Climbing the steep hill out of Porto, once again I am astounded, and pleased, at how empty the roads are! I seem to spend all morning climbing until I reach the rock-strewn highlands of the Parque Natural do Alvão. It feels good to be back on the motorbike :)
Continuing northwards, I pass the spa town of Chaves and head towards the border. Crossing the River Feces, brings me into Spain. There is no fanfare, just a simple sign informing that I have lost an hour of my life. Even the land does not seem to care as the Portuguese patchwork of brown, yellow and green fields continues into Spain.
Shortly after, I turn right and follow the border through the peaceful highlands of the Parque Natural de Montesinho and join the long road to León.
The mountains of the Cordillera Cantábrica, striding east-west along the southern boundaries of Cantabria and Asturias is the final obstacle before my night on the coast. A fantastic road winds its way through these mountains sandwiched between the River Bernesga and a disused railway line. Rising past abandoned mining towns, the road reaches its high point. A stunning viewpoint offering fine panoramas of high peaks and deep river valleys. Every imaginable shade of green seems to have been used to create this view. I take in the view on the steep, narrow descent as I follow the queue of traffic stuck behind a tractor heading back to the main A-road.
I blast along A-road towards the Bay of Biscay and the sweet, sticky, cider covered seaside town of Gijón; where I spend the evening learning how to pour cider like a local... Poured from a bottle held high above my head into a tiny glass held low. You pour about a mouthful into the glass and knock it back before in one before the fizz fizzles out. It does not seem to matter that most of the cider ends up on the floor! :)
Continuing northwards, I pass the spa town of Chaves and head towards the border. Crossing the River Feces, brings me into Spain. There is no fanfare, just a simple sign informing that I have lost an hour of my life. Even the land does not seem to care as the Portuguese patchwork of brown, yellow and green fields continues into Spain.
Shortly after, I turn right and follow the border through the peaceful highlands of the Parque Natural de Montesinho and join the long road to León.
The mountains of the Cordillera Cantábrica, striding east-west along the southern boundaries of Cantabria and Asturias is the final obstacle before my night on the coast. A fantastic road winds its way through these mountains sandwiched between the River Bernesga and a disused railway line. Rising past abandoned mining towns, the road reaches its high point. A stunning viewpoint offering fine panoramas of high peaks and deep river valleys. Every imaginable shade of green seems to have been used to create this view. I take in the view on the steep, narrow descent as I follow the queue of traffic stuck behind a tractor heading back to the main A-road.
I blast along A-road towards the Bay of Biscay and the sweet, sticky, cider covered seaside town of Gijón; where I spend the evening learning how to pour cider like a local... Poured from a bottle held high above my head into a tiny glass held low. You pour about a mouthful into the glass and knock it back before in one before the fizz fizzles out. It does not seem to matter that most of the cider ends up on the floor! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment