Note: I’m two weeks late in posting this entry; apologies for the delay! We’re now settled in Peebles (Scotland) while we sort selling the van and relocation to Annecy. Rewinding to mid-September…
We are currently on board the MV Pont-Aven, a Brittany Ferries vessel which is taking us from Santander in Spain back to the UK, landing at Plymouth. The expected trip time is between 18 to 20 hours, I suppose depending on the weather conditions. At the moment, it’s actually quite calm out (apparently), but I have a very sensitive stomach, and have been rather anxious about this voyage. To that end, I have taken the following precautions against seasickness: I chewed the recommended dosage of ginger gum, popped a few Gravol, and am proudly wearing my newly acquired Sea-Bands (pressure-point wrist bands). If this doesn’t work, I think our dreams of one day living on a sailboat are toast!
Sunset aboard the Pont-Aven
Let’s back up a bit, though, as I have a fair bit to cover from where we left off. The previous post focused on our time in the Dolomites, and since then we’ve been to the south of France, Andorra, the Pyrenees, and the Picos de Europa.
We spent a week in Vias, on the south coast of France, and basically just soaked up the sun and swam in the sea. We were staying at a resort-style campground (who knew?) which had various pools and amenities and activities, but we were more than happy to stay in the quieter beach area where our pitch was. The pitches were huge, sandy and surrounded by palm trees, and the beach itself was right next door - and not crowded at all! We also continued our quest to try every local Cornetto ice cream knock-off brand, and found one in particular that had a sort of molten dark chocolate core that we enjoyed immensely.
The main excitement of our stay came mid-week, when the wind picked up and storm clouds rolled in after dinner. As darkness fell, we started to see flashes of lightning across the sky and felt the ground shake with thunder, so decided to walk to the beach to watch the storm. It was a phenomenal vantage point, as we could see the storm spanning the horizon, and the crashing waves lit up with each lightning bolt. The wind was blowing hard, and as we stood there watching, the storm blew closer and closer to us. Suddenly, we realized that the storm had arrived, and as the first rain drops fell we dashed back to the campsite along with the other folks who’d come down to the beach to storm watch. The wind and the rain picked up intensity, and we became instantly soaked as we struggled to pull in our awning and put our chairs under cover. It was very exciting to feel like we were truly experiencing the storm, rather than just watching it! From the safety and shelter of the van we continued to enjoy the storm, which I think was the most intense thunderstorm I’ve witnessed. Thankfully it blew off around midnight, otherwise I’d have kept Jacob up all night to keep watching with me!
Aside from the storm, and the frog that I discovered (just in time) perched on my flip flop (which Jacob kindly sorted for me), the week was very restful. All too soon it was time to move on, and before we left France for Andorra we stopped in the medieval town of Carcassonne. Jacob was very excited to see the citadel, and in the preceding weeks it had become a bit of a joke that Carcassonne was really going to be the highlight of the trip - can’t beat those double-walled fortifications! To be honest, I had no idea before this trip that Carcassonne was more than just a board game, so I didn’t know what to expect. It was pretty busy during our visit, but not too crowded beyond the entrance area. The citadel was very cute, and reminded me of Annecy’s old town with its narrow cobbled streets lined with small shops and cafes.
View from Carcassonne’s walls
Inside Carcassonne Cathedral
We wandered around a little bit and then stopped at a cafe for lunch, which served the least delicious crepes I’ve ever eaten. After poking around a few of the stores and walking along the walls, we headed back to the van to make our way to Andorra.
We didn’t have much planned for our time in Andorra, except that Jacob wanted to go mountain biking in the bike park on one of the days. I was also very keen on taking a day to clean out the van, since it was pretty grubby after a week in the sand! After we got things ship-shape again, we headed into town (Andorra la Vella) to the tourist information office to see what was on offer in the way of activities. We were also pretty desperate to find some WiFi, as we’d been dismayed to learn that there’s only one cell carrier in Andorra and it does not partner with any EU carriers to offer roam-like-home at a reasonable cost. We’d discovered this a few hours after arriving, when Jacob received a text message saying we’d already racked up €40 of additional charges! After quickly disconnecting and giving the campsite WiFi a try, we grudgingly accepted the fact that we would not be using much in the way of internet that week (as neither of us are particularly patient when it comes to loading webpages).
Anyhow, we were on the lookout for things to do, in particular hikes or trail runs. Unfortunately, the tourist information was really unhelpful - their “outdoor guide” had only a few pages on hiking, and these consisted of a directory of companies which would take you on guided hikes. A few Google searches (courtesy of Starbucks’ blessedly free WiFi) didn’t turn up anything useful, either. In the end, I used the Strava heatmap to plan out a bit of a running route for us around the edge of the city. The terrain certainly was varied, as we ended up in some parts hiking along boulder fields and in other parts running along sidewalks in the city. Maybe we just weren’t looking at the right resources, but we didn’t really find much to do in Andorra in the way of activities. Jacob enjoyed the bike park, though.
