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Travel StoriesSome Iberian Mountains
Dams And Delights
Ride Date 22 September 2024
By Ren Withnell
It's time to depart the curious surroundings of Camping Toca Da Raposa and start heading back towards Santander. Fortunately there's no rush and we can meander back at our usual slow pace. After much Googling and staring at digital maps I have a cunning and devious plan Baldrick would be proud of. Santander is north east of here and we will travel in a north easterly direction. Genius.
There is another serious matter to address - the distinct lack of tea bags. Rations are now so low Sharon is forbidden tea and I'm acquiring a nervous tick in my left eye as the levels of blood in my teastream gradually increase. I manage to check the tyre pressures on both bikes but otherwise I'm too distressed to lube a chain or check an oil level. How do people live like this? Blummin' foreigners.
Well at least we have air in the tyres.
I have the next campsite in mind. Camping Los Arribes is north-east from here which is good. There's images of motorcycles there which is good. It's not too expensive which is obviously good. It's practically in the middle of nowhere which is not so good. We'll be fine, we've got supplies. There's a couple of "miradors" - viewing points - on the route I've selected which is good. The weather is miraculously dry although the ground is slightly wet - there must have been a little rain in the night.
With laden vehicles we depart the site and make our way through the dried up grasses and spikey bushes. I recall our Spanish friend "David" calling this "The Yellow Country". It's not yellow as in hardhat yellow, but yeah there's a lot of straw yellow, dried earth yellow. Some of the trees and bushes are green, kinda, but yeah it is the Yellow Country.
Not without foliage, but this ain't the Emerald Isle.
After an hour and a half I'm in need of tea although I'm now sure I won't find any. We enter the small village of Escalhão whereupon I spy a bar with tables outside. Once again it is suitably "genuine" in that it's a local bar filled with locals. We get the curious looks and the quizzical raised eyebrow but it's merely curiosity rather than any malice. I order 2 Colas and we sit outside in the sun. It's dry and warm, definitely not at all hot though.
Time for a drink and a rest.
Aha! Good. We have entered the Alto da Sapinha area along the N221/ER221. We're in the hills once more and once again the road has become twisty. We're nowhere near as high as we were yesterday although the scenery is lovely and the road is fun.
Damn that woman! Where once I would shoot on ahead then slow to a snail's pace and allow her to catch up - I shoot on ahead only to find I am ahead, but not by much at all. Neither of us are Rossi or Marquez, there are plenty of riders far quicker than myself in my own group of friends. I can get a move on though when the mood takes me and it seems Sharon's skills are growing too. She's making safe but solid progress and she's at no risk of being called slow these days.
We cross a river then follow it eastwards. The river and its valley is delightfully pretty, the road twists and turns, sometimes by the river, sometimes just ducking away for a few brief moments. This is the Douro river once again, the one that forms the border between Spain and Portugal in this area. Fabulous bends reveal vineyards and fields then the river then hills then valleys then the river once more. With a gentle sun and seldom traffic this is a wonderful route.
The Douro river and surroundings are delightful.
Who's that muppet?
Well what a shocker - another dam. I can only surmise The Iberian Peninsula means "The Peninsula of Dams". We stop to look and take a few snaps. Google maps tells me as we cross the "Embalse De Saucelle" or Saucelle Reservoir that we are now back in Spain.
It appears there may be some Hydro-Electrickery here.
There's another set of sharp bends as we climb out of the valley then that's the end of the gnarly stuff it seems. I'm not bothered, we've enjoyed far more than enough corners this last couple of days thank you.
The roads are much straighter now as we make our way through dried farm crops and vast open flatlands. There are trees aplenty but not forest, they form clumps dotted around the fields and spaces. Grown for shade, some kind of crop? I know not, I just relax and cruise along the highway.
Yup. Another dam, but this one is a BIGGIE, it's enormous. The Almendra dam forms an arc across a valley and must be at least a half mile long with the main road running along the top. We park up and take pictures, then admire the engineering while considering the impact on the whole area.
An easy 4 miles later sees us at the campsite. You may recall we'd become aware the Spanish camping season really only runs from July to August and September is the very end of the season? Camping Los Arribes is all but deserted. There is a pool but it's closed. There is a shop too but that's closed. We eventually find a small reception where a very friendly chap takes our payment but only speaks Spanish.
As ever there's no grass just hard dry ground. We spend a while finding the flattest pitch with the least stones and we pitch up. The toilets are fine - clean, functional, and there's even power sockets. I'm none too keen on the large wasp or bee that's angrily buzzing across the ceiling nor it's deceased friend on the floor. One or two of the permanent caravans around the edge of the site show signs of life and there's a large campervan across the way, otherwise we are alone.
This must be almost the last tea bag I'm consuming...
