Northern Spain coast is a sequence of steep cliffs, beautiful beaches, small fishing villages and mountains that rise to over 2000m. We went to some of these mountain villages in our van, a fantastic drive up steep mountain roads with hair pin bends. And the stone built mountain villages are So beautiful, cut off from the rest of Spain by the majestic heights of the mountains.

Northern Spain also has some lovely holiday resorts which we will be visiting.

We left Foz following the wild rugged coast to Tapia de Casariego. We were here last year. A small village resort with 4 or 5 cove beaches and some nice restaurants. The weather is great 24° so we went on the beach and in the sea.

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Next day we went for a walk along the cliffs, a bit steep at times but the views where worth it. Down into the village we went for a meal, the village is known for it’s great seafood restaurants .

Squid and Sardines potatoes and salad washed down with lots of lovely beer.

Tapia de Casariego is a beautiful village.

Our next stop Gijon 140 kms.

Gijon is an industrial city producing iron, steel and chemicals, and is a busy port. But it is a lovely holiday resort away from the industry.

A big pedestrian shopping area a beautiful bay and beach, lots of great architecture, and a promenade with six km of cycling trails, so we took advantage of them.

We got parked up on a free aire for three days.

Gijon is lively city we enjoyed our three days, and the weather is still hot a bit cloudy at times 23°.

We’re going in to the mountains next to the Parque de Nacional Europe 1648m high. It has a gorge called Garganta del Cares. A limestone canyon 10 kms long and 1km deep.

The drive up the mountains in Pat’s words, fabulous, scary, wonderful and amazing. Along steep narrow hairpin bends the views were fantastic.

Prada de Valdeon is the name of the mountain village, we are staying in an aire €10 a night. We paid on the internet. A great aire with all facilities we stayed 3 nights.

It’s beautiful up in the mountains the air is so fresh and pure, and we are surrounded by mountains. Lots of walking around here some of it is mountaineering 😖 but not us. We did lots of exploring in and around the village.

Ben nevis is 1345m, by the time we got Posada de valdeon we were 1600m high. Just puts it in perspective.

Words and picture can’t describe how beautiful it is here. It’s like looking at pictures in 3D.

We’re going to two more mountainvillages, first Riano 18km away to have look around and get some diesel, petrol stations are few and far between up here. Don’t want to run out, we only had a quarter of a tank.

Lots of Eagles. We were driving along and we saw about 20 eagles, by the time I’d stopped to take a photo most had gone but a fantastic sight.

Just a two hour stop at Riano. moving on to another village Potes. 60km away more hairpin bends. 🙄

Potes is an old town built over a river with lots of old bridges. A lively old town plenty of tourist shops, and very busy in July and August, we stayed one night a charming village

It’s been fantastic in the Spanish national park Europe, a great experience in the mountains 🙂👍

Santillana del Mar, yes back on the coast to a medieval town full of history.

Santillana is in a perfect state of preservation, narrow cobblestone streets with centuries of history, worth looking around, we thought so. So we spent the afternoon there.

A great afternoon at Santillana 🙂 very nice historic town.

We’re going to Cobreces, just 10km away a nice aire to chill for the night. I went for a walk in the morning took few photos.

Cobreces a lovely village, as are most villages in northern Spain we are spoilt for choice in this fantastic part of Spain.

Next stop Bakio 155kms away, a sea side resort we’v been told is lovely.

We arrived at 3pm in bright sunshine 22° very nice.

The aire was good, 2 minute from the beach, so we went and found a beach bar over looking the sea, lots of big waves and surfers. 🌊

Tomorrow is Pat’s birthday. Pat wants to go to San Sebastian to celebrate. We’v been before three years ago, we loved it. San Sebastian is Spains most popular holiday resort, it has two beautiful bays and beaches with a long promenade. Great architecture and an old town second to none. The night life is lively and a cool place to be. Late September is the good time of year, not to busy.

We got park up in a municipal aire €7 a night, along with 40 other motorhomes, a fifteen minutes walk to town and the beach.

Birthday girl

We are off to town for some tapas..

And drinking session 🍺 in this lovely plaza.

We had great night, as you can see I spoilt her rotten, tapas a meal and a bracelet.

Next day the weather was great 26° so we went down the beach.

A German chap parked next to us on the aire, heard me playing my guitar. He plays to, so we had a session in our van. Dominic is from Wuerzburg.

Thanks Dominic great playing music with you. 👍🎶

This is our last stop in Spain we’ll be moving in to France tomorrow.

Spain is a fantastic country, we’v enjoyed every minute of it especially the northern part.

Sorry to leave Spain, but more places to visit. We’re going to Anglet on the French coast near Biarritz. 50kms drive to Anglet.

First we did some washing, then went for a walk to watch the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean.

Biarritz lighthouse.

Then we had a meal of mussels and fish cakes.

A nice meal in Anglet staying here two more days.

We have only got three weeks and two day left. We go home on the twenty fourth October, Zeebrugge to Hull.

But we’v got more places to go, and people to meet on our way home.

Thanks for reading blog eight, see you on blog nine. X Derek and Pat. 😎