Posts

Riano to Santander (204km)

Image
I was not sure I would write another post for our last day of driving, but that was because I had not known what was in store for us on our drive through the Picos De Europa on the N621.  We crossed small arched stone bridges crossing the many rivers as we drove. Villages nestled amongst the peaks with their immaculate allotments brimming with Veg. Long horned cream coloured cattle grazed peacefully along the river banks.     Before long we ascended above the clouds and joined what felt like another world floating above. Here we stopped to take in the landscape near a shepherds hut where an old man was busy chopping wood and heading back in to stoke his fire. Miles from anywhere, but with the music of the cow bells floating across the valley in this other world of a place. A simpler life.       As we drove we passed villagers tending their animals - dogs, hens, horses, or their allotments full with leeks, potatoes, beans, tomatoes, peppers- a feast for the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Molineseca via Leon and on to Riano (211km)

Image
 More Viaducts and tunnels helped us on our onward journey towards Leon. The landscape flattened out into open arable land with wheat, maize, potatoes and sunflowers now bowing their heads. As we neared Leon the land became predominantly scrub land.  We stopped in Leon to use a service point and supermarket then onwards into 'Parque Regional Montana de Riano y Mampodre. Here the landscape changed to spectacular. Mountain after mountain as we crept along the windy roads following the coarse of the river until we reached the dammed section high up in the park creating a huge reservoir/lake. A real feast for our eyes, if they have not been spoilt enough already. Our destination was a lakeside aire in Riano which I had highlighted on my map back before Easter when I started planning this trip.       Once we had parked up, we spent a few hours sitting out in the sun and then went to find a bar for a pre  dinner drink before cooking up some Burgers and salad for ...
2 comments
Read more

Outeiro de Rai on to Molinaseca just passed Ponferrada (136km)

Image
 Following our beautiful Sunday morning bike ride, we packed up and headed on to Molinaseca.  Pretty much sticking to the A6 all the way. This route took us out of Galicia and into Castilla Y Leon, and as we left Galicia behind the landscape opened up to make an altogether more interesting journey. We drove over Viaduct after viaduct and through the odd tunnel allowing us through this dramatic landscape without all the ups and downs that would otherwise have been involved. Agriculture started to dominate forestry as we came off the mountain roads with the return of vineyards and orchards. Field upon fields of espalier pears tied up to wired supports  and straining with fruit. My photos from the moving vehicle can not do the views justice. As we approached Molinaseca we passed a sign saying no vehicles over 3m high or longer than 9m. We knew we were 2.95m without the satellite dish and 7.8m long plus a meter long bike rack. We kept our fingers crossed, but did not come acr...
Post a Comment
Read more