From Portugal to Spain to France

Photo 1 – Mountain Lake, Serra da Peneda
Photo 2 – Paul - Muros Harbour
Photo 3 – Overlooking Muros Beaches
Photo 4 – Paul’s hiking snack
Photo 5 – Off for a little hike

Well, we have been busy since the family left us back in June. The next stop was a mountainous area of North Portugal - Serra da Peneda. Stunningly beautiful and very peaceful, fantastic walks but we only stayed a few days as it was too hot, so we then carried on North and back to the coast in Northern Spain, a place called Muros which is West of Santiago. A really beautiful area of Spain, yet again. Lovely beaches, excellent seafood – we had lunch overlooking Muros Harbour of Clams and Sardines. We spent a week here, although it was still hot it is much nicer by the sea, and great walks over the cliffs and some very good birdwatching. We were also privileged to watch a pod of dolphins in the bay. From here we travelled along the Northern coast, popping in a few places on the way to a mountain range in Northern Spain called Picos de Europa. We had a hellish journey into the mountains, it doesn’t mention what the roads are like on maps, but this was 15 miles through the narrowest gorge which lorries and coaches thunder through, so we had a few narrow escapes – you definitely need nerves of steel. Anyway, we got through into a magical land and the weather was still perfect. We stayed five days, and spent the time walking in the mountains, going up one day by cable car to the top of the world. Griffin Vultures, Boot Eagles, Alpine Choughs and many more and of course, the stunning scenery. So reluctantly we decided to move on, and as we left the weather changed and for the next three days it rained continuously as we drove from Spain to France. We are now just outside Carcassone, planning to visit the medieval city tomorrow and then on to Millau to see the massive viaduct over the River Tarn, and then from there perhaps Switzerland, still to be decided, and yes, we are still having fun.