Potes to Las Arenas de Cabrales. 35 miles

Tuesday 3 June

This afternoon the weather cleared so we drove to Somanieux in the next valley across from Potes to do a 6 km walk indicated on a map we got at the site.   The tourist office map doesn’t give any details you just turn up at the start and follows the signs.   Thankfully there were signs which were easy to follow. Climbed uphill and reached a beautiful view point where you could see down two valleys. 

 

Rant – In order to assist navigation I use an app called ‘Viewranger’ on my Galaxy phone. It works well – in the UK. I download official maps from their website for whichever area we are visiting. Sadly, few paths are shown on the maps. Even when we are walking along signed path it looks as though we are walking through virgin woodland. I’m not too sure if this is because the Spanish version of ‘Ordnance Survey’ doesn’t really care about such details or it’s because the people who sell the electronic version of the maps got the work experience person to scan them. Whatever the reason, it is very frustrating when we find ourselves having an argument, miles away from civilisation, about the fact that we should be on a footpath 50 feet above us.

Wednesday 4 June

Moved from Potes today to Las Arenas de Cabrales.  This is only a distance of 35 miles but it involves driving back up the narrow gorge road to the top of that valley and then driving down the next valley and takes a long time.  As there were several walks we wanted to do in the area it made sense to move the van.   We met several coaches coming down the narrow gorge road heading to the Potes and the Monastery.  Luckily we met them in places where it was possible to pull in.  I don’t know what we would have done in some of the narrowest parts!!’ We arrived at ‘Camping Naranjo de Bulnes’ where the lady owner gave us a warm welcome. Which was just as well given the prices she was charging. Almost all the campsites we have stayed on thus far have accepted the ACSI discount card and charge 16 euros a night. This site cost us 28 euros a night and the facilities were not that great but it was in a good location location location. The owner was however very helpful  and recommended some walks for us, but advised we didn’t do them today as the weather was grey and damp.  She assured us that it would be better tomorrow.

We went across to the bar in the evening and had some more average food.  Sarah ham, egg and chips again, only this time the ham was fried!   To give you an idea of the weather, they had a fire lit in the bar. 

Wifi was available but difficult to get in the bar due to the very thick walls, you really needed to be outside on the social terrace to get a good signal. This also applied to the credit card machine. So when it came to pay I had to stand in the middle of the main road on a zebra crossing to key in my pin. Honestly. This really happened.

Thursday 5 June

Guess what. The campsite lady was right. We woke to a bright blue sky and a large orange thing emitting heat.   We drove a few miles up to a Poncebos (not really a village, more a car park with a couple of houses and bars and a funicular station.   We set off to walk along ‘La Garanta Del Cares’ (translates as the throat of the Cares River).   It is a spectacular gorge.  During the 1940’s  the Electric Company, Viesgo, built a canal through the gorge at quite a high level to direct water to their hydroelectric plant at Carmena. 

This was an incredible piece of civil engineering as the canal at times went through tunnels then over aqueducts. In order to maintain the canal they then constructed a footpath for access.  Lucky for walkers that they did.   The path is 12km in total from Poncebos to Cain and then 12 km back.  It was a wide path but you had to watch your footing on the stone.  It was quite vertigo inducing in parts as it very high up with a sheer drop.   The views were superb.   We walked about half way and then turned back as we knew we could walk all the way their and back and there is no other way back.  In places you can see the canal either above or below you before it disappears into the mountain via a tunnel.

Later in the day an English chap came to ask about our electric adaptor as he didn’t have one.  I directed him to the electrical store in town.  Later on he came to ask if we had a screwdriver as he had to build his own adaptor from the bits he got at the store.  I recognised his wife’s accent as being from Hull and it turned out she was from Gipsyville in Hull and he was from Scunthorpe and had worked in Chesterfield.   It turned in to a late evening of reminiscing about Hull and why different campsites have different types of plug. I almost went into a rant about gas bottles and was about to show him my collection of gas and electric adaptors but it was late.

Friday 6 June

While I finalised the latest blog Sarah took herself off on a walk to the supermarket as it seemed that BBQ weather had arrived.

In the afternoon we drove up the valley towards Cangas and then turned towards Covadonga. 

During the 25 mile drive the temperature went up from 19 to 29 deg c. Then the wind started to howl. Interestingly about 24 hours later they had terrible storms in Germany.

There is nothing at Covadonga apart from a very large church, which must be very popular as there were miles of car parking available.  We didn’t stop for the church but carried on up the mountain to the glacial lakes of Enol and Ercina.  It was a hairy road in place but amazing views – you could see mountains for miles. 

We did a short walk from Ercina following  a pass between two mountains.  The pass was a giant limestone pavement just like Malham.  

By the Lago Ercina there were once again many cows and calves wandering around.  A little further away there was a bull and he started calling.  All the cows and calves made their way towards him (albeit slowly).  Mind you I wouldn’t have argued with him.

Saturday 7 June

Another beautiful day.  We drove to Poncebos again, but this time to walk up to the village of Bulnes.  

This is a tiny village 1640ft up from Poncebos.   Until 2001 when a funicular railway was built the only access to the village was on foot.  The uphill climb was worth the effort for the views and the village, when you reach it is delightful with a pretty stream running through it.  The lower part of the village is called La Villa.  The other half, El Castillo, is a further 15 mins uphill.  After a reviving coffee we walked up.  Since the arrival of the funicular a lot of the houses have been restored, I presume because it is now a little easier to get materials up there.  We walked down as far as the funicular station and decided that our knees were not up to the descent to Poncebos so took the funicular down.   An expensive cop out at 17 euros each but we were knackered.   The funicular is in a tunnel in the mountain so there are no views unfortunately.  The car seemed to have a cargo area at one end. 

In the evening we went to the restaurant next to the site.  We were the only people in!! Had a local dish called Fabada which is a bean stew with chorizo, black pudding and pancetta.  Very tasty but a very sturdy dish, would be great on a cold winters evening.   Spanish cuisine seems to lack any finesse and certainly would not pass muster on Master Chef. Had bad wind overnight.

By the way do try the local Cabales cheese, it’s a bit like a very mild version of Stilton.

Rant – about navigation app – again. In addition to tracking how far we have walked my app also measures height game and loss. Now here’s the thing, the gain and the loss are never the same. On some walks we should be hovering 20 feet in the air on others we are underground. Maybe the satellites for this part of the world need re calibrating – or I need to get a better app.

Sunday 8 June

Took a walk from the site that was recommended by owner.   Had to turn back at one point and ask her for the directions again as we ended up trying to break into some sort of hydro-electric compound owned by EON to get to a path on the other side. At one point Sarah said do you think this is a good idea. I had to agree it probably wasn’t one of my best.

The walk takes you uphill to a view point for Naranja de Bulnes, the mountain that the campsite is named after.   It has a squared off top making it very distinctive.    After a short rest we walked down again.   We have got to the stage where we would quite like to walk through a level meadow where you don’t have to worry about where you are putting your feet all the time.  

