Portugal and Spain, again! September 2025

 It’s very windy and very wet overnight. We don’t get much sleep and there are still very heavy thundery showers in the morning. We do manage to pack up in between downpours and drive into Santander where we can check in and park up the van. We paddle our way through the streets and find a nice warm cafe for a coffee. Then a bit more splashing and tabbing before we try the Cathedral which closes just as we get there! Should have checked. We have a glass of wine and some pinxos in the East Market and do some people watching then back to the cafe for more coffee! We’re now waiting in the van watching the chaos of loading the ferry. I’m hoping the wind will have dropped by this evening…Goodbye to the treasures of the Iberian Peninsula for this year. 

 We have an average hotel breakfast before heading off at about 10.00. I drive initially and it’s mainly along empty A roads. We swap drivers and the sat nav takes us off the A road to avoid a road closure. It also seems to mention wild fire risk. We think it’s wrong although the alternative road is very good and empty and we even manage a coffee stop in a very Spanish cafe. No evidence of smoke either. Back on A roads the weather deteriorates as we get further north and there are rain showers and dark clouds. Still some blue sky as we arrive at Virgen del Mar and our campsite about 20 minutes from Santander. It’s very windy but we manage to eat a btw of lunch outside and a blustery walk to the nearby coast. Initially pretty empty the campsite is filling up but not just with Brits waiting for the ferry. We wonder why other people would come here! It’s good acclimatisation as we shelter from the elements inside the van this evening. Rice and beans planned for an easy meat free suppe...

 We drive down from the Sierra de Francia through the high plains toward Salamanca. We find an excellent spot to park the van near the Puento Romano and we walk over to the old town. It wouldn’t be a trip to the wonderful Iberian Peninsula without it! We do the tower of of Jeronimos and get views of both Cathedrals and the roof tops of Salamanca. There are weddings everywhere as it’s Saturday. Then a scenic coffee, a spot of shopping and a beer in the Plaza Mayor. I have a zero beer and after sharing a cheese and jamon baguette I drive the last leg to Zamora. There’s even a wedding reception at our hotel! We manage to park and after a rest we wander the streets although sadly the Cathedral is closed for repairs. Later we go out for supper. The plan is to avoid meat. The reality is the most delicious plate of freshly sliced jamon, pickled salad which contains a delicious selection of various meats and then milk fed lamb which we are embarrassed to admit was absolutely divine! Not ve...

 There is a mountain storm overnight with sheet lightning and thunder and the odd shower. I don’t sleep well worrying about forest fires! But we seem to be safe under our canopy of Indian Bean and Horse Chestnut trees. We leave stuff at base camp but set off on a tour of the local mountain villages. We start off however climbing 12km of sinuous roads up to the monastery at Pena de Francia at 1732m. It’s quite chilly and windy at the top but great views through the haze of Extramadura to the south and Portugal to the west. Then to a series of delightful old villages: a medieval world of half timbered stone houses, flowers cascading from balconies and even a small village bullring. We visit San Martin del Castanar and Miranda del Castanar, Mogarraz with its series of portraits of past and present residents by a local artist that adorn the houses and finally La Alberca where we stop for a late lunch. Upstairs in Restaurante El Encuentro it feels very authentic. Everyone is Spanish and...

 We have a lovely buffet breakfast at the Pousada despite the Titan locusts who have hoovered up quite a lot before we arrive! Then back on the road away from the marble town northwards initially cross country and then onto some main toll roads. We stop for a coffee and have to remember some of our Spanish again. We must try harder next year. I’m driving now and soon we turn off up the mountain road. Stunning and remote scenery as the road winds up and up with hairpin bends. It’s fun! We pass through tiny villages and see majestic Gryfon Vultures circling above and below us. After about an hour of mountain scenery we arrive at La Alberca where a stop briefly to buy bread. It’s an incredible 18th century village with narrow shady (cool) alleys flanked by gloriously ramshackle houses built of stone, wood beams and plaster. We will explore properly tomorrow. Our campsite is just 5km further on. It’s deserted with only 2 other campers. It’s also 36 degrees! Plenty of shade, a cold show...

 We pack up from our pitch beneath the eucalyptus trees and head to the local supermarket at San Teotino to stock up on supplies. We decide to take the scenic route across the Alentejan countryside instead of the busy A2 via Lisbon. It’s certainly rural and generally empty albeit a bit winding and rough at times. Cork trees, olive groves and fruit trees, rolling countryside and rural villages with their white and blue houses and terracotta tiles. We stop for a coffee in a dusty street and arrive at the marbled city of Vila Vicosa at about 2pm. We’re staying in the pousada here which is housed in an old convent. It seems strange to park Ludwig up and go inside. It’s very quiet apart from a coach load of Titan tourists! It’s incredibly hot, 36C, and we wonder how we’ll cope. Inside it’s cool so we check in and head off to the Ducal Palace where we have a guided tour mainly in Portuguese. Impressive tapestries and paintings and decor from before the republican revolution and a kitchen...

 We’ve decided to stay one more day. The beaches are so beautiful and this weather really is glorious. When we get to the town beach the red flags are flying and it takes us a while to realise that it’s not the large waves or the Rio currents at high tide but the number of Portuguese Men o’War marooned at the high tide mark. Luckily it’s not too hot and we paddle cautiously until late lunchtime when we cycle off to A Barca restaurant again. We sit outside and Simon enjoys prawns both raw and grilled and I have learned to retrain myself with octopus and fried fish portions. White Vicentino Arinto unfiltered wine this time, crisp, salty and delicious. Then back to Senhora beach. No sign of PMo’W at low tide so we are able to venture into the waves to cool off. We stay and enjoy the early evening light. Back at base the campsite is still very busy but we enjoy our elevated position with a glass or two of wine and some bread and cheese. Our last day on the beach for a while…

 The weather is still glorious and we are quite settling into beach van life. Even Simon has metamorphosed into a beach bum! We spend the morning on the town beach and then cycle back to the van for lunch under the eucalyptus trees. Then on to the wild Senhora beach where we toast some more relishing the exhilarating and invigorating cold seas. We both binge read a whole book today. What a treat. We’re looking at the forecast which doesn’t look so promising for Northern Spain and the Picos at the weekend so we re-jig our itinerary a bit and plan to spend some time in a hilly area of Spain further south instead. Salad Nicoise back at base. Fewer arrivals this evening. 

 We cycle a short distance in to Zambujeira and find the ride is too high for the wilder beaches up the coast so we go back to the twin beach and swim and read until lunchtime. Then we pack up and cycle about 15 minutes up the coast to A Barca al Tranquitanas, a restaurant that we had visited last year. We have a nice table inside but near a window. Octopus Carpaccio, marinated anchovies, clams and razor clams are savoured and enjoyed with a bottle of local Vincentino rosé wine. All very pleasing. We then cycle off and make a few thwarted attempts to find the wild beach. Finally we find the steps down to a beautiful beach with few people and rolling refreshing waves. Back to base in the evening sunlight for bread and cheese by the van. Again we are entertained by the late arrivals trying to find a pitch in the dark.