Europe

May - June 2024

The plan which might change as I go is to ride the BMW from the UK first to Malta via several Balkan countries. Then swap bikes to the 59 Velo for a few days with the classic bike club of Malta to Sicily. Then ride the BMW to Portugal. Read more

List of countries

England
Portugal
Spain
Malta
Italy
Albania
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia
Germany
France
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6.3kmiles traveled

Means of transport

Motorbike6,325kilometers
Flight62kilometers
Walking-kilometers
Hiking-kilometers
Bicycle-kilometers
Tuk Tuk-kilometers
Car-kilometers
Train-kilometers
Bus-kilometers
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4x4-kilometers
Swimming-kilometers
Paddling/Rowing-kilometers
Motorboat-kilometers
Sailing-kilometers
Houseboat-kilometers
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Cruise ship-kilometers
Horse-kilometers
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Footprints
Photos

Peter Sprot Europe
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- Day 33
- Sunday, June 9, 2024 at 3:49 PM
- ☁️ 25 °C
- Altitude: 670 m
- Spain Manzanares 38.993947, -3.36917538°59’38” N 3°22’9” W
Weather
June 9, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C
The forecast is something I look at most mornings when travelling and today it said a storm is coming from the west and rain will arrive in Barcelona mid morning so by 8am I was on the road. It was cloudy and just a few specks of rain came.
As I left Barcelona the sky darkened so I stopped and took my phone out of its cradle on the bars and put it in my inside pocket. At first it didn't rain and I thought myself lucky but after about half an hour it darkened again and this time it did rain so without stopping I zipped closed all the vents on my jacket as the temperature dropped by 4 to 20c. I continued until the sky became black and the rain started from nothing to heavy within seconds so I stopped under a bridge to put on a thin waterproof jacket made for hikers over the top of everything. Soon after that it poured down so heavily I couldn't see much ahead.
It stopped as I turned inland after Valencia
Next the temperature began to rise from 19 at the lowest to 31c. Eventually it remained stable at about 24c
Tonight I'm staying in a 13th century castle. It is charming and cheap. Tomorrow I'll decide what to do in the morning as the forecast is not good.
My bike is inside the castle behind the big wooden doors in the photo.
I went to church and prayed for good weather tomorrow. See shall see.Read more
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Peter Sprot Europe
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- Day 34
- Monday, June 10, 2024 at 6:06 PM
- ☀️ 28 °C
- Altitude: 18 m
- Spain Columbus Monument 37.383283, -5.98711937°22’60” N 5°59’14” W
Seville
June 10, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C
My prayer yesterday for no rain worked. The 4.5 hour ride was on nice quiet roads. I arrived at my pre-booked hostel at 3pm. Enough time left in the day to meet up with my friend and go for a walk to a nearby park. Then for the evening meal I had tapas and Cerveza
Seville is beautiful.
Tomorrow we visit the cathedral and some other sites.Read more
TravelerHi Peter. Seville is beautiful and that red dress suits you ! My bike was stolen in Strasbourg at the end of my holiday last week. I’ve replaced it with an R1250 RS. Take care buddy. Tim
6/12/24Reply
Mike SumpsterIt is indeed a beautiful city . Glad you made the long ride in the dry from Barcelona It was good to meet up with you and Mandy there. We loved the flamenco in Seville Safe journey to PdL and onwards.ATB
6/12/24Reply
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Peter Sprot Europe
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- Day 37
- Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 3:00 PM
- ☀️ 31 °C
- Altitude: 22 m
- Spain San Roque 37.391814, -5.97977537°23’31” N 5°58’47” W
Cappuccino
June 13, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C
I've arrived in Praia da Luz Portugal.
More about that in a later post.
As I was riding the bike I was thinking about the number of times I order a coffee then wait in anticipation to see what comes. I gave up a while ago asking for cafe latte macchiato as I would just get a puzzled look then I get espresso which I don't enjoy. Everyone knows cappuccino so I started ordering that. The photos show the varieties of cappuccino. At least it was always a coffee.Read more
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Peter Sprot Europe
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- Day 37
- Thursday, June 13, 2024 at 2:44 PM
- ☀️ 23 °C
- Altitude: 8 m
- Portugal Ponta da Calheta 37.085364, -8.73041937°5’7” N 8°43’50” W
Praia da Luz
June 13, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
I had a leisurely ride from Seville to here in perfect weather.
This is as far south as I go and from here on I'm heading back to the UK albeit slowly.
I'm staying with my classic bike owning friend Verner for a few days. I've had a couple of walks and taken photos and there are plenty of good restaurants to choose from. I'm sure I won't get bored.Read more
TravelerRoyal Garden Chinese and Saffron Indian restaurants Pria da Luz ok. Cap Sagres (end of the world) and Cap St Vincent worth a visit. Enjoy your time in Pria d Luz
6/15/24Reply
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Peter Sprot Europe