Rambling thoughts… about the Picos. We read an article about this area a couple of years ago and decided we wanted to visit…and I’m glad we did. The Picos do not cover a huge area and they are not that high but they are very impressive. There is lots of good hiking without the need for rock climbing. The area also has a very different feel to the Pyrenees and indeed other parts of Spain we have visited. The buildings are rustic but robust….as is the cooking. Don’t expect cordon bleu. The houses that are painted were less Farrow and Ball and more Dulux Feature Wall. The locals are also very welcoming and always say hello. If you want to see a different side of Spain this is the place to come. The weather is not reliable so you must accept that there will be occasional wet days but there are also some glorious days too.

Las Cabrales des Arenas to Villanova de Arousa

Before moving on a few more words about the Picos.

Before we move onto Galicia a couple of things I forgot to mention about the Picos. First of all the Cidre, which is sold everywhere. The local variety is flat and cloudy and must be poured from a great height into a glass to get some air into it. This is usually done from a bottle by an accomplished barman. 

Only small quantities are poured because it has to be downed in one. If there’s anything left they simply throw it on the floor. If you are not an accomplished barman there is an alternative solution in the form of either a manual or battery operated machine. The manual type is operated by pressing a bellows system which pumps the cidre through a nozzle forcing it into the glass below. Being a bit of a techie I opted for a battery driven version. This is similar to the manual version but you simply press a button and the cidre is pumped into the glass. I have included a helpful photograph in case you cannot grasp the concept. The cidre is very dry and a bit like Westcountry Scrumpy. We shared a bottle between us and agreed that it was good to try the local produce but one was fine and we would not repeat the experience.

A couple of weeks and many miles ago I mentioned how popular many things British seem to be. Well we saw another example before we left Camping Bulnes. Quite a few people arrived with tents on the Saturday night including a group of about 20 Spanish Scooter riders. Many of the machines were richly decorated. One sported a weird pattern which Sarah told me was what ‘Yves Saint Laurent’ put on the inside of their handbags. Anyway, one was sporting a British theme. (As illustrated)

Monday 9 June

Left the mountains behind today to travel to the Northern coast and a site called Camping Cudillero  near the seaside village of Cudillero. It was a very busy site with lots of English and Dutch caravans. Once again the site benefited from being close to the ferry ports of Gijon and Sanatander.

Tuesday 10 June

A lovely sunny day so set off to walk to Cudillero.   The lady at the site advised to walk towards and then along the coast to get there and back on the road.  

Cudilero

This would mean we would not have to climb back up the steep path on the coast.  It was a pretty village squeezed into a narrow gorge, hence it has very narrow streets terraced up the hillside with a small harbour.   We had a mouch around before walking back.  

Many houses in this area seem to have a shed on stilts. They are all very similar except that some are well maintained and others are falling down. The other common theme is that they do not have any steps. In the photo you can see some steps but they are not connected to the building. We asked one of the locals and he told us that they are for keeping food away from the rats. Well there’s plenty of food around so they must work. Or of course all the rats have died of starvation.

Weather deteriorated in the afternoon unfortunately.  

Wednesday 11 June

Drove further along the coast to the city of ‘A Coruna’ and a site just out of the city called Camping Los Manzanos which was a pretty site and some thought had been put into it.    There were a number of sculptures dotted around.   The site only had one other occupant so we were free to park where we liked and initially we thought we wanted to be in the sun!!!!    After a couple of hours we decided that wasn’t the wisest decision and moved to a more shady spot.  Temp up to 30 degrees! 

Shortly after putting the caravan legs down Sarah said she was worried she might not sleep well due to the church bell. I asked her if she meant the infrequent bells that sometimes rang once and something rang 4 times, usually after a breeze. I explained that it was not a church bell but a warning buoy out at sea. She was re assured. Thankfully the wind dropped and we never heard it again. Actually had tea outside.

RANT – about gas. Again. I forgot to mention but the gas bottle which I bought in France ran out about 10 days ago in the Picos so I switched to my emergency Camping Gaz bottle. Despite visiting several Repsol garages none seem to stock the Repsol K6 gas cylinder. In fact there didn’t seem to be a stockist anywhere in Cantabria.  After another search on the internet I finally found a service station here in A Coruna which stocks them – thank God. Now all I need to do is find the right connector. I know it’s somewhere in the caravan!

Thursday 12 June

Set off to catch the bus into A Coruna.   We were joined at the bus stop by a couple (Barrie and Judy from Derby)  who had been on the previous site. We’d been standing there about 15 minutes when a Spanish bloke wandered up to us and started to talk very quickly in Spanish. After about 5 minutes of gestures and many more words we eventually realised he was telling us that the bus no longer stopped here and we had to walk another kilometre to the main road. So we had to put a bit of a trot on to get to the main road and the right stop.  Which we did.

A Coruna is on a peninsula with some good beaches on one side and a harbour on the other.   At the top of the peninsula is what is credited with being the oldest Roman lighthouse in existence, though only a few stones at the base are original (according to the Rough Guide).   It was an unusual lighthouse as it was brick built and square.    The town is also known for its houses with galleried windows (enclosed balconies)   Some buildings are 6 storeys high with a gallery on each level.   They were built this way originally so that the occupants could watch the comings and goings in the harbour without having to sit outside in inclement weather.   Unfortunately, there are now some ugly modern buildings between the houses and the harbour so they can’t see anything!  Great town planning!

If anyone is planning a beach holiday this is a great destinations with literally dozens of white sandy beaches dotted around. All within a 30 minute drive of A Coruna.

Whilst touring we have seen quite a few pieces of artwork. These range from rusting bits of metal in the middle of roundabouts to stone obelisks around the campsite. The picture here is of on of the funniest I have seen so far.

And now the close up so you can see the detail.

I found the town itself a little frantic after the mountains.  The old town was particularly disappointing but then again I was comparing it with San Sebastian which was laid back and lovely. I had also been looking forward to riding on one of the old trams. Sadly they were not running and I couldn’t find out if this is temporary or if they have finally come to the end of their useful life.

Back at the site the restaurant was open and had a more original menu which a young chap took a lot of time to explain to us.  I had a pizza with Speck and Roquefort cheese but Sarah was more adventurous and had a smoked salmon dish which had been rolled around prawns in a sauce, served with a salad.    Both were very nice but Sarah’s intestinal system suffered for it afterwards.  The perils of seafood. Stay away from it. That’s what I say and what I practice.

Tip – for anyone considering buying a portable vacuum cleaner. Don’t buy a Black and Decker rechargeable Dustbuster as they have little suction power. We invested in the model which plugs into the 12v cigar lighter and it works at treat, even picking up sand and bits of fluff. Our caravan would be a tip without it! It would make a great surprise Christmas present.

Friday 13 June

Shortly after waking up we heard several blasts from a ships buzzer. On several occasions there were just 3 short blasts which I seem to recall is the signal to abandon ship. We couldn’t actually see the sea from where we were but I assured Sarah that if a cruise ship had gone down we would probably see pictures on the TV or in the newspapers. I haven’t seen anything so can only assume that some Italian sea captain was trying to impress his mates - again.

