Saturday 27th May - A long haul through Spain - 619 km (trip total 5768 km)

Today was always going to be a slog, I had planned the previous day as a short run in case there were any ferry issues & because we lost 2 hours with the time difference.

So today was all about pushing north and covering ground to get within a days ride of Santander for the ferry back to the UK. So after packing the tents away we set off past the village and towards the main roads.

The main roads had larger than life steel cut out bull's every so often - they reminded me of the cut out police cars that adorned some of the roads in Usbekistan - though presumably with a different purpose in mind!

The main highway was pleasant enough and very empty, but I was no longer enjoying the trip as much now it was all about hetting home rather than seeing new places.

Then the road left the hills behind and spent a long time thrusting its way through the dry plains and it became hot. I was longung for some of that rain that 'in Spain falls mainly in the plains' but there was none about today.

I got bored with the straight flat roads and saw an alternative route opening up in the map, so took the next junction off and headed to 'the green bits'

A good decison, and the ride immediately became more interesting and I began to enjoy it again.

Distant mountains, greenery, smaller roads and picturesque villages - this is more like it!

This rather random looking house was for sale ... the main building was shaped like an old boot and the entrance seemed to have a hat!

Then I saw a lake in the map and so skirted round in that direction.

It was startiing to look a bit like northern England ..... they even had dry stone walls!

The road then climbed for a while and I stopped in the top for a look around and what was that in the distance? ..... snow!

A quick ckeck on the Satnav revealed that this point was about 1500m, but even so it felt too hot for snow to still be around.

Whilst I was stopped a local man and his son turned up in a 30 year old BMW that they were restoring and we had a nice chat about my travels and the local area.

We were in Extremadura, just south of Candelario, where I had booked a B&B.

Candelario turned out to be a lovely little viilage, & quite popular, although the B&B was almost completely empty.

Once checked in and changed, I ventured out into the village for a cold beer or two ...

Friday 26th May - Leaving Africa - 231km + ferry to Spain (trip total 5149 km)

It was a couple of hours ride from Chefchaoeun to the port at Tangier Med and as we didnt yet have tickets, we decided to leave early and aim for getting the noon sailing.

The ride out was pleasant as we dropped down from the hills. There were a few stalls selling tangine's and the like, but I had already filled every available space in my panniers with ancouple of berber rugs I bought in the souk.

The lanscape was nice for most of the way, although it seemed rather tame after the delights of the high atlas mountains.

As Tangier neared we jumped in the toll road for the last bit (which was free today for some reason) and some rather more ambitious road construction became evident.

And then we arrived at the port, rode passed all the ticket touts and straight to the ferry offices inside the port complex, up to the desk and got a ticket for the next sialing at 12. All very straightforward and efficient - was this really still Africa?

A coupel of hours later (plus two for the time difference) we were back in Spain. No issues at all with immigration, just sailed through. If our experience is anything to go by, Tangier Med port is a very easy way to transit.

A nice run up through the Parque Natural Los Alcornocales, followed.

To the village of Los Gazoles ....

..... and a couple of miles beyond to a campsite I had seen. Arrived set up, swam in the pool, had a couple of beers and a decent meal in the site cafe - a pretty relaxed start to the long run home.

Never found out why the campsite cafe had quite so many animals heads addorning its walls!

Mon/Tues 29/30th May - Santander to home - 345 km + ferry (trip total 6523 km)

I was actually strangley a little excited today. The past two days since leaving Africa had been pleasant but not really broken any new ground.
However, today I would be on a ship for 24 hours, much of it in the open sea and that would be a new experience & I was lookimg forward to finding out what it was like.


We set off to ride the last couple of miles to the port, ckecked in and joined the queue of around 70 bikes!


Up to this point I had felt quite exclusive, with nobody in front and just oneheadlight in my rear view mirror. Suddenly, we were immersed in bikes & bikers of all shapes & sizes.

Many seemd to be part of a big group tour around Spain and had evidently spent the past week or so together. Their bikes looked very clean and polished next to mine

As we were sat un the queue, it started to rain heavily. Once we were properly soaked, the ground staff moved us to an area with some shelter, next to the ship.

And then we were waved forwards in groups of 10 or so, the reason becomimg apparent once it was my trun to enter the boat.

On entery we descended a steep ramp down to the bottom of the ship and then had to do a U turn and park in the area bahind the ramp. Many riders seemd to struggle with this manoever especially as the desk was a little slippy and festooned with cables and attachment hoops.

Eventually everyone was in, the bikes secured and we all trooped up the 5 flights of stairs to the cabin areas - well some used the lift, but not us - we were adventure riders after all!


We then had to hang around for almost an hour whilst they finished cleaning the cabins - must have been a messy bunch in the way down! But finally we were allowed to go to the cabins.

