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John Bickerstaff
John Bickerstaff

John Bickerstaff

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  • John BickerstaffEuropean Cup Trip to MadridJohn Bickerstaff

    Sunshine + swim = holiday

    May 30, 2019 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    Funny how a decent climate encourages a more active lifestyle or maybe it's just an excuse for those that live in rainy places. Anyway, the sun was out & Liz was still sleepy so off for a run along the beach. All very quiet - out & indeed at the breakfast pig out - dedpite being peak time. Having been to Barcelona a fair few times, decided against rushing around ticking boxes. Enjoy the sun, walk along the beach to the harbour & maybe get a swim in at some point. Closer to Barceloneta things got a bit busier so headed to the pier - bit out on a limb so quiet. Took in a few shady spots & a water tower (possibly) Hit the beach - water a bit chilly but refreshing. Not as hot here as Madrid will be so cooling not as urgent.Read more

  • John BickerstaffEuropean Cup Trip to MadridJohn Bickerstaff

    Keeping covered up.

    May 29, 2019 in Spain ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Kicking heels for most of the day. Makes a change from stupid o'clock. Bit of gardening, bit of packing. Nice to be going from Liverpool - far less hectic & busy than the wrong side of the east lancs. Avoided the worst of the rain - dropped off nice & handy. Sailed through a very thorough security - just a touch of jealousy in his voice when the final destination came up. Fair play to the airport everywhere was well decorated - lots of luck heading in the direction of the lads in red! Bite to eat & the standard fare it seemed was posh burger - Burger King aside the price was £15, which seemed steep. Opted for a pasta place which was kicking against the tide though they still did burgers - hedging their bets. Nice enough & passed the time. Boarded pretty much as we finished & handily ended up with emergency exit seats. Flight passed - saw the snow capped Pyrenees. Automatic passport control failed or I cocked it up - not sure which. Finding the train also proved more challenging then we remembered. Found it but probably by a very circuitous route. One change @ P de Gracia - v long walk. Decided to keep my fleece on - not sure the locals would be to happy with Liverpool fans after their humilation. 5 stops on the metro - a happy arsenal fan led us to believe they'd won the UEFA cup. They hadn't. Very short walk from the metro & bed.Read more

  • Chilling in Pembrokeshire

    Castle & Cake perfection.

    August 18, 2018 in Wales ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    What to do - dodgy forecast & a day to kill. Initial plans of going to Barafundel Bay seemed wildly optimistic especially when once we'd finished packing & headed off we were rewarded with rain. On the hoof planning opted for the fall back option of Pembroke Castle - surely a good option in the rain. Directions plugged into the phone & we set off. 5 or so miles from Pembroke, we were greeted with signs indicating the bridge across was a toll. Contemplated whether to stick with the plan or just head off. Parked up & realised that heading off from here would basically mean going back the way we came & starting the journey again. The toll was only 75p so we pushed on. So glad we did. Parking was cheap, castle was cheap (certainly compared to Warwick - seriously £27) We tagged onto a guided group which in terms of entertainment & knowledge was superb. The guide, Gareth, was a retired history teacher & he ckearly loved his new job. In terms of staying dry it wasn't so good but it was worth it to find out all the ingenious ways there were for killing people - kids must love this guy. The 75 min tour lasted 95 mins & we could've listened to his stories far longer. Had a little explore of some of the unique features on our own & then set off in search of food. Didn't have to look far - the cake shop was a suitable candidate. Never have I seen so many cake options. Both had soup to leave space, but hearty doesn't begin to describe the offerings so take away cake it had to be (ginger & lime drizzle; blackberry & apple) Back to the car to head off to Newport. Checked in & a slightly less successful tea for Liz - the burger was just too big for her tiny mouth. Major frustration. At least there was some tasty cake to look forward to.Read more

  • Chilling in Pembrokeshire

    Waterfalls & rivers of chocolate.