Eventually we moved on again to get our intended destination of the Rias – the estuaries that indent the West Coast of Spain. 

I have now got my head around Galicia and basically it is the bit in the top left hand corner of Spain. The North coast is quite rugged with cliffs and small inlets. The West coast however is dominated by four Rias (Rivers) the Ria de Muros & Noia, Ria Arousa, Ria Pontevedra and the Ria de Vigo.

We made our way along the Ria De Muros & Noia. Now those who know me will agree that I’m not one for superlatives. However the journey along the riverside road was quite beautiful. The sun was shining, the water was blue and there was not a cloud in the sky. As you looked towards the distant shore you could have easily mistaken the scene for the Greek Islands. It was stunning.

We had selected a site from the ACSI discount guide called Camping Avouga near the town of Muros, but when we pulled up it didn’t look great. We parked along the road and went for a wander. It looked more like a travellers camp. The pitches were unkempt and the sanitary facilities were old and dirty. We returned to the car and we quickly pulled away again.  After a hasty scan through the site guide we discovered that there were two other sites nearby.  We drove to the first one which was in the gardens of a former monastery, only to be told they didn’t open until the 18^th June.    Why bother.  So we drove on the Camping Ancoradoiro which was on a headland with a beach either side.   We were enthusiastically greeted by the owner, Wolfgang, (very Spanish) who was rather concerned about the size of our caravan.   He wandered around the site with us suggesting a couple of possible pitches we might fit on, then he had a brain wave and ushered to an area of four small pitches and said it is not busy you can use them all.    It was still rather difficult but we managed to park the van at an angle which gave us a sitting area at both sides of the caravan, a whole pitch for the car (though it only just fitted), another pitch for a shaded sitting area and the fourth Sarah used as a drying area.   Wolfgang explained that the site was originally designed for tents. Then people used to have small caravans but now the vans get bigger and bigger. He told us about his expansion plans to make an area for motorhomes and an area just for tents and then make the existing pitches big enough for the caravans.    

Sarah, surprise, surprise, wanted to do some washing.   He told her it was 4 euros but that the machines were not yet connected up to the slots for the money.  “You wash and tell me how many machines you have used when you leave”.  It was a wash fest. I counted at least 4 loads which included the bedding and towels. But at least it dried quickly.

The weather is now very hot – occasionally up to 30 deg c.  Went down to the beach late in the afternoon for a paddle and then again later to watch the sunset as it was such a clear night.  There were some great waves.  This stretch of coast up as far as Finisterre is known as the Costa Du Mort (the Coast of Death) for its treacherous waters. Got the tripod out and took some shots to see how they would turn out.  The sun didn’t set till 10.20pm and then it suddenly got extremely windy.   This did help cool the van down a bit.

Tip. If you are planning a trip to Europe and are wandering about currency exchange. Forget those prepaid cards and forward buying Euros. Invest in Baguettes. They are the only stable currency across Europe. Wherever you are – Holland, France or Spain a baguette always costs 1 Euro. It’s a lot more stable than the pound. Plus – you’ll never starve!

Saturday 14 June

Sarah was still suffering the effect of the prawns in A Coruna so had to go to the toilet block at 4am and said it was lovely outside, a balmy 20 degrees and a full moon. I thanked her for waking me up to tell me that.

We drove back to Muros which is a lovely small coastal town with some useful shops, not just tourist tat.  More houses with galleried windows.   There seem to be beaches everywhere you look and they are all stunning.   We did some shopping and then headed back to the site but not before exploring a bazaar. Although there are many bars and restaurants selling Tapas and raciones we have not seen many Chinese restaurants. This is just an observation not a craving for a number 58 with chips. Anyway, the Chinese have come up with an alternative way of making a living. The Chinese Bazaar. There is one in almost every town and village. They sell everything from string to sunglasses to vases and fishing gear. It's a bit like a Ferreteria but for women. However, they have gone a step further in Muros. This is not just a Chinese Bazaar it is a Chinese Hyper Bazaar. It wasn’t exactly an Asda Hypermarket but it did stretch across 2 shop fronts. Sarah was tempted in and came out with some hair slides and a small plastic basket to keep her herbs in. I didn’t realise that we needed either but it came to pass that we did.

Later in the day I was having a nap when Sarah announced she wanted to go in the sea.   We went down to the big beach directly facing the Atlantic and she tried very hard to get into the waves, but they just kept picking her up and throwing her on the sand, at which point I had try and haul her up before either she was washed out to sea or was deluged by the next wave. 

She said it was great fun but when she went for a shower there was enough sand inside her costume to make a small beach of her own.   We then went to the other beach which is on the river. This was a little calmer and went for a swim, very refreshing.   We could see what looked like people snorkelling but towing a small inflatable device behind them with a flag on it.   When one chap reached the shore it appeared they were spear fishing.  He had a camouflage wet suit on, brown in colour.   I wondered if this was so they were meant to look like rocks or seals.   Sarah, rather unkindly I thought, commented that this chap was less seal and more walrus.   The flag must have been there so other divers know where he is and don’t spear him.   He unhooked the spear gun from with this belt along with a fair number of fish.

After hearing about it on the shipping forecast all my life and after years of planning we finally got to drive to the most western point of Spain, Finisterre to watch the sunset.   Sadly I underestimated the distance and the sun set when we were only half way there. Another well laid plan bites the bloody dust. I bet I’ll never get to see Dogger or German Bite either.

Sunday 15 June

We drove south a little to ‘Camping Ria Arousa II’ on the Ria Arousa near the town of Riberia.  Although there were not many touring caravans or motorhomes the site was heaving with people.  There was a petite train going up and down blearing loud music and what sounded like a Zumba class going on in the pool plus cars coming and going.   After setting up we went up to the pool area and cafeteria to get some lunch and all became clear.    In addition to the cafeteria there was a large banqueting hall which appeared to be hosting a number of confirmation parties.   Young girls in white dresses kept appearing with their extremely overdressed relatives.   The women were dressed for a Ball in long evening dress or for the night club in something very tight and short and wearing heels they couldn’t walk in!!   The noise from the pool was a kids event of some kind.   There were about 60 kids in the pool and the music had been for pool games.  As we arrived they were being given a demonstration on how to dry themselves on a towel.  They then sat down for lunch and a good sing song.   We went for a swim in the pool later on in our regulation swimming hats, though Sarah’s had a big split in it and wasn’t really serving its function.   However, if you didn’t have a hat you got thrown out.   You can dive in, throw other people in and dive bomb but if you haven’t got your hat on you get thrown out. As we sat round the pool parents arrived to collect their children and peace was restored.

The site also boasts a parrot who did greet me with a bright “Hola” on a couple of occasions.

Monday 16 June

Drove to Santiago de Compostela.  This is the town to which many thousands of people make a pilgrimage each year.   There are a number of recognised routes to Santiago and the pilgrims have to their cards stamped at a number of official places along the way.   To qualify as a pilgrim you have to have walked at least the last 100 km on one of the routes or 200 km if you are cycling.  We have passed many pilgrims during our travel through Spain, noticeable as they all seem to carry a wooden walking staff and a scallop shell, originally a symbol of having completed the pilgrimage but now often worn all the way.

