Revisita España 2014 - Day 9

Not a bad night once the screaming brat closed down for the night.

After two of the three S's were accomplished we went down to desayuno. It's included in the room rate. As we are both old we qualify for the "golden age" rate at the Parador that gives us a discount on the room rate of about 10%.

Breakfast was a buffet. Plenty for everyone. 

Views from the terrace.

Sorting what goes in what bag not so simple! To save carrying loads what we need for the duration of the boat crossing and the hotel stop in Poole we needed one bag. Once sorted we loaded Döra and then checked out. 

The Parador

We reported the broken chair and I left a note and took pictures!!

The broken chair

The first planned stop was Potes on the edge of the Picos. 

Today there was only one mountain pass, Puerto de Piedroluengas at 1355m. It is on the border between Palencia and Cantabria. 

The descent on the northern side is a series of bends and hairpins. Luckily there were few other cars to hassle us

In the end we stopped for the first time just outside Pesaguero at a road side restaurant for a coffee. The scenery is much better here than further south.

Then into Potes where we bought rolls, ham and cheese and some drinks in the supermarket to have a picnic lunch. Once into the Hermide gorge of the River Deva it looked unlikely we'd find anywhere until a mirador popped up.  

The gorge is steep sided and goes on for about 8 or 9kms. The mirador was not all that nice as the refuge building was used as a toilet and stunk. 

We then entered a flatter land and then to the coast at San Vicente de la Barquera. 

Here we simply wanted a drink, but despite my near perfect annunciation the waiter gave us a menu. One crème caramel and a rice pudding later we returned to Döra, still in the shade where we left her. 

This is a popular seaside resort with a long sandy beach across from the town accessible by a road and footbridge across the mouth of the river joining the sea. Certainly somewhere I'd like to go again on a leisurely holiday. 

Claire was anxious to get to the port pronto to check in and so we headed mostly off the autovia, stopping at Treceño to fill the tank with €1.40 a litre unleaded. LD don't check fuel so arriving with only 35 miles out of a full tank isn't a problem. At a saving of 12p a litre over UK prices it was well worth a top up!

We finally arrived about 5.30pm to find two other bikes in the LD Lines queue and a lot more queuing for Brittany Ferries.

Döra the Explorer at the port

When we checked in we were given a ticket to operate the gate so we could go into town. Great idea and we went to a shop for some vittles and a drink in a café.

It was just after 8pm that the trucks started loading and then the bikes. I remembered to put the alarm on ferry mode. Unlike some of the cars on the upper deck.

So now 25 hours at sea...

We sat on deck chatting to a couple as we sailed out of the harbour. The sea wasn't the mill pond of the way out and the boat tossed about a bit. We were in bed anyway.....

Our cabin for the duration