Balkans 2023 - yes it is going to start

We are almost ready for another trip to begin. This is the one that was going to be in late Spring but was postponed, as we couldn't get away in time to avoid the heat of the Summer. We made a promise that instead we would try to visit Greece in the late Summer / Autumn and so the idea of a two trip 'season' was born.

As a particular treat we have booked the Hull - Rotterdam ferry, which means we have a lovely 80 mile Sunday afternoon drive to the port, rather than a 5 hour drive to Kent.

The route is roughly the same as the one we took on our return trip from Greece in 2015, which means crossing the Alps in Austria and Slovenia, before taking the coastal route down through Croatia, Montenegro, Albania and into Greece.

We had considered taking a ferry from Italy to Ioannina but the Dalmatian coast is quite a draw, in-spite of us never having driven past Emilia Romagna in eastern Italy.

Of course the Landy has needed plenty of attention and is still refusing to allow sign-off, with an annoying spill rail leak that refuses to be sealed. A snorkel has been fitted and a replacement rear exhaust. The footwells and floor plates have been sound-deadened and the window blinds are getting improvements made by the interior designer / fixer. So we will be ready. Only four more sleeps.

Comments

Charlie said…

The Landy is looking ravishing! Have a brilliant trip

8 September 2023 at 20:40

Mark M. said…

Wishing you safe and enjoyable travels.

10 September 2023 at 19:42

Potes and environs

Potes is a bustling town that’s clearly ‘in the mountains’ but isn’t quite a mountain town. Well that was what we thought until we went for a walk. More on that later. First we got to know the site ( Camping La Viorna ) and the neighbours. After the squeeze of the first night near the pool, we were upgraded to a pitch at the end of the lowest terrace which had a superb view of the eastern massive of the Picos. So although this was still a squeeze pitch, somehow we felt good about it. The ‘squeeze’ happened later in the day. ☺️ Happily our immediate neighbours were quiet Dutchland people who like to eat their tea early and retire in good time. They always enjoy taking to us Brits, rather than those Germans and soon I was engaged because I was asked a question. “Why do you have a UK flag on your number plate, rather than a Welsh Scottish or English flag?”. Tricky! I explained that England isn’t a country like Wales or Scotland. They have their own parliaments and make rules for them...

First views of the Picos

Santillana del Mar comes as a surprise to those of us that haven’t done the prep and read about this place. Fancy having planning controls going back to the 16C. when you have such amazing stone buildings. This town is a tourist town certainly but it’s thoroughly deserved. Beautiful sturdy Cotswold stone coloured buildings are everywhere. The stone quoins, lintols and supports are impressive but there’s plenty of substantial hefty cross sections of wood too. We wander the streets, looking at the wares aimed at us tourists but encounter cascades of water from the roof tiles. It’s raining and there are no gutters! The bar is welcoming and we cleverly order dos cañas de cerveza having learnt this glass size from a bartender in Tenerife. We are rewarded with a plate of crisps too and settle on the bar stools, wondering whether to eat here. Unfortunately we discuss this for too long and the tables fill and we are left on the bar stools until we decide to wander again. Inside...

Lago del Valle

Continuing the walking theme, the next day we drove up another of the five valleys that connect with Pola de Somiedo, to get to a suitable start point. This was just below the last hamlet, Outeiro which is at the end of the tarmac. The intention was to walk from there, up to the corrie / cwm of Lago del Valle. The snag of the day was that as we set off to drive the narrow steep road up the gorge from the campsite, we immediately caught up with a full size concrete lorry, This was making its way to that last village and el driver was not in a mood to pull over. So we had time to look at the gorge-that-becomes-a-high-valley. It’s hard to describe these landscapes. They are severe, incredibly scenic, remote and completely unspoilt. They are also so near the ferry ports of the coast that only £800 separates them from more campervan travellers from Great Britain (& Northern Island). We started the walk and soon saw the concrete which had already been dropped for the pad of a build...

Peelies travels

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