Each day at 12noon a service is held in the Cathedral for the pilgrims who have recently arrived and anyone else who wishes to attend.   We went for a look and found that the Cathedral seating was packed and the area in which you are allowed to stand and observe was very busy.   The service was conducted in several languages.    

The Swinging Priests

The Cathedral has a huge incense burner attached to a long pulley system.  On the other end of the pulley were eight priests.  After setting fire to whatever was in the burner the priests started pulling on the rope gently so the burner started to swing. 

The arc of the burner got larger and larger until it was nearly hitting the roof, like a giant swing boat.  It is said that this was originally done to mask the smell of the pilgrims who had probably been wearing the same clothes since they set off. Now it is only swung for show, but it was very impressive.

Santiago is a very relaxed town with Pilgrims greeting one and other with relief and meeting up with others they had met along the way.    We had a nosy around the public rooms of the Parador, a hotel housed in a building built in the 1600’s by Royalty as a home for the poor and hospital for the sick.   Beautiful building with impressive public rooms and courtyards.   Definitely the place to stay if you can afford it.

Walking back to the car we spotted a hairdressers that was open so Sarah went and had her hair cut.

In Spain they have a chain of stores called El Corte Ingles (the court of the English) which is their equivalent of John Lewis and it also has a supermarket chain associated with it called Supercor (Waitrose).   On our way in to Santiago we noticed there was a Hipercor which definitely sparked Sarah’s interest.   So on our way home we called in as we needed a replace one of our plastic chairs as a leg snapped off just as I was getting into it.   This place was huge; imagine a very large John Lewis, Waitrose, B&Q, Kwik Fit, Pets at Home and a garden centre all rolled into one.  Sarah suggested I left her there and came back next week.    It was all a bit overwhelming for me, but we did get a replacement chair at the bargain price of 7 euros. However, Sarah hit gold this time with the purchase of 5 litres of Extra Virgin Olive oil for 11.35 euros which she tells me is incredibly cheap. So – if you need any earwax softening you know where to come.

Tuesday 17 June

We spent today having a look at some campsites a bit further south to see if it was worth moving the caravan so prevent too much driving.   We first looked at a couple on the Illa d’Arousa which had been suggested by my brother. They were OK but full of statics which were crammed in like sardines. We did however find one we liked near the town of Vilanova d’Arousa, called Camping Paisaxe. We agreed that this would be our next stop.

Wednesday 18 June

Had a look around the local area today.  We went to a small harbour village of Currubedo and walked around the headland to the lighthouse and then back to the village.  We then drove the Visitor Centre of the Natural Park that this area is in.   This was no mean feat.   I only found out about the Visitor Centre on trawling the internet for local information as the Tourist Information offices were shut.    Signposting was nearly none existent.   When we got there we decided to have our sandwiches and then take a look around.   As we sat there the staff came out and locked up.  On closer inspection they are only open 10.30am to 1.30pm Monday to Friday.   Clearly they are not expecting many visitors.   While there we took another short walk.   We then drove up to a viewpoint at the top of a large hill.    This gave a great view of the Ria but unfortunately earlier in the day a sea fret had come in and left a haze behind.   There were 2 coach loads of Spanish children at the view point.   A few shouted hello and said they wanted to speak English.   One of their teachers explained that they were on an end of term trip from their school in Santiago and were breaking up on 20 June for 2 ½ months!!!

Arrived back at the site thinking we might have a swim.  However, this end of term trip business seems to be popular.  The pool was full of children and then 2 more coaches arrived – it wasn’t that big a pool.

RANT. Why is that that Spain closes down between 12.30 and 4pm every day? Even the tourist information centres close. Many are not even open at weekends. We expected the Siesta in the hot South but not here in the North as well.

Thursday 19 June

On the move once more to Camping Paisaxe.  No one on the site speaks any English but we were made very welcome.   The owner was at great pains to point out the biggest pitch for us. (At least that’s what I think he was doing)   There were no other touring vans except us, but there are quite a lot of statics.   We started to put up the sun canopy and an elderly gentleman we had seen when we came to look on Tuesday rushed over from his caravan to give us a hand.  Having observed him since we arrived he seems to need something to do all the time and it would seem him and his wife are relatives of the owner and have probably come to help out for the busy season.   They have an exotic bird which greets the lady (Maria) by name as soon as it sees her coming.   At least that’s what we think she was telling us.  She has spoken to us a length and either she doesn’t realise we don’t understand or it doesn’t matter.  I have decided to call them Terry and June. There are some bungalows on site that had just been vacated and she spent all day washing sheets.

We had a walk along the beach path which is lovely to the town of Vilanova which didn’t seem to have much going for it.  Having decided to go out for tea we had trouble finding anywhere.  The site restaurant isn’t doing food until 1 July, the bar up the road gave us the menu and said you point to what you want and I will tell you if I have got it.  So we went back to town to a café. We understood most things on the list but did not recognise ‘Perritos’. The translation app on my phone gave the translation ‘Puppies’. Surely this can’t be right so we asked the waitress. She couldn’t explain so she eventually brought a plate of uncooked hot dogs. Obvious when you think about it. Came back to the site and watched England lose to Uruguay in the World Cup.

Comment. The new King of Spain was crowned today. It was a low profile event. There were a few Spanish flags out but no street parties. Not too sure if things were low key due to Spain losing in the World Cup they day before or if people just aren’t bothered.

Friday 20 June

Spent a lazy day sitting on a beach we had to ourselves.

We can hear the church clock from where we are. However, it is not a proper bell but a recorded bell. We have noticed bells playing through loudspeakers in a number of small towns. This one is 5 minutes slow and occasionally plays an unfamiliar tune. I suspect that they have pre-recorded some chimes on a smart phone, set them to play at the appropriate time and simply plugged it into a loudspeaker system. Clever - but very annoying.
Stop Press. The clock has gone rogue. It is playing unfamiliar chimes at various times during the hour. I fear that it has been hacked.

As I am writing, Terry is using a hammer drill to put up a shelf. You'll hear much more about Terry and June in our next exciting episode.

Galicia to the Limousin

Saturday 21 June

Our campsite (Camping Paisaxe) is located close to a bridge which takes to you to Illa de Arousa, a small island in the Ria de Arousa.   We went across to the island this morning had a walk around half of the coastline, passing through the main town (large village) on the island.  

Actually spotted another English couple, quite rare round here.  Again the coastline is lined with beaches of fine white sand beach.

Later in the day we ventured along the coast to the picturesque village of Cambados, much nicer that Villanova. In a Church garden a group of ladies were sat cutting up the heads of hydrangea flowers (we found out why later) and on the beach quite a number of people were raking in the sand collecting shellfish of some description.

