Ride Day 32 – Astillero to Guriezo – 60.7 km

Another fine day. Clean clothes packed. Mostly a flat route to the start of the day and a rare higher average speed. Soon got out of the dense populated Santander area and in open countryside again. Back into farming communities and green hillsides. The route below shows what’s to come!

Lots of baby animals on this trip. We have seen dozens of new foals, calves and whatever baby donkeys are called.

The dead “cat” by the way wasn’t a cat at all. It was a Common Genet, a viverrid, common to Africa and introduced to the Mediterranean as a semi domestic animal over 1000 years ago. It was identified by a wildlife expert/enthusiast for me. Very hard to see and he had only seen dead ones too.

We reached the beachside resort of Laredo, not be to confused with the other resort to the west called Loredo! Anyway, we had wanted to have a proper meal here as we were not sure if the accommodation inland would have food later on. What a nightmare of a place. Packed to bulging with Spanish holiday makers, we could find nowhere that had food until 2pm (got there at 1). The price was over double what it was in the rural areas. We decided to get out ASAP.

Over another mountain, we found a gorgeous little village called Liendo. Lots of large mansions, quiet streets and we found a little cafe on the square which did basic rolls and a beer with lemon only 2% alcohol. There we stayed for an hour.

Julie waxed lyrical about the “gorgeous mountains” ahead as we left. This sentiment didn’t last long when you see what these two equate to on the route map. It was hot, no breeze and hard work.

We were rewarded at our very rural spot on the SdC walk as the owner was cooking for the pilgrims. She kindly made us a salad and then cooked us some fresh cod. All washed down with a very chilled Verdelho. Early to bed, more hills to come tomorrow into Bilbao. Not where we stayed below but down the road.