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- Day 44
- Thursday, June 20, 2024 at 5:57 PM
- ⛅ 22 °C
- Altitude: 463 m
- Portugal Igreja Paroquial São Lourenço 39.294017, -7.43125839°17’38” N 7°25’53” W
Portalegre Portugal
June 20, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ⛅ 22 °C
Portalegre is just south of the middle of Portugal near the Spanish border. It is a quiet picturesque town with a cathedral, remains of a surrounding wall and a small castle.
It is the unexpected which delights the most so when I asked a soldier outside an army barracks where is the market he offered to show inside. I was amazed to find a converted monastery with much still preserved.
This area is famous for tiles, embroidery and not far is a marble quarry.
I've decided to stay another day too be able to visit a nearby town of Marvão. I do a separate post about that.Read more
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Peter Sprot Europe
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- Day 45
- Friday, June 21, 2024 at 3:10 PM
- ☀️ 26 °C
- Altitude: 835 m
- Portugal Castelo de Marvão 39.395878, -7.379239°23’45” N 7°22’45” W
Marvão Portugal
June 21, 2024 in Portugal ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
Even while in Praia da Luz people said if you are coming to Portalegre you must visit Marvão.
I came on the bike up and up to a hill to town which is stunning with a preserved castle and wall around the town.
Quaint old streets with amazing views are everywhere. It was worth the visit.Read more
Mike SumpsterGood photos as ever Peter
6/22/24Reply
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Peter Sprot Europe
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- Day 46
- Saturday, June 22, 2024 at 4:15 PM
- ☁️ 27 °C
- Altitude: 803 m
- Spain Colegio Arzobispo Fonseca 40.965367, -5.67069740°57’55” N 5°40’15” W
Salamanca Spain
June 22, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 27 °C
I didn't really know much about this place before I came and I've been delighted with just how nice it is.
There is so much beautiful architecture and the churches are amazing. I'm staying at the university campus of one of the oldest university's in Europe It is in a very old part of the city and my rooms are within a quadrant. It's so nice and peaceful. While I was out walking I just happened to come across a wedding as the bride and groom were coming out of the church.
I also went up a bell tower of one of the big churches. I arrived at around 4pm.
Take a look at the pictures. Some of them are stunning.Read more
Mike SumpsterStunning indeed - It was freed from French control by Wellington in 1812 at Battle of Arapiles Keep safe
6/24/24Reply
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Peter Sprot Europe
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- Day 47
- Sunday, June 23, 2024 at 6:39 PM
- ☁️ 17 °C
- Altitude: 98 m
- Spain Aiete Park 43.304519, -1.99124443°18’16” N 1°59’28” W
San Sebastian Spain
June 23, 2024 in Spain ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C
When I left Salamanca it was 25° sunny. It was a lovely day so I wasn't prepared for when I went over the mountains and the temperature dropped to 14° and it began to rain. It rained all the way here to San Sebastian and through the evening it continued. So all these beautiful places I'd heard about in San Sebastian I couldn't really visit.
When the rain eased I walked through a nice park then later down to the beach. There are a lot of hills here and a lot of beautiful scenery. I hope that one day I will return and make the most of it.Read more
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Peter Sprot Europe
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- Day 48
- Monday, June 24, 2024 at 4:31 PM
- ⛅ 27 °C
- Altitude: 106 m
- France Angoulême 45.649242, 0.15425345°38’57” N 0°9’15” E
Angoulême France
June 24, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
I'm not far from Limoges. It was still miserable and wet in San Sebastian when I left this morning, however the weather quickly got better and there were so many trucks on my route. I chose to come on the toll road because the difference was nearly an hour and a half more to avoid them. Unfortunately I had a problem with a bank card today. I think it was copied somewhere and my bank started to contact me to approve €900 transfer. I declined of course. Then I had a message saying do I want to add my card to Google and Apple pay, immediately my bank froze the card. I'm thankful for that.
I have another I can use.
Where I'm staying tonight is a pretty hill top town. I don't speak French so the meal ended up being far more than I expected.
Oof.Read more
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Peter Sprot Europe
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- Day 49
- Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at 3:15 PM
- ⛅ 28 °C
- Altitude: 152 m
- France Ruisseau de Briante 48.432336, 0.08904448°25’56” N 0°5’21” E
Alençon France
June 25, 2024 in France ⋅ ⛅ 28 °C
This morning it felt warm I started my ride and got to 32c by the afternoon. I decided to come on roads which did not take me near Paris because I knew that there would be many trucks going that way, I was right, my roads were not busy at all.
Alençon is a pretty town, as you'll see in the photographs.
Tomorrow morning. I'm going to set off early and catch an afternoon train to the UK.Read more
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