On our way back we noticed the Chinese Bazaar to beat all Chinese Bazaars. Even the Hyper Chinese Bazaar. We had discovered the Alice Liu Commercial Bazaar. This huge emporium was spread across three warehouses. It was so large my camera lens was not wide enough to record the sheer size of it. It stocked everything from dancing flowers to corsets. Once again Sarah discovered things we hadn’t realised we needed. These included a fly swatter for 50 cents, a baking tray for 3 euros and an elasticated cargo net.

A number of weeks ago the elastic went in one of our recliner chairs and we have been looking for a replacement ever since. I haven’t been able to find anything suitable so I bought the elasticated cargo net. It took me three hours to unpick it but I finally have 3 feet of elastic which I have used to repair Sarah’s chair.  I have double stringed it as she thinks she has put on weight.

Sunday 22 June

Another lazy day on the very quiet beach.   Later in the day an English chap arrived at the site on a bicycle.   It turned out that he had a holiday home in Portugal and wanted a bike to ride whilst there.   On a whim he decided that to buy a bike in the UK and ride it to Portugal from his home in Macclesfield.   When he arrives at his final destination it will have taken 6 weeks – he is nearly there now.   I’m not too sure how much he saved on freight charges but I hope it was worth the effort.

All day we had been hearing loud bangs which sounded like fireworks but without the sparkles, these just had a flash of light.  At around 8.30pm we heard a brass band playing.  I asked Terry about it and he rattled of a lot of information we didn’t understand but managed to work several words, Florabunda, oompah, Villanova, tonight.   With that we jumped in the car and drove to Villanova.   Florabunda turned out to be a bit like Derbyshire Well Dressings but on the road. Patterns had been made on the roads in different coloured granules of some kind and in other roads there was a carpet of pine needles decorated with the cut up flowers of the hydrangeas.  It was obviously a religious ceremony of some kind, perhaps to do with the summer solstice.  A priest in white and gold robes and tatty trainers walked holding an icon of some kind.  He was under a canopy carried by 4 men and he walked along the decorated streets preceded by 2 boys and 2 girls with incense burners and followed by the local community who had dressed up for the occasion (especially the children who were very well dressed).  Every so often the procession would stop and the priest would say a few words followed by a tune from the local choir and then carry on until they reached the Church.  As the procession past it seemed that the children were then allowed to mess up the patterns which seemed a great shame.  (So now we know why the ladies were chopping up hydrangeas in Cambados yesterday.) Sadly there are no pictures as I left the camera in the car.

Monday 23 June

Drove to Pontevedra today.  An attractive town, not dissimilar to Santiago in style and feel, though finding the Tourist Office was somewhat of a challenge.  We eventually got there after much wandering and asking 3 people along the way.   We had an excellent tapas lunch.  Sarah ordered gambas (prawns) but they didn’t have any so they brought langoustines which were huge followed by  potato tortilla and croquettes with ham and cheese.

I also spotted this bike.

We came back to the site to find Terry on the roof of his kitchen hut sealing it and then he put up more shelves. I told him that he should take things easy and shouldn’t be on a roof at his age. He replied in Spanish and I nodded. I don’t think he understands a word I say.

Later in the day a Spanish caravan arrived.  A while later I noticed that they were trying to erect their awning frame first but before putting the awning canopy through the awning rail (caravanners will understand). I drew Terry’s attention to what was going on and we both agreed that they didn't know what they were doing. I suggested to Terry that he went across to help them as they wouldn't understand a word I said. He eventually got my drift and wandered across to assist. As he passed us on the way back to his van I gave him a thumbs up for a job well done and Terry gave a universally recognised sign that they must have had a screw loose!!

We noticed that there seemed to be either a widespread mist or several fires. We asked the site owner what was happening. After a lot of shouting and gesturing we discovered that today was the festival of San Juan. Traditionally people light bonfires on the beach and stay up late and drink. (Sounds like a typical day in Spain to me) Fortunately it didn't get too rowdy but we were awoken buy a group of youths nearby at about 4am.

Tip. If you do visit Spain be sure to watch where you are walking. They have a real problem with dog dirt and no one bothers to clean it up!

Tuesday 24 June

Went to O’ Grove today.  Called at the much easier to find Tourist Information Office.  The girl spoke excellent English.  It turned out that this because she had been sent to Coventry

Church

for 4 years (not sure what she’d done).  She was extremely helpful and gave us lot of info on walks and local sites.  O’Grove is a family resort where again the town buildings are not great but the scenery is beautiful.  We walked across to the island of A Toxa where the rich people stay.   There were Nannies out walking children.  The island also boasts a small church that is completely covered in scallop shells.   Later in the day we did a short walk.

Wednesday 25 June

Woke to a very dull and hazy morning.  Went across to the Illa de Arousa again and walked around the half we didn't do previously.   Most of this area is a protected nature park with yet more beaches.  Weather cleared as the morning progressed.

One thing we have noticed is that there are an awful lot of partially built residential and commercial properties. Presumably the result of Spain’s economic problems.

We have also seen lots of plots of land which have boundary walls and sometimes a gate but which have nothing on them. Occasionally you might see a barbecue pit and a few chars but that’s it. I'm not sure if this is because the owners have run out of cash of if they bought them before obtaining permission to build. Whatever the reason, they are a bit of a blot on the coastline.

Thursday 26 June

Very dull again this morning but working on the assumption that it would clear as it had done yesterday we drove Vigo which has a beautiful natural harbour and today a cruise ship moored in it.

We didn’t go into the town but walked along the beach promenade.  Great beach for kids if you could rely on the weather.   Along the prom there were several swimming and paddling pools, basketball courts, skateboard ramp and a large flat area for rollerblading or scooter riding.

When I came to pay the site fees the bank card machine wouldn't work so I went into town to get some cash, Having paid I was presented with two baseball caps and a car sticker.    Terry was on his roof again.

A bit of explanation about the semi permanent residents. All have a caravan with an awning on the front. In addition they all have either a stand alone awning or a shed which they use as a kitchen. All have a fridge freezer, a full height cooker and a kitchen sink. In front of the kitchen they have a canopy over their dining area.

Thoughts about Galicia: Due to the weather not being great we almost decided not to visit Galicia but Sarah suggested that we might regret it if we didn't... and she was right. If you want to see a very different Spain to that of Barcelona, Madrid and the Costas then you must come. The weather is changeable but the coast is stunning. Even when you drive a few miles inland the rolling hills are covered with vineyards and fruit orchards. Communication is difficult if you do not speak Spanish but we got by and generally found the locals very friendly.

Friday 27 June

Got up at 7am as we we are moving on today.  Terry was already up and about and came to see us off, shaking our hands as we left.   He was a lovely man. I only wish I knew more Spanish.

My brother recommended that we should visit Parado do Sil which he described as stunning and peaceful. Sadly, when I e mailed them a couple of days ago they replied that they do not open until 1^st July. So, we drove instead 278 miles to Llanes on the Spanish North coast.  We stopped for a coffee early on as I was having trouble staying awake (having been kept awake by the manager talking at her mother (June) in a loud voice for a long time and at 11.30 a camper van arrived and started pitching!).   Good job we did stop as we didn’t see another motorway service area for about 150 miles.  They were renovating the cafeteria so some of the walls were missing. A chap started to cut metal with a power grinder and sparks were going everywhere.   They don’t seem to worry about health and safety here. And of course, this was a petrol station.