I had decided to splash out a little and book an outside 4 berth cabin, to make sure I had room to swing a cat if one turned up, and also have a view. It was very nice and comfortable, complete with small ensuite & even a TV & kettle.

I had considered the economics of this at the planning stage. Basically at this time of the year, the cost of the Santander-Portsmouth ferry including a single use cabin was about the same as the cost of the Chunnel, 2 nights B&B in France, tolls & petrol etc and also saved 1-2 days travelling.

If you opted to share a cabin and/or have an inside canin it could be even cheaper, but I decided it was not worth skimping and to make it part of the holiday. Glad I did, it was very comfortable and flexible doing it this way.


Unpacked & settled in, & still quite excited about being on a big boat I went exploring whulst they finished loading.

Looking over the side I coyld see the lorries being loaded a long way below.

And overvthe other side the town of Santander.

Then we were off, pulling slowly out of the habour.

With a 'minder' boat as a close companion until we left the bay.

Later that evening, after a (suprisingly) great value meal in one of the 4 restaurants, I watched the sunset over the bay of biscay from the deck.

A very comfortable night - OK I was a little disappointed we didnt have any rough sea, so no pictures of waves crashing over the boughs unfortunately.

I spent a while watching various pods of dolphins chasing the ship and then by late morning we could see land as we neared the Isle of Wight.

And then into Portsmouth habour.

The ship came in facing the berth & then did an amazing 180 degree 'handbrake' turn before finally moring.

Doen in the oarking area it was chaos, with bikes, bikers & bags everywhere and another set of U turns to do in order to get out!

Once out we had about an hours delay getting through security

And then it was straight into the motorway, familiar turf and heading home.

Another trip completed.

Sunday 28th May - Up to Santander - 410 km (trip total 6178 km)

The end was in sight, not that I really wanted it to be! Today would be the last day of riding before the ferry back to the UK. A longish run up to Santander.

Loveley breakfast in the B&B with a nice chatty waitress and then it was off along the cobbles thorugh the village of Candeliro.

And through the curvy roads of the Sierra de Gredos.

Before picking up wthe highway running north to the coast.

There were quite a few tunnels on the way, but otherwise the run was uneventful.

Before long we hit Santander and after spending a while circuiting the one way system, checked in for the last time. A great find this B&B, half way up the hill behind Santander in a residential area. It had a small underground garage (reached by a lift ) and fantastic views from the rooms at the front.

I did a double take when I went into mine, thinking someone was actually sitting on the wall.

A pelasant evening was spent wandering the streets of Santander.

Ferry tomorrow!

Thursday 25th May - A stroll around Chefchaouen - 0km (trip total 4918 km)

Chefchaouen (pronounced 'shefshewen') is known as the blue city, on account of the blue whitewash applied to many of the buildings. It certainly looks pretty nestled in between the hills.

I went for a walk up a path behind the B&B to get a good long distance view.

And tried an 'arty' shot through the wild flowers - this being a rest day 'n all. 😉

Once I had started I couldn't stop, flowering cactus anyone?

There were lots of nice flowers growing wild ...

even this one!

Further up there was a padlocked door to somewhere .... maybe a portal to another universe?

The path led up the mountain and beyond the 'Spanish Mosque' built in the early 1920's by the Spanish but never used.

So I went over for a closer look.

I then headed down to the town, which is quite popular with tourists - photo with an ostrich anyone?

The town has an old kasbah in the centre ....

.... and walls that rise steeply up the mountainside.

I wonder why they didnt build them at the top of the peak. Surely their defensive capability was somewhat limited by having higher ground immedietely behind them - any invaders would simply have to chuck rocks from the top down in the town. But maybe I am missing something.

One attractive and ungenious featurebof the town is the way they have made use of a mountain stream that runs down the steep valley. At various points they have built channels that divert some of the water for various purposes - in this case through an outdoor laundry where ladies wash clothes & rugs.

I entered the town through a small gate in the walls

.... and progressed steadily down the narrow labyrinth of streets. The bluewash is very distinctive & apparently was first intruduced by the jewish community bu adding indigo to the whitewash to contrast with the traftional green of Islam.

By the afternoon the streets are full of stalls selling rugs, leather goods, piaintings and all manor of items for locals & tourists alike.
In the morning they were just setting up domit was a bit quieter.

I like the way the blue contrasts wuth the natural ochre colour of the stone and pinks of fabrics etc. It is a much photographed city.

Photo opportunities exist at every corner.

The kasbah dates back to 1471 and is a nice quiet retreat from what become very busy streets from mid afternoon.

Here you can see one if the water channels taking some of the stream flow through the town.

.... and here over a little aqueduct to a other area.

A very pleasant town to amble around if you are ever in the area.

Last night in Africa tonight, an early start tomorrow to head for Tangier, get a ferry ticket and head back to Spain.