The nice lady from Brittany Ferries is from L’île de Sein, just off the Brest peninsular and from the stern of the ferry she explained that we were taking one of two routes through the complicated channel in which her island occupies a southern point.
There are thirteen lighthouses here and one is the famous Le phare de la Jument. In some crazy seas during a storm in 1989 the lower floors of the lighthouse had already been flooded by breaking waves. A photographer chartered a helicopter in order to take photos of the huge waves pounding it. The keeper opened a high door to a walkway in order to watch the helicopter but realised that a monster wave was about to engulf him and just closed the door in time. It was a life saving action. Here's a typical picture, courtesy of National Geographic.
It was as we feared. The weather on arrival in Bilbao was awful. From the minute we left the ferry it was pouring down. It had been so nice on board and we were full of expectations. We had a chat with an RAF lad driving a TD5 Station Wagon to Lisbon in order to visit his mum for a few weeks. Then it was onto the dock and into the rain. By the time we reached the road the windscreen wipers were complaining. You only ever discover issues when things are required to be in tip top working order and wipers are one of those top of the list things that just have to work.
I have no idea what the issue was but very gradually they settled down. It took most of the day. In the early part we had them on intermittent, which is a bit of a problem when it's persisting down. We daren't work them too hard. They were juddering like heck and it seemed as though something would break. I think maybe some sort of film had developed as they sat in the ferry but really don't know. Anyway, a first vehicle issue was avoided!
Soon on the open road and we remembered how brilliant Spain is. The rain stopped (for a while) and we enjoyed open roads. Again we were reminded that Spain is full of castles. They are so numerous they almost become normal viewing. Also how about this crazy rock outcrop?
Pedro was an instant hit with Dawn and they were soon posing for shots, with Dawn unable to explain that the mushrooms in the bowl in her left hand looked unfamiliar. Pedro was so happy to have stopped and chatted and was soon on his way but not until he had thrust a can of beer into my hand. He of course didn't accept the payment offered and drove off down the hill. What a great start to the trip.
I'm afraid to say that we bottled it with these mushrooms as we couldn't identify them and using Google only brings up scare stories. Fortunately Pedro had also given us "normal" button mushrooms and these were prepared and went down a treat in our car park kitchen.
There are thirteen lighthouses here and one is the famous Le phare de la Jument. In some crazy seas during a storm in 1989 the lower floors of the lighthouse had already been flooded by breaking waves. A photographer chartered a helicopter in order to take photos of the huge waves pounding it. The keeper opened a high door to a walkway in order to watch the helicopter but realised that a monster wave was about to engulf him and just closed the door in time. It was a life saving action. Here's a typical picture, courtesy of National Geographic.
We enjoyed a pleasant crossing, free from the mobile network but still at the end of occasional WhatsApps via the ship's free wifi.
It was as we feared. The weather on arrival in Bilbao was awful. From the minute we left the ferry it was pouring down. It had been so nice on board and we were full of expectations. We had a chat with an RAF lad driving a TD5 Station Wagon to Lisbon in order to visit his mum for a few weeks. Then it was onto the dock and into the rain. By the time we reached the road the windscreen wipers were complaining. You only ever discover issues when things are required to be in tip top working order and wipers are one of those top of the list things that just have to work.
I have no idea what the issue was but very gradually they settled down. It took most of the day. In the early part we had them on intermittent, which is a bit of a problem when it's persisting down. We daren't work them too hard. They were juddering like heck and it seemed as though something would break. I think maybe some sort of film had developed as they sat in the ferry but really don't know. Anyway, a first vehicle issue was avoided!
Soon on the open road and we remembered how brilliant Spain is. The rain stopped (for a while) and we enjoyed open roads. Again we were reminded that Spain is full of castles. They are so numerous they almost become normal viewing. Also how about this crazy rock outcrop?
Soon it was time for a stop and we pulled in on the top of a hill, onto stoney ground. There were glorious views all around. This is the Sierra Cantabrica where all the hill tops are around 1,000m. This height above sea level is 'normal' in Spain.
A car came down the track from behind us. It was slightly battered and the old guy driving it was having a good look at the Land Rover. He leaned across and shouted something through the passenger window which of course was wasted on us. Then all of a sudden, he stopped the car and chattering away he opened the boot. He had been mushrooming and next thing he was offering them to us, clearly asking for something in which to put them.
Pedro was an instant hit with Dawn and they were soon posing for shots, with Dawn unable to explain that the mushrooms in the bowl in her left hand looked unfamiliar. Pedro was so happy to have stopped and chatted and was soon on his way but not until he had thrust a can of beer into my hand. He of course didn't accept the payment offered and drove off down the hill. What a great start to the trip.
We spent the night in a car park on the edge of the old town at El Burgo de Osma in the valley of the Rio Duero. This is our first experience of self sufficient camping in a public place, made possible as we have a small Porta Potti with us for the first time. If you want to know how we manage this in our Defender then please send an S.A.E. to the address at the bottom of this article.
I'm afraid to say that we bottled it with these mushrooms as we couldn't identify them and using Google only brings up scare stories. Fortunately Pedro had also given us "normal" button mushrooms and these were prepared and went down a treat in our car park kitchen.
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