Atlantic vistas that were the main feature of this walk.

We walked for about 16 kilometres in all, there and back, and on the way back we were lucky enough to have the company of a kestrel who hovered and swooped while searching for a snack, and when he’d gone we were also entertained by the small birds!  They reminded us of the old nursery rhyme ‘Two Little Dickie Birds Sitting on a Wall’, but rather than ‘flying away’ it looked as if they’d been hurled by a very strong hand!

Monday 14th March 2016

Today was the day to turn right from the T4rdis’s door, and although it was a pleasant walk, it certainly didn’t have the wow factor of yesterday.  I suppose that was because we were mainly walking around the estuary inlet, and as the tide was out our views were mainly of muddy bottoms!

However, once again the way was well signposted and either on purpose built track or very quite roads, but after about 5 kms we did deviate from the set route because we wanted to visit a little headland that was just across the water from our parking spot.  We paused here for coffee and got chatting to an elderly Spanish lady - well, we didn’t but she did - she didn’t seem to grasp that we couldn't understand a word she said - but she seemed quite happy talking to us because she kept smiling!

From here we were soon back on track, and although this was far from being the best walk we've had recently, in  it’s own way it was still quite rewarding.  We spotted herons wading in the shallow waters looking for lunch, we watched numerous butterfly's of many different shades and colours, there were loads of wild flowers just coming into bloom, and we also had the pleasure of walking through several forests of closely packed eucalyptus trees where there aroma permeated the air with it’s very pleasant smell.  On the other hand, the track followed the main road for a couple of kilometres so we had roaring traffic to listen to, and could we find anywhere to sit and eat our picnic - NO!  We kept suggesting ‘lets just go a bit further’ but still no luck, and in the end we had to backtrack to our earlier coffee spot where the wind tried to whip the lettuce out of our sandwiches, but by this time we were so hungry we sat with our backs to it and ignored it.   Then we set off back to the T4rdis and when we arrived we decided we'd walked over 21 kilometres, so we were quite weary and well and truly ready to put our feet up.

Tuesday 15th March 2016

This morning we left our idyllic spot at FOZ, but found several more as we went on our way. This part of Spain’s North Atlantic coast is stunning and it is dotted with so many free Aires that either overlook the sea or that are only a stone’s throw from it, you’re really spoilt for choice.

We stopped at another Aire at Tapia de Casariego - this one didn’t have an orange banner in the Aire’s book, but we thought that was a bit of an injustice!  We had coffee and then went for a stroll - again on purpose built cliff top path that looked down over a little sandy bay, and it was here that we spotted children practising throwing the javelin - maybe it’s Sports Day soon!

We walked a little further and found this sea water swimming pool, and then came another lighthouse and memorials to commemorate how the threat of piracy was opposed in times gone by.  

Then it was time to move on to our parking spot for tonight - this time a small cliff top Aire at Ortiguera - another stunning spot.  We’re peached high above a little cove - left from our door leads to two light houses - the old one had a light that would reach for 10 miles, and an ancient iron bell at it’s side that used to be rang on foggy days.  But, this was superseded by the new one in 1975 and that one's light can be seen for 20 miles.

John with a 'Daddy memory' - A Clanger! 

By turning right from our door the cove can be accessed via a path and stairway - 280 steps later - (I know cos I counted), we were standing on the beach, and it was here that we had the pleasure of watching the tide turn.  From little lapping waves the Atlantic started to throw up great frothing plumes of water that raced up the beach - we made a line of stones to see how fast it was moving and in the 20 or so minuets we were there it advanced by about 10 metres and it eventually crossed our line!

