Map summary and Spanish AirBnB accommodation

Monday is spent wet weather bound in a mountain retreat with all mod-cons. A home better by far than our own modest semi-detached. The place is superbly fitted out - so much so that several ideas may well become features to do next on the wish list.
An attempt to explore was cut short once the rain set in, and forced us to up the hood.  Tomorrows forecast is a brighter prospect, before the sail home on the Pont Aven.

Our three "AirBnB" stop-overs in Northern Spain:-

    Week 1:  https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/19859930?s=51 

   Week 2:  https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/17764138?s=51

Week 3:  https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/660185?s=51 

Route Map westbound outwards:

Note that the journeys were driven over two days - broken at stops one and three respectively

Route Map  eastbound homewards:

South of Oviero

After seven glorious days in Burgueira near Baiona we hide away in one little hamlet south of Oviero.  The motorway driving and fast red road on our map was not the most direct route. About four and a half hours and 290 miles. Passing by Ourense, Ponferrada, Astorga and Leon, then northwards towards Oviedo.
Hiding away in our retreat,  a self contained chalet next to the landowner's home brewery and cider orchard. The house cow bell rings away down the hill and the Morgan is covered against overnight rain.
Saturday sets in damp and becomes wetter during the day. A round tour of villages begins with the hood down.  A late lunch of delicious chicken, three course meal was taken at a busy roadside cafe. The bar and windows and ceiling joists feature ancient, weather warn timbers and supporting pillars of up-cycled pegollos.  The rain tipped down as our pootle along discovered steep sided valleys and mist veiled hills that melted into pale grey skies.
Through Argame we went, then Fuejos, Proaza, Arrojo,  Barzana, Piedraceda, and many such villages with their Horrios perched awry. Aged timbers shade ancient implements, carts, assortments of  a rural nature, or wood stacks for  fuelling the warm blue smoke that drifts aloft.  Ours is 200 years old, built without nails and beneath it is a useful car-port should we need it.

As forecast, the weekend is wet, so we venture into the hills armed with brolly and camera for a second day of dampness.

Fresh from the garden

Ready to go

Hay cart

 The horrio is more than just a shed

A time capsule

The open  laundry wash space next to the Rio Trubia and Puente Medieval  (bridge)

The road here is none too good

Adios Oia

Sorry to leave this glorious part of Spain and balmy weather today; we are headed towards Oviedo where the forecast is a chilly prospect of thunderstorms and single figure temps.

Baiona

Oia

A Granite shoreline south of Baiona  

An exceptional Parador and another Roman Bridge

One day left of our stay close to the border with Northern Portugal.
Quite warm with an exciting drive to Baiona along hilltops within sight of the Atlantic. There is another beautiful Roman bridge, the Ponte da Ramallosa to cross as well at this historic port founded in 140 B.C.
The Parador of Baiona Pontevedra is one of  many such Paradores in Spain (hotels with a historical and architectural value), a well-preserved ashlar building. Finely cut granite, tall interior and an elegant balustraded stairway of granite. Surrounded by a  castellated stone wall, sitting on a peninsula promentary that commands views out across open ocean, the old hotel and restaurant also overlooks the Rias Baixas and the Cies Islands. Here may be sampled the exemplary opulence and outstanding service. The coffee and croissants are good too.

Historic Roman bridge

Parador Hotel

The harbourfront

Built in the twelfth centuary

Hairpins through Eucalyptus groves to Atlantic harbours

We stay closer to the sea and our B&B. today.
Returning to the A Garda site (350 meters above sea level) , we enjoyed lunch in the cafeteria overlooking the Atlantic harbour. Watched from here the working fleet of small fishing boats returns in the afternoon ahead of a strengthening breeze.
Several coach loads of tourists descend on this honey pot location. Few of them seem to have a moment to spare to wander through the Celtic stone circle huts. One coach is taking passengers from a cruise liner and we chat with some Americans on a seventeen day cruise. Another planned port of call is Southampton and their coach ride to Stonehenge.

Taking the Morgan to the waters edge  of the harbour  later was nerve racking through streets too narrow for comfort,  but a leisurely stroll about here is worth the trouble nonetheless.

The harbour at A Garda

Very narrow streets lead here

Perched on top of the conical hill is the Celtic village we journeyed here to see

A few miles north up the coast lies a tiny natural harbour and the village of Chavella.
MONASTERIO DE OIA is situated here adjacent to sea front and in need of restoration. "Ripe for  improvement" would be my description. There are plans afoot to develop the site and  the buildings.

