Corona Virus, Great Escape. Med. Spain to Green Spain

[Pikeman]

We were at Foz September 2019. That's where our water pump packed up. Had to go to Betanzos to get a supply and fit. Judith, while you are in that neck of the woods try Percebes, it is a barnacle delicacy.
If you are going further East, check out Llanes. Famous for local cider, that is flat. They aerate it by pouring from a height into the glass. Great walking along the cliff going West to Poo.

 

[jumartoo]

We were at Foz September 2019. That's where our water pump packed up. Had to go to Betanzos to get a supply and fit. Judith, while you are in that neck of the woods try Percebes, it is a barnacle delicacy.
If you are going further East, check out Llanes. Famous for local cider, that is flat. They aerate it by pouring from a height into the glass. Great walking along the cliff going West to Poo.

Thanks Keith. Our water pump is OK at the moment, luckily .

After Cathedral Beach and a Lidl shop at Ribadeo, we're thinking of heading inland for a while. To look at the scenery around the Camino Primitivo that we walked in October 2018. We had too much sweat in our eyes to appreciate it at the time . We'll then head back up to the coast. We're trying to avoid high temperatures. So far mid 20's average has been just right.

The further south and east the higher the temperatures.


We'll try to try the barnacles!!!

And as for Poo!!!

 

[jumartoo]

Well, even in Paradise they must have cloudy days. We're in Galicia and they definitely do! No real rain though .

Yesterday we drove to Foz. An official parking area, with services, and grass parking overlooking the sea (when the tide is in). We strolled into the tourist area. Everyone, and I mean everyone except babies, were wearing masks. No big deal, it's the norm now. Sorry to say, the numbers for a normal July Sunday seemed quite low. The live group soldiered on though.

We had a megahome parked next to us. Dutch. First Dutch motorhome we've seen so far. It attracted a lot of interest from the Spanish promenaders, because of it's full length slide out. We could watch a lot of arm stretching, obviously connected to explanations . Their bikes, and deck chairs were outside though on the back . Ours are in a garage

Oops seem to have duplicated a few of the posts on here you're not suffering deja vous

 

[jumartoo]

This morning ...

We were still under a cloud in Galicia/Asturias? now.

We visited the Cathedral Beach. Blagged our way down onto the beach (the website didn't work yesterday. It wouldn't accept Martin's NIE number, the very same one he's had for 22 years). The guy we spoke to said there HAD been a problem yesterday, and escorted us, personally, to the steps

(What a good thing a knowledge of a language, by an "obvious" foreigner is )

Hahaha check out MY photobombers

 

[Pikeman]

Judith, Photo 6 = Percebes.
I think they are protected to a certain degree and have no idea how they are cooked.

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[jumartoo]

Judith, Photo 6 = Percebes.
I think they are protected to a certain degree and have no idea how they are cooked.

If only I'd known that before.

I'm the gatherer

 

[Pikeman]

If only you had a succseful hunter!

 

[jumartoo]

If only you had a succseful hunter!

 

[DBK]

They are protected and an on the spot fine might have descended upon the gatherer. But I'm not one to say anything having collected undersized cockles in France last year.

They were very tasty.

When we first went to that region we visited Lugo which has impressive walls. Sadly they are almost impossible to really see apart from one very short stretch. Not really worth a detour but there is a free aire in the town.

 

[2657]

This morning ...

We were still under a cloud in Galicia/Asturias? now.

We visited the Cathedral Beach. Blagged our way down onto the beach (the website didn't work yesterday. It wouldn't accept Martin's NIE number, the very same one he's had for 22 years). The guy we spoke to said there HAD been a problem yesterday, and escorted us, personally, to the steps

(What a good thing a knowledge of a language, by an "obvious" foreigner is )

Hahaha check out MY photobombers

View attachment 408739View attachment 408740View attachment 408741View attachment 408742View attachment 408743View attachment 408744View attachment 408745View attachment 408746

They are protected and an on the spot fine might have descended upon the gatherer. But I'm not one to say anything having collected undersized cockles in France last year.

They were very tasty.

When we first went to that region we visited Lugo which has impressive walls. Sadly they are almost impossible to really see apart from one very short stretch. Not really worth a detour but there is a free aire in the town.

There was a programme on Chanel 5 last week narrated by Bill Nighy called 'Worlds Most Scenic Railway Journeys' in which the Transcantabrian railway was featured.

The Cathedral beach was shown and the presenter plucked one Percebes and ate it raw mentioning that harvesting them was strictly licenced.

The programme was mainly about the Cambrian line in Wales, there is a separate programme about Northern Spain both still available on catch up.

Lugo was the place that we first came across free cooked tapas from a menu on the wall as opposed to a simple offering, our first taste of pulpo

We stayed on a campsite downhill from the town with our old caravan, the site is not there now, we visited a couple of years ago with the camper and stayed on a car park I think.

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[jumartoo]

We ended our Camino Primitivo in Lugo in October 2018. Unfortunately I wasn't in any fit state to walk around. Blisters on both feet and even under a toe nail.

We might have another look around this year.

 

[jumar]

Well..... I'll have you know that, I haven't seen much being caught up here...except the occasional 5kg monster the Spaniard caught on Saturday night off the rocks...I am just having a lean spell....that's all....

 

[zac]

Great thread, just seen it and been through all 6 pages, very interesting and very jealous. I hope you are both ok. By the looks of it you are

 

[jumartoo]

Great thread, just seen it and been through all 6 pages, very interesting and very jealous. I hope you are both ok. By the looks of it you are

Hi Zac

We hope you and Salli are both OK?

We're fine, except for Martin's knee problem, but we're managing to do as much as we want.

Hope your motorhome is behaving now?

 

[jumar]

Great thread, just seen it and been through all 6 pages, very interesting and very jealous. I hope you are both ok. By the looks of it you are

Hi Zac....we are fine thanks, fine when at home in Alhama and fine when travelling...trust the same applies to you both too...

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[zac]

Hi Zac

We hope you and Salli are both OK?

We're fine, except for Martin's knee problem, but we're managing to do as much as we want.

Hope your motorhome is behaving now?

Hi Zac....we are fine thanks, fine when at home in Alhama and fine when travelling...trust the same applies to you both too...

We are both ok, i am fortunate to be able to work from home, Salli is adjusting her business to work from home through Zoom which is a little challenging. The motorhome we have not really used since coming back in January, we did take it away for a night just to make sure it was all still working on Friday and then found the Waeco Invertor which cost an arm and a leg has decided to pack up and its just outside the warranty. All in all though we are ok, not planning on going away this xmas for the first time in 5 years so thats likely to be hard staying at home.

I hope Martins knee recovers, nothing worse not being able to do what you want because of something like that.

stay safe.

 

[jumartoo]

The coast, after Cathedral Beach, was getting too busy for our liking (at present, especially). We did a good stock up shop at Lidl at Ribadeo, then we went to a farm, where we we were definitely remote!

The farmer and his wife are lovely people. With a dog (Ben). Well all Spanish dogs are called Ben. V(B)en acqui is heard all the time.

We went for a stroll, following a stretch of the Camino del Norte. We passed many deserted houses. It always seems so sad to see, especially when other people pay so much for a house in other places.

We think, an old mill.

And just up the track an old, grand house.

 

[jumartoo]

From the farm, the GPS (silly woman, I think we'll change it to a man, just to see ) took us all around the houses to get back on the road we'd been parked on at the farm, just a few kilometres further east!

We'd found, thanks to Wikiloc again, a 40km mountainbike route, which just happened to begin very close to the community provided motorhome parking area.

Hardstanding, lit parking, full services and free leccy! At the village of Castro de Rei.

How can/why do these small villages do it. There are quite a few of them around here.

Even the water tap has a nice feature.

I've done a bit of washing under it, and it's hanging (the washing that is), unobtrusively, on the bike rack on the back of the van.

The mountainbike route was good. The first half was excellent, proper off road biking (easy). The second half was more small roads and tracks and a bit contrived.

We enjoyed it anyway.

We arrived back as the sun broke through and had a beer, crisps and ham sitting at the picnic bench.

The bike batteries are back on charge. Our stomachs have been charged with steak and salad and the last of the Murcia red!!!

From here, we're going to follow the route (in reverse) of the Camino Primitivo that we walked 18 months ago.

We'd spotted interesting places whilst walking, so we're going back to look at them with more time.

Then, we'll probably head back to the coast

 

[jumartoo]

We were going to spend a few days following the route of the Camino Primitivo, but we seemed to get it done in a few hours. (It took much longer to walk ). The first hour we recognised nothing, then we slowly started to remember bits of it as our route crossed the road and villages/towns.

We didn't find anywhere we wanted to stop to spend the night so continued ... and continued, until we found ourselves in the Parque Natural Somiedo. A place we've visited a few times in the past. But what a difference time, and the time of year makes. We're out of here tomorrow!!! Far too many motorhomes.

A Dutch motorhome is obviously parked too close to the bus parking. The driver has reversed into his spot. So what, that the Dutch can't exit their hab door!!!

Now, we have a dilemma. Where do we go that's not too hot or too busy.?

Shall we cut and run for the Pyrenees?

 

[jumar]

Where have they all come from and so suddenly, all the motorhomes in Spain are here....feel a little uncomfortable with so many, we had a plan of remaining socially distanced...like jumartoo has said....may have to move on....however leaving Galicia has put us into the heat....making plans...

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[jumar]

Where have they all come from and so suddenly, all the motorhomes in Spain are here....feel a little uncomfortable with so many, we had a plan of remaining socially distanced...like jumartoo has said....may have to move on....however leaving Galicia has put us into the heat....making plans...

Left area...
Moving to pastures new...

 

[jumartoo]

We left the area of the bears. Been here many times and not seen as much as a pile of poo!

Leaving the valley in this morning's mist.

We still didn't have any destination in mind, so set off on a side valley/col over to Pola de Lena. We stopped for coffee in the thinning mist and pondered our options.

Lovely views, even in the mist.

The coast, although a good temperature, would be rammed, if places inland were. The interior would be too hot. So eventually, we! decided to get on the motorway system and head east to the Pyrenees.

We had a very brief discussion about trying out the (yet to be visited) Cabarceno (Elephant) aire, but the idea was scrapped when I read out a review posted only yesterday on P4N

We needed LPG (GPL) and we picked some up along the motorway and then continued towards Bilbao, discounting all the coastal parking areas, free or paid, until I spotted a private motorhome area, just off the motorway, and which is where we are right now.

I'd much rather pay €10 for security and peace, than be on a noisy free place behind a fuel station or next to a main road, or cheek to jowl with others on the coast (or other popular areas) . Real wild (in the wilds) parking is our preference, and we hope to be able to find some in the next few weeks.

Tomorrow's destination has yet to be found! .




We've heard that Totana has now been put back into Fase One of the lockdown. The main problem is amongst the field workers, but also an outbreak has appeared amongst partying youngsters. Our fingers are crossed that it gets stemmed quickly and it doesn't escalate to neighbouring municipalities.

We've also heard that the French/Spanish border may be going to be closed. Any official information about this is welcomed!

 

[daveinspain]

Looks like a useful stopover, where was it?

 

[jumartoo]

Looks like a useful stopover, where was it?

The present one?

Here.

 

[daveinspain]

Great, many thanks

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[In a Pickle]

You’re right about Totana (have a look at the Murcia Today Facebook page). Also there has been an outbreak of the virus at the Correos in Mazarron and as a result all the post offices in the municipality have been closed down with no real information as to when they might reopen. Today Spain has recorded over 1,000 new cases. I really don’t think the government thought we’d be heading to the second spike this quickly. Not looking promising, we suspect a further lockdown is coming sooner rather than later. France said they had been considering closing the Border with Spain but Spain denied this (again see the article on Murcia Today). So if you do venture into France perhaps best to bear in mind you will have to dash back pretty quickly but leave it until after this Sunday as there’s a weather warning out for temperatures to hit the forties in Murcia!

 

[Jenben]

We have
stayed at a really nice camperstop up by Miranda del Ebro Judith in a valley full of salt pits from roman times.
Salinas de Anna, looked to be good walking and biking around there .

 

[gus-lopez]

We've heard that Totana has now been put back into Fase One of the lockdown. The main problem is amongst the field workers, but also an outbreak has appeared amongst partying youngsters.

Yes forgot that the neighbour mentioned that Monday or Tuesday. Most of the new cases also are youngsters.

We've also heard that the French/Spanish border may be going to be closed. Any official information about this is welcomed!

The spanish spoke about it with France re; Catalonia but said that they wouldn't endorse it. That was when Barcelona had 1000 new cases alone last friday & they banned people from going to the beach.

Today Spain has recorded over 1,000 new cases.

It is far more than that 2615 today & has been around 1400 a day since the 16th . last time below 1k was 15th July. @875

 

[jumartoo]

We have
stayed at a really nice camperstop up by Miranda del Ebro Judith in a valley full of salt pits from roman times.
Salinas de Anna, looked to be good walking and biking around there .

Thanks Carolyn. Will keep it in mind but I think the weather there at the moment might be Murcian temperatures!

 

[Jenben]

Thanks Carolyn. Will keep it in mind but I think the weather there at the moment might be Murcian temperatures!

Ah not good then ! It is a lovely place to stop, we have left better directions on camper c on how to find it as the signage is misleading.

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