Wednesday 16th March 2016

Forwards and onwards - this morning we had decided that our bikes needed to be used again (after a 5 week lay-off), so we aimed the T4rdis at an Aire at Teverga which is up in the mountains and that has bike trails running straight from it’s gate.  Our journey was  quite long - about 140kms, but quite a bit was on motorway so it passed quickly. Then the last part was up through a lovely gorge that required us to nip through several tunnels and along a roadway that clung to a rushing river’s side - so that made up for the boring bit.  And during this part of our journey we were treated to views of snowy mountain tops, the melt from which had swollen the river so that it gushed in torrents of white water as it went.

We arrived around 2ish, so rather than getting the bikes off today we decided to leave it and make a full day out tomorrow, so in the late afternoon we settled for just a walk.  We set off on a marked trail from the Aire and  we certainly didn’t expect to pass through Las Vegas - but we did, however, we never did find the Casinos!

Thursday 17th March 2016

Well, today was the day for our first ride since the beginning of February, so because it had been such a  long time, and because our ‘new’ bikes aren't quite fully customised to our standard, we decided we would probably only go about 30kms! (our faithful previous Scott Bikes, on which we'd ridden many miles, and often with very special friends had been stolen just before Christmas).  

So to get us on our way John unhooked our new bikes from the back of the T4rdis, oiled the slightly rusty chains and pumped up the tyres - and we were off along the purpose built trail that would eventually branch out in several directions and which followed the gorge that we had driven up yesterday.  

The surface we were cycling on was fairly good and the sun was shining, and for the first 10k we were rolling downhill through several  dark spooky tunnels, and with the rushing river Turbia for company!  Then came 5 more kms of gradual ascent, but the going was still fairly easy, so by the time we'd done half of what we intended it was still only coffee time, which we consumed beside a lovely lake.  Then we decided to go a bit further - this turned out to be another 10kms - along similar trail with lovely views around every corner, but by now, I was starting to ache and I was missing my well tuned Scott, and although John says he prefers his new bike, I think even he was starting to miss his favourite Brooks Saddle.  

Therefore, our return journey wasn’t quite so comfortable, and we still had the 10kms uphill bit to go before we made it back to the T4rdis.  John achieved much of this by peddling in a standing position while I contented myself with occasionally moaning about various aches and pains that are much to delicate to mention in a public forum!  I think in the near future, when we go for a ride, we'll be sticking to our planned distance, and as soon as we get back to England we'll be replacing some of our lost gear!

Friday 18th March 2016

We’re now on an Aire down in Gijon - a coastal city that provides a motorhome camping spot with a lovely sea view, but having said that, its quite an industrialised area and near a main road!  The night had been a bit noisy, but this morning the sun was shining again so our picnic was soon packed and we set off for a walk with a plan to follow the coast for about 5kms.  This led us along several wide promenades, through a marina, and eventually onto a very windy old Battery Site which was somewhat marred by graffiti. 










Along the way we also found this novel way of recycling old wine bottles - 3200 of them altogether - we thought it looked on a bit of a 'wonk', or maybe it was just tipsy!








From there, our main concern was to find somewhere sheltered to eat our picnic, and this we did in the form of a pretty park -  Parque de Isabel la Catolica.  However, by the time we returned to the T4rdis we'd done it again - gone quite a bit further than intended - but at least we hadn't needed to use the same muscles as yesterday - and it hadn't required us to sit for long periods!

Once back in the T4rdis we still had quite a lot of the afternoon to pass, but happily this was assisted by some new neighbours who gave us a knock.  They were a Scottish couple from Arbroath who also had an Autotrail van which they had recently purchased from Brownhill’s in Newark.  We invited them in for a cuppa and spent the next hour or so comparing notes and suggesting to them some of the lovely places they should visit on their journey South.

We ended our evening with another culinary adventure - this time purple potatoes! The Spanish call them Vitelotte - 'Deluxe' from Lidl, and the label says they supposed to be very good for you! We had them with a fish supper - not bad but maybe I won't indulge again!

Gijon was ok but no real WOW factor for us so we'll be moving on again tomorrow - destination to be decided later - maybe with the help of a wee dram!

Click here to see our Spanish camping spots