A short tale of calamity from our time in Andorra: since last year, Jacob and I both sport undercuts, although his is much more noticeable than mine. We’ve taken to occasionally trimming each other’s undercut in order to look tidy in between proper haircuts, as both of our hair grows rather quickly. (Can you see where this is going?) We were both overdue for a trim, so we got out the clippers and sat outside with a garbage bag draped across our shoulders to catch the discarded hair. Jacob did my hair first, and as usual did an excellent job, making sure to tidy up the bottom as well. Then it was my turn to wield the clippers, which I have done many times before to great (ok, moderate) success. I started at the back and took a few swipes, before noticing something was off - and saying, “Wow, this looks short!” Jacob looked over at the table, saw the clipper guard sitting there innocently, and then took a look at the un-guarded clipper in my hands before reaching a hand back to feel the results. In my excitement to get underway, I had inadvertently given him a few strokes of very short buzz! I did my best to blend it with the rest, which I put the guard on for as usual, but it did still look a trifle odd when viewed from behind. I’m lucky that Jacob is so kind and easy-going, and after the initial shock wore off I do think he forgave me. He’ll probably just be extra cautious to watch how I approach his hair next time!
Another tale from our time in Andorra: while Jacob was off biking, I decided to be productive and stop by the post office to mail some cards. Andorra doesn’t have its own postal service, but there is a French post office and a Spanish post office located in the city. Both of them have terrible ratings on Google Maps, around two stars, with reviews complaining about long lines and poor service. Steeling myself for queues, I chose the closer one (Correos) and took a ticket to wait my turn. As luck would have it, the agent to whom I was assigned spoke decent English. This came in very handy when it came time to pay (€16.50 for four pieces of mail to Canada and two to the UK!!), because he informed me that they only take cash! I was quite surprised, but told him I didn’t have any, and I’d have to come back another day. He said no need, there was an ATM just down the road, and he’d hold my mail for me while I went. After trying to explain that I didn’t think my cards would work, but not managing to get my mail back from him, I decided to escape the awkwardness and make a good faith attempt at getting cash. I finally found an ATM with the help of several strangers, since one was not immediately apparent in the general vicinity of the post office. Unsurprisingly (and thankfully! Think of the fees!) my cards were rejected, and I returned to the post office to retrieve my mail. But this helpful agent would not be deterred! He said he would mail my cards that very day, and I could simply return the following day with cash. He told me what time he started work, and with that sense of dismissal I left, dreading my return. What if he was at a different booth the next day? What if I forgot what he looked like? What if Jacob was out of cash and all of his cards were rejected too? As folks with anxiety may understand, even a simple scenario can get out of control in your mind! By the time the next morning rolled around, I could not wait to get this errand over with and move on with our trip. I had one awkward conversation left to endure, however, as €16.50 had seemed rather expensive the more I thought about it and I was hoping for a receipt or a price breakdown or something to that effect. After failing to express my concern effectively, though, I simply decided the extra cost was worth getting out of there as quickly as possible. It’s now nearly two weeks later and the mail still hasn’t arrived in Canada or the UK, so overall I’m not too thrilled with the experience!
After all the excitement, we happily departed Andorra with just over a week left on the continent. We drove into Spain with plans to stop in the Pyrenees and the Picos de Europa before departing from Santander. The landscape and scenery changed almost immediately after we crossed the Andorran-Spanish border. The road was lined by dusty red cliffs, dotted with tall skinny trees that looked like sentinels standing guard. Our route alternated between motorway and smaller roads, but not because we needed to turn off. Rather, the motorway was half-built: there would be long, lovely stretches of smooth tarmac which were basically empty of other cars, and then suddenly we’d be forced to take an exit as the road ahead was just a pile of gravel waiting to be turned into the next section of the highway. The motorway stretches were pretty glorious, but we also enjoyed some of the smaller roads because they allowed us to see more of the surrounding villages and scenery. It was a really beautiful drive, with castles and towns crowning hilltops, cliffs stretching across arid landscape, and lakes that were nearly dry. One of the best parts of this trip is the opportunity to explore places we might not otherwise see (if for example we flew directly to our destination), and our quick drive through Spain definitely left me wanting more!
We arrived in Panticosa, a small town in the Pyrenees, in the early evening. We were staying at the local ski resort parking lot, which was very popular with other campers! Once we settled in, we started making plans for the following day. We’d wanted to do a hike near the town before driving to the Picos after that, but a quick check of the weather changed our minds. We wanted to prioritize our planned hike of the Ruta del Cares in the Picos, and the weather only looked good for the next two days, so we ended up doing back-to-back driving days and made our way to Las Arenas de Cabrales in northern Spain.
