Drake played bowls here before sailing out to meet the Spanish fleet. Now theres a regular ferry service to Spain from here, operated by a French company.
Im off again. Spain this time. I just arrived in Santander today after a overnight sailing from Plymouth.
I have no set itinerary except that Ill be sailing back to Ireland from Bilbao in one months time. Surely it doesnt take a month to cycle from Santander to Bilbao. Well, Im not taking the direct route.
The plan so far is to go to Bilbao via Lisbon, returning via Donaa and Seville. Now that will definitely take a month! To cycle it all Ill have to do a minimum of about 80km per day which is doable. I think I will make good use of trains and buses as I feel it necessary.
I hope to keep this blog updated every few days, depending on WiFi availability and having something to say. Well see how it goes.
I spent this evening visiting the Ermita de la Virgen del Mar on a little island a few hundred metres away, reached by a pedestrian bridge. So Ive clocked up my first church already.
Its a small church with a very elaborate gold adorned altar area and a the largest set of rosary beads I have ever
I also got the birdlist going. First onto it was feral pigeon at the port, closely followed by house sparrow. The list picked up a bit after that. Cattle egrets in a field, naturally with cattle, a wheatear, probably on migration. And a black redstart. Im pretty sure thats a new tick for me. I cant think where Ive seen one before. It got even better when one started singing from the rocks just behind me.
So, the sun has just set, the sky has its red afterglow. Im already thinking I brought a layer too many.
A pair of bats is now circling just above my tent. Maybe Im attracting in mosquitos. The bats will sort them out!
I might stay an extra night here, or I might see about getting a train to the far side of Los Picos de Europa. Lovely mountains, but they are very steep in places.