The camp site (La Paz) was not signposted at all but found it eventually.   It is situated on a headland and the access if up a very steep slope.  You have to park at the bottom and leave the caravan.  It is collected by a man in a land rover who tows it to the pitch for you.  The pitches are in terraces up the hillside and I am sure the view is good but it is pouring down at present.  We are at the top of the site with a wall behind us then a field.   There are a herd of cows in the field all with bells on.

Went to the site restaurant as we had no food in and had ham, egg and chips again.  Once more we were the only people in there and they cleared weren't expecting many as a lot of the tables were piled high with tablecloths and bed linen.

Saturday 28 June

Visited Llanes this morning.  It is an appealing town with some very interesting buildings and many examples of galleried windows.  There are lots of restaurants so we will come back one evening.  Later in the day it got extremely windy, the caravan was rocking at one point.   I went out to zip next door’s awning as it was threaten to take off.  I made sure that Sarah stayed in our caravan to act as ballast.  

View from the caravan when the weather cleared

I feel I need to comment on the showers.  When you turn the shower tap on you only get cold water.  If want hot water you have to push what looks like a light switch on the wall.  There is a sign above the electric switch that I think warns users not to touch the switch with wet hands. Now work out how that one got past building control! You get a set amount and then you have to press the switch again.   If you are not quick enough it gets very refreshing.  There are only shower curtains, no doors, and the hooks for handing your towel and clothes on are outside the curtain!

Sunday 29 June

We had thought about staying at Santillana del Mar (which is not near the sea) so went to have a look at it today.  

It is an extremely pretty village whose only purpose is tourism.  There were shops galore all selling regional produce.  However, the Church was frequented by locals – it is a long time since I have seen that many people coming out of a Church at the end of a service.  They even had a guard on the door to stop you going in.

We went into a bar and had hot chocolate and churros - very good.

On the way back we stopped at the town of San Vincente de la Baroque which is still a working fishing port so not quite so pretty.  It had a great atmosphere though – all the locals seemed to be out eating at the fish restaurants or standing outside having a beer and some octopus rings.

At about 8.30pm two chaps appeared with paragliding kites.  They hopped over the wall into the field of cows and tried to take off.  One successfully took flight and glided about for a bit, the other one couldn't manage to take off.  The cows seemed a little alarmed to start with then just wandered off.

Monday 30 June

A Welsh couple in the van next to us left this morning and had recommended to us that we visit Ribadesella. 

This was a delightful town set around an estuary.  The town is set on one side with a small harbour and then you cross the road bridge and walking around the headland to a beautiful beach backed by some very attractive mansions.  There were information boards explaining how the mansions came about.   They all seemed to have been built by men who emigrated to Cuba, made a fortune out of tobacco and then came home and built large summer houses.

Whilst looking for somewhere to have lunch we passed a shoe shop. But these were not just shoes. These were chocolate shoes.

Sadly Sarah couldn’t find a pair that fitted.

Tuesday 1 July

Arrived back in France today at a site in Labenne which is not far from Biarritz.   Camping Sylvamar is a 5* site that we found in a brochure of glamping sites.   Not that impressed.   Huge pitches in a sandy pine forest, and loads of facilities (including a very expensive spa)  but no real feel to it.  The sanitary facilities were certainly not 5*.  They were no better than the last site and it wasn’t claiming to have any stars.   However the restaurant served reasonable food and was busy.

Wednesday 2 July

Went to Biarritz today.   As you can see it was very wet.

Many very expensive shops and it does have a sort of faded grandeur to it, but not as much as we expected.   The best bit was the beaches, it has two with great waves.   I have never seen so many surfers in the water at the same time.   They ranged from the quite young having lessons on standing up to the very experienced riding some big waves.    Is there etiquette for surfers?  Do those paddling out get out of the way of those riding the wave?

St Jean de Luz

Drove on to St Jean de Luz which had a different atmosphere altogether.   Nice sea front and harbour and the town had attractive buildings and squares.  The streets had shops that were open in an afternoon!!    It also boasted excellent ice cream.   The Church of St John the Baptist was very unusual.  Inside it was lined with 3 tiers of wooden galleries.  Apparently these were reserved for the men and the women had to sit in the pews at ground level. 

After dinner we have a walk to the bar to listen to tonight’s turn.  There was a long line of children queuing for candyfloss.   Is that a good idea at 10.30pm!

Thursday 3 July

As were not that keen on the site we moved on a day early to a site called Le Gorge du Chambon which is part of the Castels Chain.   It is situated near a small town called Montbron about 40 miles from Limoges.   It is the Limousin region where the cows come from.    What a difference from the last site.  The site was originally a farm.  The stables are now the restaurant, the piggery is now reception and what is termed the “bread oven” is now a gite.   The house is still the house.  The site is owned by a Dutch couple and we were very warmly greeted by the lady of the site.  We had a walk round the site which is fairly open parkland with some impressive trees for shade.  We selected a pitch near a large oak tree.  After lunch we went back to reception to let them know which pitch we are on and were given a lot of information including a welcome pack with some maps and leaflets in and a large bag for your recycling.

Observation - the Spanish are crap at recycling. On most of the campsites we stayed on I was told to put ALL rubbish into the same bin. I bet the Germans are horrified. Here in France it is a different story. 

They also have folders you can borrow which give a lot of information hiking, biking, canoeing, markets and suggested day trips telling you how far it is and how to get there.  You can borrow this for the duration of your stay.  Very impressive.  The receptionist in the afternoon was also Dutch but spoke English, French and German very fluently.

We decided to try the restaurant for dinner as it was a beautiful evening.  The food was excellent (hurray at last!).  Sarah had duck in a honey and rosemary sauce with caramelised vegetables which was beautifully present and she said was very good and I had a very good pizza.

Friday 4 July

During the night there was a very loud clap of thunder and the electricity went off.  Had to get up and switch the fridge over to gas and shut a few windows.  We also had very heavy rain which persisted through til lunchtime, though the electricity came back on after a couple of hours.   Seemed like a good time to go to the supermarket (if there is ever a good time). When we arrived at ‘Intermarche’ Sarah’s eyes lit up when she saw laundry machines in the car park. Sadly she had not brought her washing with her so guess what we’ll be doing next week. 

Limousin to Normandy

Saturday 5 July

We drove into Montbron, our nearest town, this morning in search of the market.   We walked around and couldn’t find anything so in the end asked.   A lady pointed us in the right direction and off we went.   The market consisted of 4 stalls, well actually 2 stalls plus one in the back of a van and one on spread on a carpet!!   Didn’t stay long then went to the Supermarket.

In the afternoon we set out on a local walk from the site along the River Tardoire.  It seemed like hard work, though it was actually very easy in comparison the Pico’s.  Lovely countryside around here. 

