Day 7 - Potes

The morning starts with sunshine streaming in through the windows. What a delight! Whilst I pack up the overnight stuff Graham pops out for a quick walk to help his back and misses the baker who arrives on site with fresh bread, so breakfast is toast with yesterdays left over bread and a good strong coffee. 

We are due in Ribadesella at 2pm for a cave tour (free on Wednesdays) and set off , but the sun is glorious, the mountains look amazing and about two miles out of Potes we decide we aren't ready to  leave yet so plans change. There’s a really impressive visitor centre (free entry) in the next village that we’ve just passed so we turn around and head there instead. It’s a beautiful building, really well laid out with displays on the geology, flora and fauna of the region described in Spanish and English. The only difficulty is the number of broken light fittings that should be shining on the information boards and we’re glad of the torches in our phones. There are coach parties and groups of school children that arrive periodically but move round quickly not paying much attention.  There’s a long slope winding up the inside of the building to a ‘mirador’ that’s not up to much. But  are given a useful map with information in English and learn lots, well worth a stop. 

Then we stop at the large out of town supermarket to buy some food for later ns a bottle of local ‘ orejo’ to see what it’s like. A second stop in the town centre allows us to have another look around the town which is definitely busier in the mornings. Graham is distracted by a rail of hiking trousers in a shop that is piled high with blankets, clothes and fabric. Feels like you might stumble across something that’s been there since 1950 and maybe the shopkeepers had been there that long too! Grahams Spanish came into its own as he went through, bigger, smaller, longer etc before buying some. 

Then back to the aire and rebooking for today. My knee is still not good snd I can see grahams is desperate to hit the hills so I offer to stay at the van whilst he goes for a three hour walk on a waymarked trail up the mountain. I on the other hand pick up my book and sit outside in full sunshine.

Graham returns having enjoyed his hike which took him through cork woods and pasture with some steep climbs then it’s bananagrams with a glass of orejo - 48% proof and tastes like you could use it to clean an engine but gets better the more you drink! 

Time for bed and what seemed like the joy of having the roof up earlier is cancelled out as the hinge snaps and leaves us unable to lower it …. With high winds expected tonight Graham gets the tool box out but working in the dark and with few tools it’s a nightmare…. Finally after almost two hours and some surgical removal of hinges and struts we have got the roof down but it’s unlikely to go up again this holiday.  Seems that the hinges are showing their age and a bolt has sheared off putting everything out of alignment. Lucky Graham toolbox contained everything he needed and the relief is immense. It’s well after midnight when we get to bed but at least we can sleep soundly knowing everything is secured. 


Cumulative Mileage: 340

Overnight: Vanventure, as yesterday

Spending: Aire €12, Trousers €49, Shopping £35.32

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