A varied few days in Portugal

We have had a great few days in Portugal and had quite a variety of experiences. After a couple of nights on the coast at Figueira da Foz, between Lisbon and Porto, where we enjoyed some great beach walks (and dune scrambles!) we headed inland to Lamego, one of the country's most historic cities in the Douro valley.
Our campsite there was unique. It was in the grounds of a country house, high above the city, with great views. When we were given our allocated pitch, virtually alongside the old hotel which occupies the centre of the 'estate' we were a little bemused but the friendly owner insisted we would be fine. And we were! Despite the proximity of other vans we had our own private portico and stone staircase to use and spent a peaceful night.
During the previous afternoon (Sunday) we walked down the huge 600 step staircase into the city. The stairs are topped by a magnificent shrine dedicated to Our Lady Of Remedies and the wide stairs  are separated by terraces, religious mosaics and fountains at various points. A genuinely memorable experience.
The city was thronged with locals and had a festival feel. We visited a couple of churches and the beautiful cathedral (it is the seat of the diocese of Northern Portugal) and in the afternoon sunshine it was a lovely way to spend a couple of hours. Even the 600 steps back up weren't too bad.
From Lamego we headed to Braga via a stop on the banks of the Douro, right in the middle of Portugal's wine/port  producing area at Peso de Regua. Here we strolled, drank coffee, watched the luxurious river cruise ships and bought some local wine.
On reaching Braga we found the municipal camp site overlooking one of the city's two huge football stadia and set up camp with a view to walking into the city. However, our plans changed when we were pestered by a loose chihuahua which belonged to a family in a nearby caravan. We soon realised that the camp appeared to be populated mainly by English travellers (some even had washing machines outside their caravans!). Without wishing to appear judgmental we decided to move on when a second loose dog appeared and we decided that a peaceful stopover was unlikely! Also the weather had taken a turn for the worse and in heavy rain the whole scenario seemed unattractive.
We packed up and headed for the coast at Praia de Ancora, about an hour away. This is well north of Porto and quite close to the Spanish border which we will soon be crossing once again.

With the sun coming out our spirits lifted as the SatNav took us down a narrow cobbled street towards our second campsite of the day. As we arrived we noticed the couple from Tenbury Wells whom we met a few days ago were there as were a Dutch couple whom we had seen on two previous occasions. Our change of mind turned out to be a very good one!
The riverside garden site turned out to be beautiful, peaceful and ideally situated a ten minute walk from an absolutely superb beach with breaking waves, surprisingly warm water and wide open spaces.
So here we are...and might be for a while!!

Ted ticked off at Salamanca

Well 3000 miles now on the clock and we are on the Portuguese coast between Lisbon and Porto.
We travelled up from La Carolina to Salamanca in one long day of driving which included the busiest road section we have yet encountered just to the south of the sprawling city of Madrid.
Salamanca was fabulous- an absolutely stunning university city, steeped in history and its Plaza Mayor was probably the single most impressive urban setting we have yet seen. Whilst on our overnight stop just outside the city we were worried to find that Ted had managed to pick up a couple of ticks, one in each ear. It took both of us, and considerable patience (from Ted as well) to remove them but we think we did a good job.
Then it was onward to Portugal. We had a few issues with the automatic toll system for foreign vehicles (we missed a pay station) but by all accounts this is common and unlikely to result in a fine..time will tell. First impressions of Portugal were good, greener than Spain and with  many more interesting villages dotted around as opposed to Spain's vast empty spaces.
We stayed the night at a beautiful riverside campsite in a small village near Oliveira de Hospital and spent some time with a couple of very seasoned travellers from Tenbury Wells. There were people swimming in the river (Lyn paddled!) and a pretty riverside walk alongside the most amazing terraced bankside vegetable garden which appeared to be the life's work of one dedicated gardener. It made our allotment look pathetic! We had intended to spend two nights there but we (Ted) were troubled by a number of feral cats which roamed the site. He was very disturbed by them and that meant we (and others) were disturbed by him. So today we have made the short trip to the coast near Figueira da Foz and are settled in on a lovely site with its own access to a huge, dog friendly beach. Big Atlantic breakers are crashing in the distance as I write this, facilities are superb and all seems well with the world.

How many olive trees are there in Spain?

Well about 300 million apparently and we reckon we've seen most of them in the last few days! As we have driven across the south of Spain we have been absolutely amazed by the olive plantations and have asked ourselves how on Earth the 'farmers' manage such huge concerns. We have, of course, become aware that Spain is a huge country whose population is concentrated into a relatively few large cities with enormous areas of very low density of population. The weather is now properly hot (well into the thirties) though the locals still seem to be dressed in winter clothes!
We've covered a few hundred miles this week, having headed south to visit our friends Louise and Clarke in their new house near Pinoso, inland from Alicante. It was great to have one night in a proper bed and Ted enjoyed the company of their little pug, though his 'air humping' was a little embarrassing!
Thereafter we went down to the Mediterranean coast but were again unimpressed by how busy everything was so we moved back inland and up into Andalucia and the Sierra Nevada. We spent one night on the Sierra Maria campsite near the town of Maria and visited a classic 'white village' aptly named Velez Blanco, which boasts a marvellous hilltop castle, before moving along the A92 towards Granada then cutting north to the impressive town of  Ubeda where we enjoyed beer and tapas in the square.

We are now on a site near La Carolina as we head up towards Madrid on our route across to Salamanca and then into Portugal where we hope to be on the coast by the weekend (it's Tuesday 23rd today). Have, of course, been saddened by  the awful news of the terrorist attack in Manchester.

Heading south and getting hotter!

We have moved south and are now just inland from Valencia on our way to stay with friends quite near Alicante.
The Spanish scenery continues to wow us with its vast scale whether in the mountains or on the plain. The last few days have been contrasting, beautiful and spectacular in equal measure. After a relaxing day off the road in Ainsa we dipped into Pamplona before turning south towards Calatayud. A rotten wet day meant we stayed in the van and racked up some miles but now the weather is hot (26 degrees) and set fair. After visiting the lovely city of Teruel we spent one night in one of Spain's most magnificent villages, Albarracin, and both reckon it's one of the most marvellous places we've ever been. A Moorish village, steeped in history, its narrow climbing streets and ancient architecture, coupled with the amazing views from high above the plain, made it truly unique. Evening beers in a cellar bar alongside a mill pool sitting under a vine clad pergola were memorable.
A couple of stops on the road across the vast central plain east of Madrid were also pretty special.
Spanish campsites so far have been superb in all respects. 2000 miles on the clock!

Meandering through the Spanish Pyrenees

We have had a  lovely two or three days discovering the absolute splendour of the Spanish Pyrenees and their National Parks. I don't think we had  any idea quite how magnificent the scenery is up here, where blue mountain rivers plunge down through vast gorges.
 Though our progress on the road has generally been slow as we have chosen winding mountain roads for the most part, the reward has been consistently wonderful views on a pretty epic scale.
We left  Saldes after eating a proper English breakfast (cooked ourselves, of course, not bought) then headed for La Seu D'Urgell, our next chosen destination. It was only about 60 miles or so but given the terrain probably took us about three hours. As well as the scenery we were fascinated by the sight of tens of thousands of cocoons in the pine trees. 'How pretty,' we thought. However, research tells us they belong to (or have been left behind by) the Processional Caterpillar - a fearsome little critter best avoided, especially by dogs! Arrived in La Seu D'Urgell in early afternoon and had a stroll and a drink on a beautiful tree-shaded avenue. A small but bustling commercial centre for the mountain community it seems a fine town.
Our campsite was a couple of miles out of town - very quiet and with good facilities. Weather was excellent and we took the opportunity to do a bit of shopping/laundry etc.
After a night there we headed for the highly recommended Aragonian town of Ainsa. Another 130 or so miles on the clock (over 1500 now) but well worth it. Another amazing drive with a lunch stop 'on top of the world' looking down over a vast plain surrounded by mountains and with about 40 raptors of varying species circling above and even below. Really one of the best views  of us has ever seen. We were joined by a posse of flash French sports cars at one point as the route is favoured by motor enthusiasts and bikers who rate it as one of their 'must do rides'.
We are now in our second day on this site just outside Ainsa and resting up before heading into the Rioja region. The medieval village of Ainsa itself is famed as a 'gem' of Aragon and we walked around it this morning in glorious sunshine. Part of it dates from the 11th century.
We are lucky to be here at this time of year, though, according to a lady we met in town this morning. She told us, in exceptional English, that the place is just too busy in July and August, almost too famous for its own good, she said. When we asked why her English was so perfect she said it was because she worked for several years as a Chartered Accountant in Birmingham and London before reinventing herself as a yoga teacher! Other  coincidences include meeting a couple on this campsite who are from Malvern and another who recognised Ted as a Patterdale because they have one at home in the U.K.!!
We are pretty settled into the travelling life now, picking a few provisions up here and there as we go, cooking on site (though last night we did have a pizza from the excellent on site restaurant!) and our pack up and go routine is down to about twenty minutes now!
The main problem in recent days has been Lyn's fear of a bear attack. Since reading that there are brown bears in these mountains (very few, probably about 30) she has been convinced that their
favoured diet is middle-aged English couples so we have had to be very cautious! The weather has been good (28 degrees or so) for the last couple of days but might change tomorrow apparently.

Into Spain and back into the mountains

After leaving Argeles sur Mer we made our way into Spain down the N11, though not before seeing a coypu swimming in the river on the edge of Argeles. Since our first ever camping trip to Norfolk before we were married we have been looking for one of these giant rodents, often pretending to one another that we had sighted one when we hadn't as they are all but extinct in the U.K. Now we have and we even have photographic evidence!
The trip down the N11 was not pretty as on both sides of the border the road is fringed by industrial ugliness. Also, to our amazement, even as early as 11am we saw numerous scantily clad prostitutes plying their trade at the roadside! Though I was tempted to try out my first Spanish phrase ('Cuanto  cuesta?') I resisted!
Once into Spain we decided to check out what we had read about the Costa Brava being picturesque out of season. Ultimately this is a view to which we can only partially subscribe. The beaches around Palafrugell are indeed pretty but the general feeling of being in 'Package Tour Land' is inescapable. We spent the night in Saint Antoni de Colange on a huge Eurocamp site which was both commercial and yet superb at the same time. The facilities were first class, the office like a high tech city suite and the nearby beach and promenade impressive if backed by high rise apartments. However, our pitch was like a small roundabout!
Nonetheless we had a very restful sunny afternoon and evening there before setting off this morning to head inland and back into the Pyrenees, this time on the Spanish side. We briefly breakfasted beachside at Begur -plush and luxurious- then hit the road.
A couple of hours driving brought us to our latest campsite and its mountainous beauty is breathtaking and justified the last few miles winding up narrow roads with a sheer drop on one side! We are just outside a small town called Saldes. Our surroundings are almost like Snowdonia but also with a little imagination we could be in the foothills of the Andes or the Himalayas. From our pitch we are looking out at snow-capped peaks, pine forests and rocky gorges. It is genuinely stunning.
Ted seems to be enjoying the variety of the trip (different walks everyday) and so far our almost
complete lack of Spanish has not been too disadvantageous.

A couple more days of contrast

Having left our favourite campsite to date at  Villefranche de Rouergue after a relaxing day off the road we have moved down to the Mediterranean coast via a beautiful little town called  Montolieu, the  Hay on Wye of  France. We had a lovely stay here on a small site, after breakfast in Albi. Enjoyed beers in the evening sunshine in the most French of village squares! First thunderstorm last night but no real problem and we were away early. We called in today at Carcassone and had a walk around both the new and old towns (la Cite). Breathtaking place and really does seem like a film set.
Thereafter a contrasting run as we neared Perpignan and the coast. More traffic, less scenic and more Brits!
Struggled a little to find a suitable campsite for the first time this afternoon as we have reached a much busier part of France as we are nearing the popular route into Spain towards Barcelona. However we are settled in to a pleasant site in Argeles sur Mer close to the Spanish border.

Towards the Pyrenees

We're now into our 9th day on the road and we have moved down as far as a lovely little town called  Villefranche de Rouergue, between Cahors and Carcasonne. We had two nights in Bergerac on our pleasant site on the banks of the Dordogne then picked our way across country towards Cahors before a lovely lakeside picnic lunch in a tiny village in the midi Pyrenees. We arrived here in Villefranche de Ruergue in mid afternoon and enjoyed the hottest weather we have yet experienced, not baking but very warm. Suffice to say Lyn has had her first proper sunbathing session and we have had a first barbecue and bottle of rose!!
We are again riverside, this time on the banks of the Aveyron, and there is a pleasant riverside walk into what is a beautiful, unspoilt gem of a town. Marked difference  in geography here (not surprising!) and we are surrounded by the foothills of the Pyrenees. Very few British people around though we did see one other British vehicle this morning. To our continuing surprise young Ted is behaving himself very well so far!
After a couple of nights here we intend heading towards Carcasonne and then on into Catalonia. The weather forecast threatens thunderstorms over the next few days, though, so we're not rushing!
Wifi not great here so will put a few photos on here when I can.