Nothing exceptional, just rolling hills and wooded valleys.  In the evening we wandered down to the bar to watch Holland play Costa Rica in the World Cup.   It was packed as there are a large number of Dutch people on the site, and the staff were wearing orange T-shirts in support.   We enquired if the Wimbledon’s men final would be on tomorrow and were told it would be “no problem”.

Sunday 6 July

The day dawned fair but did not stay that way.  It was soon raining.   We updated the blog and in the afternoon Sarah went to watch the Wimbledon final.  I joined her for a while as this is only place you can get wifi, but when the battery ran out on the laptop I retreated.   She was the only person there to start with but people trickled in until there was a decent audience.     The World Cup and Wimbledon have been good for the bar trade, their takings should be up.

Monday 7 July

Set off to visit Brantome today.   This is a ridiculously pretty town over the border in The Dordogne.   It is almost surrounded by the River Drome and is nicknamed the Venice of Perigord, which is stretching it a bit; though you can take a boat trip powered by two men punting.  

Brantome

The town boasts a large Church and monastery, lovely riverside walks and narrow streets.   We stopped for lunch by the River and ordered a salad to try and be healthy.   When they arrived they were huge.   Mine included about 2 lbs of potatoes.

After lunch we drove on to St Jean de Cole which is named as one of France’s most beautiful villages and it certainly was.   They do seem to have trouble with the Church though.   Twice the dome has collapsed and had to be rebuilt.   Last time they added more columns to support the dome and it seems to be holding up, though there were some nasty cracks in the walls.  Apparently some years ago the village won the 'Finest Roofs' in France competition.   Seems a strange thing to have a competition for and we could not quite work out why it won.

Just Chillin' Out in Brantome

Earlier in the day we noticed that the evenings ‘Animation’ was wooden games. We arrived not sure what to expect. Should we bring a pen knife to whittle down some wood or would a router be useful. Then it all became clear. It was exactly as advertised -  20 games made of wood. There was skittles, quoits and one where you had to pile wooden cows on a wooden mountain, a bit like Buckaroo.   The games didn’t belong to the site but seemed to be hired from a chap in a white van trading under the name of ‘Wooden Games’.  So – there’s an original business opportunity for anyone handy with a saw and in possession of a white van

Shortly after arriving back at the caravan our neighbour, a French lady approached me and asked if I was afraid of spiders. I hesitantly replied no. Why? Because there is a very large one in my tent and I am very afraid of them. I tried to catch the spider but it got in between the layers of wall separating the rooms.  (This is actually an Ecolodge. Like a tent but with a wooden frame covered by PVC material.)  So I sprayed liberally with insect repellent and left the can with her in case it reappeared.  She said she tries not to pass her fear on to her daughter Mathilde who is about 5 but couldn’t deal with it herself.

Tuesday 8 July

Our neighbour said that the large spider had not re appeared but there was a smaller one. So she slept with the light on.

It was a fairly bright morning so we went out for a walk.   However, this afternoon it rained so I have spent my time taking the seats and the bed apart trying to stop them creaking. We have a Bailey Unicorn Valencia and I must say that after only 3 years it is beginning to show its age. Window catches are breaking and the damn thing creaks like a Spanish Galleon. I have however addressed the creaking issue by placing plastic tape between the walls and the seat supports which rub against the walls. This is on top of the recall due to an issue with the wheel bolts and water ingress into the floor beneath the forward exterior lockers. I will not buy another Bailey.

Wednesday 9 July

After our rather disappointing market experience on Saturday we set out to the one in Piegut which is said to the best in the area.   It was certainly much more extensive, it seemed to go on for miles.  Quite a few stall holders were British, one was even selling pork pies and pasties. I was tempted.   We stocked up on fruit and veg and a few Sarah fripperies such as a new handbag. Which once again I didn’t know we needed.

In the afternoon we decided to visit the Chateau in the town of La Rochefoucauld.  

This Chateau is quite impressive and has been in the same family for over a 1000 years.   They are now on their 19^th Duke.    A guided tour of the libraries was included.   They have installed underfloor heating in some the rooms to protect the books of which there are thousands, the oldest being from the 1600’s hand written in Latin.   They also had a room full of archive material dating back as far as the 1300’s, accountants, letters, property deeds etc.   On the tour with us was a Dutch family.   They had a daughter of about 12 who was really interested and asked lots of questions in English.   Sarah was chatting to her and the girl said she was amazed at the good condition of the books, particularly the one in Latin.   Sarah jokingly asked if she spoke Latin, to which the reply was “no but my brother does”.   Sarah complemented her on her excellent English and asked if she had learnt it as school – “I taught myself” came the reply.   This made us both feel rather inadequate.

Thursday 10 July

We set out this morning on a walk which on the leaflet said was 14km.   I had worked out a possible short cut but it was a lovely day so we decided to do the whole walk.   The Countryside is gently rolling so the walking isn’t difficult but we were ready for a sit down on our return.

Not for the first time we walked 14km and saw no one. 

Another rush hour in rural France

It was a nice day and this is the peak holiday season in France yet the place is deserted. You don’t see anyone pushing a pram, there are no old men playing boules and despite the fact that we are surrounded by farmland we have only seen one farmer feeding his cows. Some of the properties are clearly holiday homes and many owned by the English but it is weird.

This evening’s entertainment included Sarah performing her routine on a trampoline followed by a BBQ and a band.  It was held outside which was a downside as it was quite chilly.  Sarah had 3 layers on and took along a fleece as well.    The food and entertainment were ok but we sat at a table with 2 other English couples and had a pleasant evening.

Friday 11 July

Sarah could not be kept away from the washing machine in the Intermarche car park any longer.  We washed the equivalent of 3 loads together which I am told is much more economical.  We shopped while it washed and had coffee while it dried.   Wardrobes and drawers fully restocked.

When we got back to the site I had to swerve to avoid hitting a llama. I wondered what the hell was going on then we noticed them erecting a circus tent. Something I have never before witnessed on a campsite.  Apparently they come once a week in high season.   We missed the actual show as we thought it was at 8pm, but seemingly it was at 6pm. They arrived at 4pm and were gone by 9pm.

Saturday 12 July

Some time ago I heard about a village which had been demolished by the Germans but left exactly as it was in 1944.   I discovered it was just a few miles away so we decided we wanted to see it. So today we visited the village of Oradour Sur Glane.   

This is a village where 642 of its inhabitants were massacred on 10 June 1944.   A regiment from the SS Panzer Division arrived in the village on the pretext of undertaking an identity check but then said they were looking for weapons and explosives.   They rounded up the inhabitants and took the women and children to the Church and the men to 6 different garages and then started to kill them.   They set off a gas bomb in the Church but it didn’t work so they had to shoot the women and children and then set fire to the Church.   They shot the men and then set fires throughout the village, having looted the homes and businesses.    One woman and 5 men managed to escape.  The Division came back the next day and buried all the bodies in mass graves.  Because of this and the fires it was impossible to formally identify the bodies.   The village has been left as it was that day with houses that have collapsed and evidence of burnout cars, bikes and sewing machines.  The reason for this barbaric attack is not really known but felt to be revenge following the capture of an SS Officer by the Resistance.    There is a large memorial now listed all those who are known to have died.  The youngest being 8 days old with no first name yet given.   It is impossible to even begin to understand the unimaginable horror that occurred there and having read about the events we felt we should go and pay our respects.  Very moving.