Ponto de Lima & Lindos

These two venues seen on a bright Sunday gave a flavour of life across the border and into Portugal though no physical barrier seems to exist. A motorway toll was all that hindered us for a second or two and a charge of ten cents for the very brief section near the Rio Lima.
The wide Roman bridge spans this shallow river. The margins and a central island of shallow aquatic plants was alive with the croaking of frogs as we walked across and roamed into riverside gardens. Several arbour walkways have blossoming Wisteria and grape vine trellises.  On the Portugal side of the river is a roman  keep but the street scene is more interesting as we come across the carnival atmosphere of traditional folk dancers and an accordion band dressed in local costume.
I found myself a nice pair of shoes in the market at a price too good to be missed.
At Lindos is a medieval castle beside scores of the  little grain stores known as Horreo.

Folk Dancers

Riverside gardens

European Green Lizard

Sunbathing atop a castle wall

Horreos beside the castle 

Frogs in Spain - I looked but could see none. so well camouflaged are they

Atlantic Spain 21st April

Valdeon in the Picos is left behind after a very pleasant stay with Miriam our AirB&B host.  A very kind and most helpful lady. Our route to the coast took us towards Leon via Riano, Leon, then via  Ourense to the coast just south of Vigo  where the next stopover close to the Portuguese border is 10 miles from a special archaeological  site of Celtic origin. 

The new venue hosts are Dutch and speak English quite well.
The Morgan ran beautifully, but 350 miles is plenty for one days' travel and its septuagenarian driver. Including three rest stops the journey took 6 hours.
At A Garda the Celtic Village is on a granite rock commanding views along the coast from north to south including the mouth of the Minho river and across to Portugal.

Between 3000 and 5000 villagers lived here in Celtic times.

The roofs were believed to be of conical form

Before the Romans arrived on the scene all transport and travel was by sea

The sea port today is not very elegant - Just a working harbour with a  few fishing boats 

Picos Spain 19-4-2018 Portilla de la Reina

Before setting off this morning I greased the steering while Helen "powdered her nose". Me getting dirty; her getting much more presentable.
A super day we enjoyed together, having spotted a Pine Marten and a wild cat as we drove slowly along the back road to Portilla de la Reina .  Here was a roadside stable peppered with holes and crevices busy with masonry bees. At the foot of the wall I managed to catch a lizard. 

Returning to Posada de Valdeón we later continued on to Caín de Valdeón.  A super meal was had and a quiet few quiet moments in the sun, doing nothing very much.
At Cain frequent taxis appear to pick up walkers at the head of the defile and 12k path that follows the Rio Cares. 

The river was thundering, gushing and gurgling down along the rock strewn beds. Even above the exhaust note of the Morgan we could hear that roar echoing between the walls of the canyon.

Excellent food served here

Fortunately the rain flooding down had fallen the previous week to our arrival.

20kph max speed through this corner !

Mini Buses  & Morgans yes  - Coaches no.

Thundering along the torrents go downhill as we go uphill

Rio Cares followed by a rock cut footpath for 12 k. We walked along it for two or three kilometers before turning back.  The path is uneven and sometimes cuts into the rock face with low headroom tunnels. Decent walking shoes needed if you wish to go much further down along here.

Mountain Lakes

Left Posada de Valdeon by LE2711 heading south west to join the N625 towards Cangas de Onis. Took a right turn in the town onto the AS-114. At Soto de Congas the AS262 was taken through Covadonga to our destination at Lagos de Covadonga .

This day out proved to be a challenge for us both but the spectacular scenery was quite rewarding. Spotted a flock of Alpine Chuff  and a Vulture. At this time of year the woodland is not yet in full leaf and some is seen in white blossom. Higher up, the bare trees are draped in swathes of lichen. The snow is melting rapidly and swells the gushing rivers and gullies. 

The round trip takes about six hours including a walk around the lake and a good lunch stop en-route.

Picos 17-04-2018 Snow & Sun

Caín de Valdeón is a small village a short drive from our B&B so we chose to explore and pleased we did so. The Rio Cares carves a deep gorge along which there is a footpath hewn  by men, over many centuries, out of the limestone rock. It weaves a tortuous path through tunnels, beside steep drops and clinging to the rock face.
In all, the path is 12k long but we managed only the first 2k before the legs began to "wither on the vine" so to speak.

A beautiful days circular tour subsequently taken from Posada deValdeon anti-clockwise through Riano and back to Valdeon via Portilla de la Reina. At Riano the only Filling station for miles around enabled a top with Sans Plomb 95 octane.

Towards  Caín de Valdeón

Through the hairpins

20% gradient

Blind bends

The river thunders down between the rocks and boulders

Squeezing tighter as we go deeper

Caín de Valdeón

Footpath begins to narrow

Spot the beehives

Snow melting 

The cart before the Morgan