Wk 8 – Northern Spain

Santona to A Coruna

Sun 3rd to Mon 11th July
Santona – Poncebos – Ribadsellar – Oviedo – Foz – A Coruna

Sun 3rd – Santona to Poncebos – 230klm

Today was to be a day of high roads and spectacular vistas as we began our traverse of the Northern Cantabrian Mountain Chain which stretches for 330klms across northern Spain. Disappointingly the day didn’t hold much promise as the cloud base was well below the mountain peaks we were going to be crossing.
But Mirador de La Casa del Rey was still below that cloud base.

But just a little ways up the winding narrow road Mirador de Covalruyo was in the clouds, as was the next 75klms with visibility down to 50m at times.
The thing about cloud is that by their very nature they’re wet – no rain just lots of moisture in the air requiring wet weather gear.

We eventually came down into lower altitudes and stopped for a brew at this remote and tiny town.

Before heading up in to the high hills again where the cloud hadn’t gotten any more co-operative. Having said that, what we did see was amazing. These pics are actually better than appeared to the naked eye.

It’s rugged and steep and windy and spectacular, and it never seems to stop. That’s a road way down there which we travelled on our way to Poncebos and into the Picos de Europa National Park

Mon 4/7 – Lay Day – Poncebos

Poncebos is at the beginning of the 11klm Cares Gorge Trail which is one of the most popular trekking paths within the Picos de Europa.

We took a bit of a hike to see if we could capture a view of the famous Naranjo de Bulnes, but once again that cloud beat us. Still, it was good for the cardio. If you look hard enough you can see the hiking tracks in these pics.

How’d you like to live under this?

Poncebos was an amazing experience with its incredible and steep gorge walls just ‘there’ literally. It felt like you could reach out and touch them.

Tue 5/7 – Poncebos to Ribadesella – 90klm

The cloud was still hanging low as we left Poncebos.
We called in to the historic Sanctuary of Covadonga and Basilica de Santa Maria la Real de Covadonga, built between 1877 and 1901.

Then on to the Puente Romano de Cangas de Onís, a stone bridge across the Sella River built in the 14th or 15th century. I have no idea why they consider it to be Roman.

Then to Mirador del Fitu via another twisty and narrow road with it’s views north and south.

And so to Ribadesella for a 2 night stay and a laze on the beach.

Thur 7/7 – Ribadesella to Oviedo – 120k

We chased the coast a while and dropped into a few little places. Playa De La Espasa then La Isla where I snapped these traditional Spanish grain storehouses. These things are everywhere, in all states of repair or, usually, disrepair, with many differing styles.

Through San Telmo to Lastres with it’s quaint little harbour and serpentine streets up to the lookout where we stopped for a brew with a view.

We rode through busy Villaviciosa to Tazones where we stopped for a while and watched a local fisherman selling his morning’s catch which consisted of Sardines and small Ray.

From there it was a straight run through to Oviedo using the AS-331, that took us up and up and over a range. I’d chosen this route on Google Maps as it looked like a reasonable short cut, which it was, but no-one else thought so as we didn’t see another vehicle in it’s entire 20klm length. The surface was fine but it was very narrow and non stop curves, hairpins and short straights. However, we survived the experience through the endless logging plantations – seems like the loggers weren’t working thank goodness.

To lovely Oviedo where we had a hotel within 30m of the Old Town and its non stop parade of religious buildings.
This place is smack bang in the middle of the pilgrimage route to Santiago, or Camino de Santiago, of whom we’d seen many on the road. Not my spiritual cup of tea, but it’d be a great walk/hike all the same.

Fri 8/7 – Oviedo to Foz – 180k

Our first stop was at Ponte Medieval de Gallegos.
Pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago have passed over this bridge for centuries to cross the Nora River. The first written reference to this bridge dates back to 1247. At the entrance of the bridge, there is a sculpture made in concrete by José Luís Fernández in 1982, belonging to a series called “Encuentros”.

Avoiding the offered freeways we followed the AS-371 as it traced the Nora then the Nolan Rivers to Puente medieval de Peñaflo, another Pilgrim crossing of unknown age.

On through Grado’s congested one-way streets to Salas where we bought a A$1.80 coffee and sat on the sidewalk and watched the world go by, and a very quiet and peaceful world it was.

From the AS-351 was a glorious 50klm ride through non-stop twisties through endless bushlands and beautiful countryside as we crossed one range after the other to Fontoria – which has nothing going for except its at the end of the road.

To lovely Luarcra and its little harbour where we sat on a bench and had a brew. We do tend to get some strange looks as we’re sitting there with our flask having a brew, after all coffee is very cheap so why bother. But it’s something we enjoy doing and something we’ve always done on our travels through Europe in the past.

Up the road a ways is tiny Cetárea Viavélez with it’s inevitable quaint harbour. We got chased out of town by an irate local who seemed to think that we shouldn’t have ridden across that bridge to access the view below – or something like that.

The day was warming up and getting to be long so we cruised the final 15k by freeway to Foz where we had a misunderstanding with the landlord (seems it was that sort of day) as our room was supposed to have a balcony with sea views. Seems our interpretation of ‘balcony’ and ‘sea-views’ is different in Spanish. We compromised with free breakfasts for 2 days – not a bad deal really.
It was Friday, so we loosened our belts a notch.

We spent the Saturday on the beach which was quiet when we got there at 9am but packed an hour later. The Atlantic Ocean is cold, believe me.

Sun 10/7 – Foz to A Coruna – 210k

Today is warm, but its Sunday so our free negotiated breakfast isn’t on until 9am which means a later start than we’d prefer. We stock up on fruit to compensate and hit the road. A fuel stop at A$3.10/ltr which is the norm for E5 95 octane – so don’t complain Aussies.

We drive through Burela which is still asleep even though by now its 10.15am, and head for San Cibrao and it’s lighthouse(s) – Faro de Punta Atalaia. Just across the bay is a rather large ALCOA Aluminium smelter.

On through Viveiro, Ortigueira and Cedeira then 5k further on we stop for a brew overlooking an estuary and watched the tide come in. Oh, and a bridge of no real history.

Then its from one bay to the next headland to the next bay and so on, to Ferrol and Pontedeume with all those beautiful bays in between.

To Ponte do Pedrido, a 520m bridge that crosses the Betanzos River. First we crossed it then we took a break in it’s shade.

Then it was on to A Coruna where we booked in to our boutique hotel in the middle of town.

Mon 11/7 – A Coruna lay day

We’ll spend 4 nights here in A Coruna – its about time for a rest. We’re half way through our journey and still in love 😃