Spain 2016: pilgrims and vultures

Hello and FYYFF,

the second longer tour on our BMW Gummikuh took us to spain in 2016. As we reached the wonderful Pyrenees, we started to follow the Camino de Santiago on the north route and back on the central route.

Camino de Santiago? More Info here -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camino_de_Santiago -- In 2017 more than 300 000 people reached Santiago de Compostela. If you start in France it is a nice 800 km walk.

Here's an overview of our tour - to give you an idea.



So let's start - as somebody said years ago - this thread is nothing without pics.

Every log tour starts with a "start-pic".



First part is making km - but we went on small roads along the alps, crossed black forest in the south and entered the highway in France. We passed Clermont Ferrand and went to Bordeaux.



Terrasson - very nice town - Impressions



near the river



flowers and old town



blue, withe, red (and green)



bridge



swan



explore

We moved on and reached the Atlantic. We placed our tent at Mimizan.



Camping Mimizan (Camping Mimizan plage was complet)

Near the Camping we found a very beautyful "way of flowers" and a lake. Lets see.



Mimizan lake



lake



Promenade Fleurie



Flower



we also found 3 of these ones



End of lake



typical view in this area named "Landes"



so we went on to reach Spain.



Bayonne, Biaritz, Border -- direction San Sebastian. We followed the Coast. (not on Highway)



Impressions of the Biskay



beach



near Zarautz



and we found the first .... Vulture



look, look, they are there.



small detail on a wall nearby.



in August north spain is very crowded. The Spanish people spent their holidays in the "colder" north.





take a swim



old town on the way to Santander



crossing rivers "rias".

Then we left the coast and went into the "Picos de Europa".



first view.



nice road



deeper into the Picos



find the vultures in this pic.



nice work by nature



Mountain

ok -- next -- more vultures. or pilgirms, or ...
to be continued

have fun
Andreas

so - let's go on with
vultures? pilgrims?



It's Tina - looking for....



Vulture. - Very cool ones. Sitting in the sun, spreading their wings.



a dead mine nearby



let the sun shine in



hey - something is comming



the police came - all birds gone away, but ... 2 min later ...



police gone - bandada de buitres back. -- maybe the think - "fuck the p..." ;-)



we went on to the heart of the picos de Europa



near Potes



monument of a bear



Fuente de



Tina is looking for ....



no, not what you think - she looks for the cable



some years ago we've been up there with our Africa Twin - is no longer allowed to go up by moto



huge cloud



in a old small town near between Fuente de and Potes



was cold here



puerto San Glorio



close to Cares valley



leaving picos - going west



Riano



going more west



easy off road



near Puerto San Isidro



into a ski resort



high mountain road



Embalse de Casares



landscape changes often



Embalse de los barros de luna



nice modern bridge



going north again, near Cangas del Narcea



other view



Embalse de Salime



following this river for many km



to reach the sea again



along the coast going west. Camino de Santiago nearby.



Cantabrian coast



still followed the coast until Viveiro



breaking the waves



near Viveiro



Viveiro



close to our Hotel



from Viveiro we went south-west and reached the target. Santiago



place before the church

It started raining, and we went on our way back home. The way back followed now the main ...



Camino de Santiago. We saw pilgrims every day - sometimes it was difficult to find a room -- when you need a Hostal - you should leave the main route for some km.

so -- in the next part we will write about ...

pilgrims?, vultures? pilgirms? bikes? Tina?

have fun
Andreas

and on we go.

Tour-outline for the way back -- Santiago de Compostela - Orense - Ponferrada - Astorga - Leon - Palencia - Logrono - Pamplona - Roncesvalles (Startpoint in spain for many pilgrims).

enough reading - here are the pics.



Ponferrada



Church



pilgrims ??



mirror



between Ponferrada and Astorga you cross higher mountains.



some cursader wait here for the pilgrims



a few km later - highest point of the part - easy with bike, hard if you walk



info



more info



hard to get lost



criticism



give aways



look down dir. Astorga



art near the road



sunflowers



Astorga



gift shop



main church



broad land



very broad



Palencia



also Palencia



Palenzuela



Cool birds on a farm



totaly crazy



3 m span



Santo Domingo de Silos



for a short break



you know this bird?



the boss of the valley



fossilized trees of Hacinas



Hacinas



where are the curves?



lake



close to the Pyrenees



Roncesvalles - one just started his walk - it's motivating to see only 790 km left.


ok - here we left the Camino de Santiago and went into the Pyrenees. So still one more to come

next -- no pilgrims -- vultures - ...

to be continued.

have fun
Andreas

Now let's go into the Pyrenees.

First let's have a look at some ....



birds.



good explained



more



and a real one. All seen in a valley near Lumbier, not far away from Embalse de Yesa.



Changeing the region on small roads



into Valle de Roncal.



In this area we saw vultures the first time round 20 years ago.



they are still here



sometimes close to us,



sometimes a bit away.



find the one in this pic



Huge



beautyful anyway



impressiv



Tina found more



some easy off road near Torla, at the famous Ordessa Nat. Park



from here only walking



or cool your feed in the river



always good info in spain



Bujaruelo, also the name of our hotel in Torla



so much things to see



way down



easy offroad - but not much - road block at the national park



near Fanlo



last look dir. Torla



you find often little towns where all people have gone.



easy off road from Chia to Plan



easy to ride



a bit shadow for a short brake



still we have ...



observer



La Pobla de Segur



Camping Castellbo -- we stay there since more than 25 years.



Castellbo



most times cold water.



we know the most gravel roads in this area



view



the other typ of animals we love to find - horses



Leaving Castellbo to reach home



we went south dir. Prades.



berries



Perpignan - Nimes - than we decided to stay at the Med. sea. -- enjoying french coffee and Croisants



short break at the highway



french info



above Monaco



watch the rich



ferry to .. ?



Following the coast till Genova



impressions



as you all know -- German beach outfit



sometimes you are very close to the Med.



Italian coast



Savona - here you also can take a ferry to Corse, or Sardinia

So -- check our last day --



South tyrol - apple region



back in the crowded alps - for a small ATIC-Meeting (we meet our Africa Twin friends in Arsie)



dolomites -- Passo Manghen



Bike point near the top of the pass



passo di Lavaze --

on to Sterzing - Passo Brennero -- Mittenwald -- Kochel and finaly -- at the Geramn Camino de Santiago (close to our home) back home.

Hope you all enjoyed our little report.

have fun

Andreas

Great pictures. Thanks for taking the time to post.

@dondesmo: Thanks
can't wait to be back in Spain this August.