North Coast of Spain: 20th Feb

It’s a bright, sunny day, so we go for a sightseeing drive along the coast. Our first impression is of empty roads and pretty villages, some with distinctive features like this church.

The Atlantic coast provides some fine, sandy beaches, and the day is warm enough at our first stop for a party of schoolchildren to be playing on the sand. The warm weather is perhaps misleading as the campsite receptionist tells us that the main season is the same as in the UK: June, July and August. This accounts for the deserted campsite.

Further along we pause by an inlet, part of a bird sanctuary, that looks almost tropical

We are heading towards the small town of San Vicente de la Barquera, getting a fine view of the snow-covered Picos de Europa before we drop down into the fishing port.

The town is more than just a port: there is an ancient stronghold on the hill from where the above photo was taken, with water on three sides and a defensive wall.The next photo shows its impregnable position.

We decide we will assault the stronghold. On the way, walking through the modern town, we pass an unusual avenue of trees where the overhead branches have been grafted together to form a continuous canopy. No doubt keeps the Mayor and civic dignitaries cool during summer processions.

We puff on up to the 13^th century church, but can’t look inside as it’s not open until later. Photo underneath. The building on the right,with the sailing ship on the wall, is a school. What looks like an info plaque on the bottom right of the ship is actually a satellite disc, so we don’t know why it’s there. Maybe signifies that the ship traded sat discs instead of beads with the natives of newly explored lands.

The church stands at the end of the hill and the town wall: it looks even more fortress-like from that side.

Looking the other way, off the headland, is a great view showing the commanding elevation and the surrounding water. The panorama of the Picos mountains that we saw on the way is apparently equally breathtaking from here, but the Picos are now entirely shrouded in mist. It was a mist opportunity.

We drive back from San Vicente after another splendid day in northern Spain, normally sadly overlooked as we dash to the sun spots of the south.