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Travel StoriesSome Iberian Mountains
Home And Epilogue
Ride Date 26 September 2024
By Ren Withnell
We both sleep and we both sleep well. As I get up for a pee I notice the strange tingling and wobbly post rough seas feeling is fading, but it's still there. Save for breakfast and ablutions there is little else to report for this journey now. We discuss what to do and decide - subject to a change of heart - we'll just hit the motorways and make our way home. This we do without incident, in what seems to be no time at all we rattle off the 260 miles back to Sharon's home with ease.
A few weeks after our return Sharon and I are in Aldi, Huyton. A chap, who's face looks familiar but I can't quite place, says "Hi, how you doing!" It turns out he is one of many riders we'd talked to on the seasick and late docking boat of our return leg. He lives hereabouts and with several friends he'd also departed the ferry late but unlike ourselves who'd chosen accommodation near the port - he and his pals had ridden straight home.
"Knacked, bloody knackered!" That's how he sums up his return leg from Plymouth. Sharon and I realised there and then we'd made the right choice.
If you only read the last few days of this trip since we got back to Santander you'd think this whole trip was a disaster. Admittedly it wasn't much fun being stuck in queues and suffering seasickness, but these things are part of travelling - it ain't all glorious vistas and sun kissed beaches out there on the road (or the ocean). However I can assure you having lived the trip and now completed writing it up I dare say this was among the very best of our adventures so far.
Into every life a little rain will fall. Or a lot. An awful lot.
A motorcyclist (or two) going to The Picos De Europa is as common as your nan going to the bingo - everyone's blummin' doing it - we've already done it before. It's not like we're breaking new ground and pushing the boundaries of motorcycle adventures. There are however good solid reasons why so many riders visit The Picos.
Convenience. Well kind of. The ferry crossing is expensive but let us be honest here... most modern motorcyclists are my age (53) and up, have an established career, grown up children, disposable income and 2 weeks of holiday. The idea of shelling out £500, £600, £700 for the convenience of sailing to somewhere nice is at least do-able if not easily affordable. If you are prepared to share a cabin with a friend or partner that helps (a bit).
The "affordable" cabins are tiny but WAY better than the awful recliner seats.
The ferry drops you off just a couple of hours from "the good stuff". I terms of actual miles in the saddle a lady from Liverpool can be in Potes in The Picos after 340 miles of riding (plus the ferry). It's 335 miles from Liverpool to Fort William, that's 5 more miles of riding to be in another country for a Scouser.
Don't ever be mislead into thinking the weather in The Picos will be like the weather in the Costa Del Sol, but there's a reasonable chance it'll be better than Fort William. Plus "I've been to Spain on my motorcycle" has more pose points than "I've been to Scotland". Throw in the fact there's a bit more cash south of Liverpool and it's easy to see why so many southerners (and quite a few northerners) head to The Picos.
Once they get there they're unlikely to be disappointed with the scenery and the riding. Throw in the fact if they're caught speeding it's a fine through the post but - as is my understanding, I am not a lawyer - no points on your UK licence and I doubt anyone tells their UK insurance.
So great - Sharon and Ren have been somewhere they've been before AND somewhere everyone and their sidekick has also been to. What's so great about that?
We lucked out.
We lucked out with fair weather for almost all the trip. We were truly blessed with perfect weather in Riano - right place, right time, right conditions.
A perfect moment at Riano.
We lucked out with the time of year - in that we were out of "The Season" such as it is in Spain, but not completely out of season that the campsites were closed. Being out of the peak season meant the roads were quieter and the campsites were almost empty save for Riano.
Sometimes we had the campsite to ourselves.
We lucked out in choosing to go to The Serra da Estrela. Save for one friend's recommendation we knew nothing of the area but it turned out to be a good choice. We enjoyed super twisty roads, more wonderful mountains, peculiar but pleasant accommodation, and again fair weather.
Big scenery at Serra Da Estrela.
We lucked out in our choice of coming back via The Alto da Sapinha and Douro River. We lucked out choosing the small town of Cervera de Pisuerga to stay in for a couple of days AND being in a lodge there on the coldest of nights.
Cervera de Pisuerga is interesting, this house reminds me of my own.
There was a little research and Googling applied to all our choices and this surely must help edge the odds in our favour. In spite of research and careful planning things don't always go to plan and our choices, no matter how well considered they may be, may still be bad choices. We cannot fix the weather and luck will always play it's part no matter what.
Would I return to The Picos? Of course I would, I hope I will. There is a "but" though. The Iberian Peninsula is a massive peninsula and as a friend of mine points out - TOO many riders get to The Picos, realise it's great, and never get any further. We have previously dipped into mountains east of Burgos and had a little look around Ponferrada. In my distant past I rode south through Spain to Portugal's Algarve coast.
Yet there is SO MUCH MORE to see! I'm sure many of you could produce a list as long as my arm of all the wonderful, amazing, fascinating, and splendid things there that I've never even been close to. So do it Ren - get south to Sierra Nevada if you like mountains, Cordoba for history and architecture, The Tabernas Desert for an alien landscape, or The Costas for a little night life.