As we were not far from Limoges we dropped in for a whistle stop tour.  We only visited parts of the old town.  During our walkabout we encountered 3 weddings, 1 in the Town Hall, 1 in the Cathedral and 1 outside the Cathedral, we think waiting to go in.   The most notable thing about the party outside the Cathedral was that we didn’t know if they were all bridesmaids but there was a number of young girls all dressed alike but didn’t look like traditional bridesmaids.   They wore white leggings, which white net skirts over the top with orange belts, white t-shirts and orange cloth waistcoats.   Orange was definitely the colour them some of the men boast oranges ties and the women orange accessories.

When we got back to the site many more families (almost 100% Dutch) had arrived to take up residence in the various bungalows and Ecolodges. There are still many vacant touring pitches and the place is still peaceful. But it does feel like a small Dutch village.

Sunday 13 July

It rained and rained and rained!!

Monday 14 July

Bastille Day and therefore a Bank Holiday in France.  We thought it would be busy like it is on a BH at home especially after the atrocious weather of yesterday.   It was so quiet – there were virtually no cars on the road, and nobody about.   We did a walk from the village of St Bartolomey.   In the afternoon we packed away the awning ready to move on to our last but one stop. 

Camping Gorges du Chambon

We enjoyed our stay at Camping du Chambon very much. A lovely relaxing site which is well maintained. The only thing which let it down was the standard of cleaning of the sanitary facilities. I know this is a regular gripe but we expect better of a 4 star site.

Tuesday 15 July

We drove from Montbron to Blangy le Chateau in Normandy, a total of 309 miles.   It was a bit of slog but we decided we rather do the journey in one day and get ourselves settled for a while.   The site – Camping Le Brevedent is a 4* site, set in the grounds of a Chateau which now houses the bar.  There is a small lake which you can take a canoe out on.   We were given a map which showed which pitches were available so we had a walk around to look at them.   We did find one that would do but also found one that wasn’t on the list but which was much bigger.    We knew it was big enough as on the pitch next door was a van the same as ours with its awning up and room for the car.   We went back to reception and asked if there was any chance we could it.   The receptionist called the owner over, would looked at the computer screen with great consideration and sighed a lot.  Eventually he said “ I will it make ok, you can have that pitch”.   This seems to be his take on most things – “it will be ok”.   He must come unstuck sometimes. 

The site is nice and has a very laid back atmosphere but it is rather scruffy round the edges.  They take a relaxed attitude to mowing and strimming. The Chateau looks like it needs a lick of paint as do most of the buildings.   Sarah is not at all impressed with the sanitary facilities.   There are 3 toilet blocks but the one near us is not good. The tiles look like they have been on for decades, the floor is constantly wet, the shower heads are all caked with lime scale and (I didn’t tell Sarah but I have twice seen a mouse in there.)   Most of the showers are push button but one has a mixed tap but the hot tap is knackered so you need to know the knack to get any hot water.   I took my screwdrivers up to see if I could adjust it but had no luck.  The other shower blocks are a little better.   The staff are very helpful and the site could be really good with a just a bit more effort.   The clientele seem to be either our age group or families with young children.  There is a good playground and some low key kids activities.  They have also got some rabbits and some very cute baby guinea pigs – so Sarah says!!   The site is busy but remarkably quiet. However, I have made a mental note not to return. It will get a poor review.  

Wednesday 16 July

I was horrified this morning to discover that inflation in Normandy has increased by 10% Yes, the cost of a baguette is now 1.10 euros. Outrageous. On the positive side they are at least 6 inches longer.

Drove into the nearby village of Blangy Le Chateau this morning.   It is extremely pretty.   Most of the buildings in this area are half timbered, some with thatched roofs.  

The village has a stream running through and there are hanging baskets and flower troughs everywhere.   The lady in the Tourist Office was very helpful and we came away armed with maps and leaflets.  Apparently there is painter’s day in the village on Sunday which culminates with a firework display in the evening, so we will definitely go along to that.

After a run to the supermarket we set out on a walk from the site.   It was really interesting as we passed many attractive buildings and walked through farm land and by apple orchards.  However we did cheat a little by cutting a corner as it was very hot.   On return to the site we sank into a deck chair outside the site café and had a glass of local cider – very good.

On the pitch next to us are Derek and Mary a very friendly couple with a van the same as ours.   I remarked that the van looked very clean and shiny.   It turned out that this was because quite a lot of it is new.  Last year in France a hailstorm swept through the site they were on with hail as big as golf balls.   They did not quite puncture the roof, but nearly.   The side without the awning on was also badly damaged.  Their awning was just shredded, as were many people’s tents.   They have just got the van back from Bailey after being rebuilt.

Thursday 17 July

Went back into the village as it was market day.   This consisted of 4 stalls – 1 fruit and veg, 1 fish, 1 cheese and milk and one selling home made jam and honey.   We had to sit down for a coffee after the excitement.

We had picked up an article on the internet a while ago suggesting some routes through various parts of Normandy.   We set off on one of these after lunch.  We drove to Beuvron en Auge  which, again, was beautiful.  

Sarah found a shop selling scarves and sun hats and was in seventh heaven.   She spent a fortune.   We then drove along through the apple orchards and villages including Cambremer. We are scratching our heads wondering why we haven’t been to this area before, we will certainly be coming back.

Tonight was mussels and chips night in the restaurant so off we went. 

Friday 18 July

Honfleur was our destination for today.   It is on the estuary of the Seine with a lock for the boats to go out to sea.   We were expecting a small town but it was quite large.   The towns and villages in France are awarded star ratings for their flower displays.  Blangy has 2* and Honfleur has 4* so you can imagine how lovely it was.  

Many buildings are very old and quite wonky.  Everytime you turned a corner there was another pretty street. Lots of character.   

We had lunch outside a restaurant whose walls seemed to leaning outwards.  The Church of St Catherine was a remarkable building as it built almost entirely of wood.   

It has twin naves and a balcony running around the edge of both.  From  the outside we thought it was the market hall!

We then drove on Trouville which is a seaside resort with a great beach.  

After a wander we decided to come back to the site as it was extremely hot.

Later in the day we had a thunderstorm.  At one point the lightening was right overhead and there was the loudest clap of thunder which caused Sarah and half the kids on the site to scream.  It really took us by surprise.    The owner here is also a musician and on a Friday night he and some friends play in the restaurant and then they have an ‘open mic’ session and anyone can get up and play.  Several campers got up and played.  One English chap had even written his own song about caravanning which was very funny.   We sat with Mary and Derek from next door on the restaurant terrace as it was too hot inside and had a really pleasant evening.