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Deep into wine country as France goes to the polls

We are currently nicely set up on a lovely little garden campsite on the banks of the Dordogne a ten minute stroll from the centre of Bergerac. This after a couple of fairly leisurely days driving and an overnight stop at Chatelaillon Plage, a lovely seaside town south of La Rochelle.
We left Longeville after a bracing post-breakfast beach walk. Ted's cat hunt at Longeville necessitated a stop for the purchase of a new collar yesterday as he had damaged his old one! Then we had a stroll around La Rochelle, including lunch and fresh strawberries off the market, before  reaching Chatelaillon where we had a lovely evening stroll along the stylish promenade. We were delighted to see a Hoopoe flying around the campsite, too. (The first time Lyn had seen one.) That might mean nothing to most people but we Watsons are actually quite keen observers of nature and so  added to our red squirrel sighting earlier in the week this was quite a spot!
Today's lunch break was in St.Emilion. What a beautiful place on a sunny afternoon! We wandered the narrow cobbled streets and imagined we were wealthy enough to buy the finest wines on offer outside the many shops.

Happily we seem to have left the rain behind and though it's not yet tropical the weather now is warm and sunny.

France has gone to the polls today. Macron is favourite but ......

Cat up tree drama!!

Day 4 Well we're still moving south and have now reached Longeville sur Mer, about an hour north of La Rochelle, having spent last night (Thursday) on a beautiful garden campsite alongside the River Loir (no e  - a tributary of the big one, I think) at Durval, near Angers.
For the last two days we have travelled without using motorways, enjoying the French countryside, stopping for lunchtime picnics (see pic below) and generally being slightly more relaxed about getting anywhere. The weather improved slightly yesterday and earlier today but this evening we have suffered pretty serious rain, though it is significantly warmer than previously.
We are currently on a large but fairly sparsely populated campsite just a short walk from a beautiful sandy beach along which we strolled this afternoon.
Ted has been well behaved generally but did not cover himself in glory tonight when a domestic cat, presumably from a nearby house, strolled up to the door of the van. Startled, Ted chased it with considerable vigour and volume, breaking free of his leash (a cable tied to the van!) . The cat took refuge about twenty feet up in a tree. All seemed well and Ted returned to camp. A few minutes later Lyn noticed that the cat was still in the tree and there it stayed, unable to come down. Feeling responsible we decided that we ought to report the incident to camp reception and see if a recovery could be arranged. This tested Frank's 'Franglais' to the utmost!! (It was almost a rendition of that Eddie Izzard routine..'le chat et dans l'arbre..'etc) Frank lent a hand as the first efforts were made, parking our van under the tree then putting a plastic table on the roof, then a chair on the table but all to no avail. Eventually a ladder was found and the cat was coaxed into the arms of one of the site maintenance staff, to the relief of a small gathering! Ted was unperturbed and indeed showed his remorse by chasing a different cat two hours later! Having some trouble loading pics to the blog, I'm afraid, as syncing phone to iPad is proving inconsistent.

Small world

We are now in Deauville (or just outside) and it is a little more salubrious than Folkestone though unfortunately equally as wet! We nearly didn't make it, however, as on exiting the tunnel we followed our SatNav rather than our instincts and at one stage were quite close to entering passport control for HGVs heading for the UK. Could have been the shortest trip ever!
Thereafter, though, we had an easy run down this far, including crossing the spectacular Pont du Normandie - always a thrill. Unfortunately the weather has been pretty poor all day but nothing we can do about that. Amazingly the receptionist at this campsite recognised 'Evesham' in my address as she once did some training at Salford Hall. Small world.

We're on the road!

After what has seemed like weeks of preparation we are finally on the road. A slight hiccup this morning came when, literally as we pulled off our drive, a warning light came on in the van suggesting low coolant level. Sometimes it pays to live 200 yards from a garage! Sorted! (We hope)
A relatively uneventful and remarkably traffic free journey to Folkestone followed and we are now happily parked up on a campsite just a few miles from the Channel Tunnel. Ted good so far.