And still it all comes back to the same problem. Time. We had 10 nights in Spain, 10 nights is enough to get to The Tabernas Desert and back. Yup, 600 miles from Santander there, 600 back, 1200 miles or 120 miles per day. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Unless you want the rest days that we both enjoyed. Unless you want to spend more than a day in The Tabernas Desert when you get there. Unless you want to use small roads and not motorways. Unless you don't want 300 mile days if you also want rest days etc etc etc etc...
Not yet dear readers, not yet. Unless you want to sponsor us and arrange with our bosses a 3 week break.
It is nice to dream. We are not ungrateful though for the wonders we have relished. We revelled in the delightful scenery, we carved the corners, and we chilled in the cafes. We enjoyed this trip immensely.
Advertise here - contact ren@bikesadntravels.com
Prologue - Some Iberian Mountains
Organising a simple 2 week bike tour should be easy peasy. Watch Ren make this simple task as difficult as possible.
Easing Into The Trip
After plenty of flapping and fretting Ren can calm down and start to enjoy the ride. It's a simple journey today with no purpose other than getting closer to the forthcoming ferry.
Onto The Ferry
Ren takes a simple short trip and turns it into an unnecessarily arduous ride to the ferry. Then all the Dynamic Muppets have to do is get on the ferry. Should be easy - right?
Off The Ferry And Into The Affray
It's all waiting and chaos, confusion and queueing - and that's just getting off the ferry. Despite being in Spain the evening has a very English feel with an English friend.
The Wonder That Is Riano
What started out as a good day turns into a really good day. There is of course a mishap and some moaning, otherwise so far so good. What's the catch, there's gotta be a catch.
Feeling Lucky In Riano
Gird your loins dear readers - Sharon and Ren are accidentally having another "really good day". There's a glitch in The Matrix, buy a lottery ticket, this is a one time only special deal. Normal misery will return soon surely.
Same Peninsula Different Language
It's time to leave the beauty of Riano and head into the "Yellow Country". There's potholes and Ren making an ass of himself. Nothing new then.
Dull Roads And Strange Accommodation
There's plenty of scenery but the ride is not so interesting today. The accommodation is unexpected in both good and bad ways.
Excellence In Its Own Way
More Mountains! The Serra da Estrela provides a wiggly squiggly experience that's similar yet different to many other mountainous regions. The Dynamic Muppets get to ride and relish around.
Dams And Delights
As the Dynamic Muppets start their return leg Portugal has more scenic delights in store. Ren is still facing going cold turkey without tea - poor poor Ren.
Tea Is Tea, Even If It's Poor Tea
The morning is all about the desperate search for real tea. The afternoon would have been fine if Ren's wallet hadn't been opened so vigorously.
A Dull Day Here Is Better Than Home
The surroundings are great, the riding is fun, the town is lovely. This isn't the best day of the trip so far but Ren is just a miserable fool.
Back To Santander
One last day on the road for the Dynamic Muppets - luckily it's an good one with easy miles and sensational scenery. Fear not - the night is not without its woes.
The Beginning Of The Misery
Ren is not having a good day at all. He's trying to stay positive by clinging to the memory of an excellent adventure and the handrails. I'm sure you'll all enjoy sharing his distress.
The Rest Of The Misery
The miserable crossing of The Bay Of Biscay continues for longer than expected or desired. The Dynamic Muppets keep their calm and even manage to keep their breakfast down too.
Home And Epilogue
There's very little to say about the final leg home so Ren lets us know what he thought about the trip. Did you know that from Liverpool to Potes is about the same saddle time as Liverpool to Fort William?
Reader's Comments
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Nice Ed, just looking at your pictures is enough to entice one back for another jolly.
But, having gone their on the boat (in calm conditions) and ridden all the way I'm thinking that Germany, Austria, The Alps etc are probably a little cheaper and easier to get to from our abode.
We do enjoy Portugal and will hopefully return on the bike, the value for money is unbeatable in my opinion and the country offers just about everything you could hope for on holiday.
I think we may ride all the way next time, but when? It won't be this year.
There has been a series on TV recently presented by Mr Bright Pants Portillo. If you haven't seen it it's a great insight to other cities etc.
Upt.
19/04/2025 16:46:44 UTC
nab301 said :-
Nicely summed up Ren, I'm busy making the placard to stand outside your place(s) of employment " Give Ren and Sharon 3 weeks holiday " or else....
Nigel
21/04/2025 14:49:21 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Thanks nab301 - but "or else" what?
I know what you mean Upt' - what you actually mean is you like the butler service on your posh ferry so next year the plan is to go posh back to The Netherlands using the same posh service then head to The Alps via Germany. No doubt that too will involve some nice hotels and luxurious guesthouses. Oh my how the other half live eh?
As for cities - I still find it best to avoid all but the smallest ones.
21/04/2025 17:17:53 UTC
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Travel StoriesSome Iberian Mountains