The Ruta del Cares is an out-and-back trail along the Cares river canyon. It is 11km long (so 22km round trip, plus another 2km to the trail head) and the path itself is carved into the side of the mountain which is pretty spectacular. We went on a Friday in hopes that the trail would be less busy, which of course was just wishful thinking. To get to the trail, we rode our bikes from the campsite to Las Arenas and took the bus from there. The bike ride was around six minutes, so we got there about fifteen minutes early for the bus. After we got our bikes locked up and were waiting at the bus stop, I noticed with a sinking feeling that everyone else seemed to have masks at the ready… and we did not. Was this Italy 2.0?! How could we have made the same mistake twice? Jacob and I were both feeling pretty frustrated with ourselves, and I was resigned to the fact that we’d never make it to the campsite and back before the bus left. They only ran once an hour, so this was a pain! Jacob, however, sprang into action. He had his bike unlocked and back over the fence in a flash, and was off before I knew what was happening! He is a rapid cyclist but I was still feeling pretty doubtful about our chances. I should have known better, though, as he was back with three minutes to spare, masks in hand! We gleefully hopped on the bus and off we went - giving Jacob a chance to catch his breath before we started hiking!
The trail was beautiful, and there were some stunning views, but to be perfectly honest I was just not in the mood. The further we hiked the more I realized that I was hiked out! This had undoubtedly turned into a hiking holiday, which is definitely what we wanted, but there can be too much of a good thing, and I was feeling it that day. Especially with such a long out-and-back, and so many people on the trail, I was definitely done well before we reached the end of our 25km trek.
Along the Ruta del Cares
Gorgeous natural archway
Jacob on the Ruta del Cares
Ruta del Cares hike: recorded track + (incorrect) elevation
Unsurprisingly, that wasn’t our last hike in the Picos. After a rest day at the campsite in between, we hopped on another bus (this time with masks at the ready!) to visit the Lagos de Covadonga. The bus ride was longer than we expected, around 45 minutes, and wound up along a mountain road to 1134m. The views from the bus were amazing, but I only caught a few glimpses as my gaze was set firmly ahead out the front windshield in hopes of abating the nausea that was gradually becoming more intense. Once we arrived, I hopped gratefully off the bus and took a few deep breaths of fresh mountain air. I felt better as we got underway, and we quickly left the crowds behind as we set off on the trail.
Along the Lagos de Covadonga trail
The trail started at Lago Enol, then wound around the back of a small mountain to reach Lago de la Ercina. The scenery was lovely and varied, with some forested bits, some rolling green hills, and of course the lakes, all surrounded by mountains. My favourite part, though, was the silence. For a good portion of the hike, the only sounds we heard were cowbells and birds chirping. I’m not sure where everyone else from the bus ended up, but I was very happy to have some peace and quiet in nature! Jacob and I are normally fairly chatty on our hikes, but in this case we both embraced the silence. Even though it wasn’t the most spectacular hike we’ve been on, I think it was one of my favourites because of the tranquil atmosphere.
One of the Lagos de Covadonga
Jacob and some new friends
Lagos de Covadonga hike: recorded track + elevation
By this time, we were two days away from my birthday. Our original plan was to hike to a refugio in the Picos and spend the night, which we’d booked a month or so prior (as they get booked up very quickly). Unfortunately, the closer we got, the worse the weather looked. The forecast for my birthday was for thunderstorms most of the day, which was a bit concerning as there were some exposed parts of the hike. The thought of spending my birthday on a soggy and potentially stormy hike, combined with my recent feeling of being “hiked out,” did not bode well for this plan. We ended up canceling the refugio, and instead spent a chill day at a campsite nearby, alternating between sitting outside (in the brisk wind) and hiding inside from the storm. We did make it out for a special birthday lunch in the nearby town, though. This was a fun experience as we were immediately approached by an older British couple who recommended the special daily menu to us, as opposed to the pricier menu brought to us by the waitress. Soon the other few folks in the restaurant got involved as well, as we were asking what different dishes were. By the time we were ready to order, we’d had input from everyone in the place! The food was delicious, especially the main course, which was a sort of eggs benedict on potato with black pudding in the middle and a tasty sweet sauce drizzled on top. The drink options for the special menu were water or wine, and we’d tried to order water, but the waitress had brought wine instead. Since I don’t drink wine, Jacob did his level best not to waste a perfectly good bottle. We had a very relaxed afternoon after that!
Lunch at El Rincón del Valle
Two days later we were on our way to the ferry terminal in Santander, and after a two-hour delay to our scheduled sailing time we are now underway! I’m really excited to head back to the UK, especially since we will be back to a luxurious lifestyle featuring flushing toilets (which don’t require going outside!), kitchen counters, multiple rooms and on-demand laundry. Van life has definitely made me appreciate the creature comforts we’re so accustomed to nowadays! But this transition also means that this phase of our trip is over. We’ve seen and done so much in the past four months! I’ll be following up with a trip wrap-up post soon, with some fun statistics and a summary of our travels. And hopefully not too long after that, I can share exciting details of our move to Annecy! Stay tuned!