Adios Espagne, Tick that off our list…
San Sebastian cycle pathsSan Sebastian Sea Chimes Beach artMaria Christina Bridge Spain/France border crossing…. We had two days off in San Sebastian, the 2nd because it was a wet miserable day on the first, so we added a day to see the seaside resort in the sunshine. Whilst we were staying the World Dance Championships were being held there and ‘Team England’ (why do they say it that way round? You don’t go round saying Apple Braeburn do you?) Seemed to follow us around restaurants. The thing we always struggle with in Spain is food. I know, I’m a right fussy...
Read MoreVia Verdes
Heading through the mountain gorge Old railway line via verdeWith a few old stations And tunnels And of course more glorious views Monastery at OnaLunch stopThe 3.7m tunnel Spain has a great network of Via Verdes – Greenways- old railway lines converted into multi use paths. They are usually relatively flat and if there is an incline it’s 2% or less. We followed one north out of Burgos on the Old Santander to the Med railway. This was the last railway built privately in Spain and was started in 1924. It never got finished and the project was killed by the World Bank in 1959,...
Read MoreJONNY!
The long straight road…. Camino art… White Poppies.. The long and winding road! Overnight stop.. There was definitely a bit of pushing here… Still on tha Camino route… Breakfast… ????Burgos Cathedral When Linda’s cross with me she has a way of saying Jonny that conveys her displeasure most succinctly. That’s of course the warning shot across the bow, if she pulls out the JONATHAN! Then I’m in really big trouble. Anyway, Linda used the Jonny whilst we were cycling on the main A road toward Burgos. To be fair I was zig zagging between the centre...
Read MoreCheating just after our anniversary!
Ssshhhhh.. Don’t tell.. Camino route signs.. Astorga Palace and CathedralAstorga Palace chapelAstorga main squareAstorga Roman mosaic Always a Camino sign to follow Leon roman walls Tortilla freebie… Amazing stained glass of Leon Cathedral 27 years of wedded bliss and the day after we’re cheating! So what is cheating? Some pilgrim walkers (though that may be a typo) think that having your backpack sherpa’d is cheating, some think cycling is, others that e-bikes are, or staying in anything other than a monastery is not in the right spirit and I’m sure most...
Read MoreSherpa Tenzing Help!
Coffee stop on the uphill route.. Monastery at Samos Very appropriate…! Spectacular views Nearly there…. We made it! Siesta time in Pontaferra Pontaferra Castle We set off from Sarria in good spirits and on a decent gradient. We climbed and as we slowly gained height began to notice the steady stream of cyclists hurtlying down the mountain passing us on bikes with no luggage….Uh oh. Sherpas here are extremely popular for walkers – and why not – lots of people walk with just a small back pack rather than Sir Edmund Hillary rucksack. We were aware of...
Read MoreWhat have the Romans ever done for us…
Arrival at the end of the Pilgrims route in Santiago de Compostela Pilgrims window in Cathedral Santiago City view Amazingly found a bar with Jonnys favourite tipple to celebrate our arrival Next stop Lugo… and as usual every time we stop someone comes over for a chat… No wonder our progress is so slow! Amazing Lugo Roman walls Lugo Lunch time Tapas Our route to Sarria was lined with hundreds of Stork nests And views of our mountains ahead… The first thing you notice about Santiago de Compostella is the number of people with rucksacks, the next thing you notice is the...
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