Once settled we dine on packet food and a few snacks we've acquired along the way. Hardly haute cuisine but it ought to keep the hunger gremlins at bay. With nothing else to do as the sun sets we stroll around the deserted site - oh wait, a casual nod from someone appearing out of a darkened caravan.
It's a perfectly functional campsite, rather dry at present I'd say.
I've spoken too soon! The bar is open and the chap who took our payment earlier is running the bar. There is but one solitary patron, a lady, they seem almost gleeful at the novelty of new customers. The lady has a smidgeon of English and between us all they understand we are travelling on holiday and enjoying ourselves. I also explain the tea predicament at which point the barman come receptionist passes me 3 sachets.
TEA! Not a brand I recognise but it is "te negro" - black tea, what I call proper tea. We drink our colas and eat the crisps we've purchased and thank our hosts. Back at the tent I brew the "tea". It is tea, real tea, but it is a very poor tea. I've never been a junkie but I imagine this is how a heroin addict feels like when given methadone.
Brrrrr! It's cold tonight. Maybe we've been spoiled with the shed, maybe it's the clear skies? Sharon slithers into her sleeping bag as I wash up. It'll be an early night tonight, there's not much going on here.
I hadn't expected today's ride to be as good as it was. There's plenty to see in Portugal and we've barely even touched a few small corners. We're back in Spain now and tomorrow we'll be heading north by north east. Tomorrow's campsite is... hopefully... closer to a town. It is cold tonight but my sleeping bag seems to be up to the task. 'Night folks.
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Prologue - Some Iberian Mountains
Organising a simple 2 week bike tour should be easy peasy. Watch Ren make this simple task as difficult as possible.
Easing Into The Trip
After plenty of flapping and fretting Ren can calm down and start to enjoy the ride. It's a simple journey today with no purpose other than getting closer to the forthcoming ferry.
Onto The Ferry
Ren takes a simple short trip and turns it into an unnecessarily arduous ride to the ferry. Then all the Dynamic Muppets have to do is get on the ferry. Should be easy - right?
Off The Ferry And Into The Affray
It's all waiting and chaos, confusion and queueing - and that's just getting off the ferry. Despite being in Spain the evening has a very English feel with an English friend.
The Wonder That Is Riano
What started out as a good day turns into a really good day. There is of course a mishap and some moaning, otherwise so far so good. What's the catch, there's gotta be a catch.
Feeling Lucky In Riano
Gird your loins dear readers - Sharon and Ren are accidentally having another "really good day". There's a glitch in The Matrix, buy a lottery ticket, this is a one time only special deal. Normal misery will return soon surely.
Same Peninsula Different Language
It's time to leave the beauty of Riano and head into the "Yellow Country". There's potholes and Ren making an ass of himself. Nothing new then.
Dull Roads And Strange Accommodation
There's plenty of scenery but the ride is not so interesting today. The accommodation is unexpected in both good and bad ways.
Excellence In Its Own Way
More Mountains! The Serra da Estrela provides a wiggly squiggly experience that's similar yet different to many other mountainous regions. The Dynamic Muppets get to ride and relish around.
Dams And Delights
As the Dynamic Muppets start their return leg Portugal has more scenic delights in store. Ren is still facing going cold turkey without tea - poor poor Ren.
Reader's Comments
Upt'North ¹ said :-
Portugal gotta love it.
Spain gotta love it.
Riding gotta love it.
Tea gotta love it, and coffee and beer and wine and whisky and whiskey and Fundador Spanish Brandy.
Camping, meh.
Glad you got ya bags. But just three!?!
Upt.
14/02/2025 12:48:54 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Being a "blummin' foreigner" the kind bartender come receptionist probably didn't realise that 3 teabags wasn't nearly enough Upt'. I suspect these none British types think we drink one cuppa per day, not 10-15 cups per day. You don't look a gift horse in the mouth, you say "Aaah! Gracias amigo!" and accept them gracefully.
14/02/2025 14:50:38 UTC
Upt'North ¹ said :-
A horse as a bartender, novel.
And you were talking to it.....nayyyyyyy.
I know, I know.
Upt.
But 3 bags? I'd cut his oat rations.
14/02/2025 16:19:08 UTC
Bogger said :-
I don't quite get it Ren.
You go to a bar and get Tea? A bar is for beer not tea. I'll have to educate you.
Bogger
15/02/2025 08:46:46 UTC
nab301 said :-
Ren , It all looks good with stunning scenery in places and presumably little traffic , think positive , no tea = less comfort breaks and more time for biking...
Nigel
15/02/2025 10:51:34 UTC
Ren - The Ed¹ said :-
Well - apart from nab301 it's like dealing with a bunch of delinquent juveniles in here!
That being said nab301 - a life without tea is no life at all.
16/02/2025 19:18:33 UTC
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Travel StoriesSome Iberian Mountains