I’m now settled into the hustle and bustle of a port city ๐ข Fortunately, Santander is not too big in city terms and certainly more tame than Madrid was! I’ve about a week here. The week is so I can acquire a PCR test, obtain the results and book the ferry โด๏ธ A test result provides me with 72 hours to get on the ferry with a caveat the result is negative, otherwise, I’m back to square one! Meantime, I…
Once again a night without hearing gunshot ๐ซ I’m nevertheless vacating the more mountainous plateau and descending to the Erbo reservoir. Nice easy riding. I arrive in Ahedo de las Pueblas for the customary tent drying and second breakfast. I’m also greeted by a small family of cattle ๐๐๐ roaming through. They bobbed their heads at the stranger, saw he was no harm and sauntered off … locals! Again, with all these hamlets/villages a water ๐ฐ point isn’t too far…
After a relaxing rest day, I start out on a main road fairly early, so not busy. Further on I clamber up an embankment to find the Vias Verdes. It’s still impassable, so back to the road. After reaching Trespaderne, and the mornings ritual of tent ๐ช drying and a second breakfast, I locate the Vias Verdes which meanders along the river Nela. The days are still dry, with a slight chill in the mornings. I’ll take that any day!…
Instead of turning north as I head out of Villaespasa, I hook a right and southerly. This is only a brief change in direction as I wish to complete the whole section of this Via Verdes – Cascajares to Burgos. After a few kilometres it ends on a main road with a little station to boot ๐ I head north. This Via Verdes clearly hasn’t been well used, if at all. The surface is course, but I’m not complaining as…
As with anywhere in Spain there always seems be a good climb ๐ตโโ๏ธ out of a town … Burgo de Osma was no exception! My first port-of-call was a large service station. I wanted more snacks! Now, as I am on the El Camino route Iโm promptly off a main road onto the back roads towards some churchy historic site โช In-fact, this one was interesting as it was a plague and a cut-out to El Cid himself. He seemed…
After a night in Atienza with everything shut and supplies stocked-up, I’m ready to motor on! A steady climb out of the village up to the Castle of Atienza (original naming!) ๐ฐ As with any quality castle, it’ll be up a very steep hill. I didn’t visit, naturally! The road flattened out as did the wind horizontally straight in my face. You always know when the wind is fierce, as you can’t even coast down a good gradient! I arrived…