    August 17, 2018 in Wales ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    Struggled to get going. When eventually movement happened we decided to have a little look at the local waterfall. Though not Iguazu it was still impressive enough for a back garden sort of situation.Followed the rather muddy path down across some stepping stones & wound up at the beach. Pondered our nwxt move - initial plans had been to go to the 'Old Sailor' pub that had been closed on Monday, but greyness meant that some of the attraction had gone - sitting outside wasn't so appealing. Equally unappealing was the menu prices. Decided to go to the co-op & get some sarnies & have them on our beach. Nicer view, quieter - assuming the stroppy detectorist had gone and cheaper - all good. Sarnies in - settled down to watch some mean stone skimming, a kayak safari disappear into a cave and a poor dog unwillingly be dragged onto a boat - wasn't hp. By now it was clear that there was unlikely to be any brightening up so what to do. The chocolate factory was calling Liz. In particular the chocolate river - which it transpires, unsurpringly, was rather oversold. The tour of the factory, however was not. The tour guide, Colin, was very entertaining & informative. Free samples help Liz along & then she was let loose in the shop. Ouch!Read more

  • Chilling in Pembrokeshire

    A little further afield.

    August 16, 2018 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Nice bright morning, postive weather forecast. First port of call was Strumble Head & the lighthouse. Part coastal walk, part literary inspiration. Again no prizes for guessing which goes with whom. Unsurpringly, though it did surprise, on this exposed peninsula it was rather blowy, to the point that while it was sunny it was also a little chilly. Disappointingly we couldn't go upto the lighthouse, though the gate was open. Lots of warnings etc. The walk was suitably dramatic - clifftops & purple heather with crashing waves. The chill cut short the walk a little along with hunger pangs. Headed upto St Dogmaels - good chippy - and then onto Poppit Sands. Chips on the beach except the wind hadn't really died down so finding a sheltered spot was fairly important otherwise we'd have had flying chips.
    Bit of a hike to find a patch of unpopulated dunes. Enjoyed watching various badly trained dogs ignoring their owners. Couldn't quiet brave the winds & take a dip - paddle had to do - going soft. Ice cream / balckberries before heading back & realising fully that my body can't deal with really fatty foods. Upto bed to try & sleep it off. Just about managed it before sunset.    Read more

  • Chilling in Pembrokeshire

    Division of labour.

    August 15, 2018 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Forecasts of drabness & latterly rain didn't encourage extensive outdoor plans. That said it was dry in the morning so strike while the iron is hot. Liz felt otherwise preferring to do some writing. Fair enough. A cycle over the Preseli Hills to the Gwaun Valley should do the trick for me. The track up to the main road wasn't particularly bike friendly - not that it's car friendly really. Some hefty hills & great views. The Gwaun Valley was gentle enough following the river but once that ended back over the hills. This time you knew it was bad because they'd used switchbacks. Only a couple so it was fairly short - or so you would think. Clearly the road architects either got bored & thought sod this let's just go to the top or they ran out of money & had to use as little tarmac as possible because the switchbacks weren't even close to the end. Great views of Newport & our neck of the woods from the top. Back in time for lunch except there was little in apart from Welsh cakes. Headed to Lower Fishguard & the quay to try a cafe. Pretty limited options - salads (cheese, ham, crab or lobster) sarnies (crab or lobster) Off to the co-op to stock up - not on Welsh cakes. By now the rains had come & boy did they come. More writing for Liz.Read more

  • Chilling in Pembrokeshire

    Pollen problems.

    August 14, 2018 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Similar plan to yesterday but a right turn at our beach as opposed to left. Headed to Newport & opening hours of eating establishments had been checked prior to departure. A far less undulating route was the bonus, however for some reason the fields full of grass wasn't so good for the hayfever. Dope myself up when back at basecamp but for now snotty & bleary eyed. Half way point at a deserted beach accesible only by the footpath. On leaving there was a possible dolphin sighting (not by me obviously) Pushed onto Newport stopping only for multiple blackberry scrumpings and for a tiny vole. Posed momentarily but by the time the camera was out he'd scarpered. Gentle descent to the marine end of town - kayaking, sailing & water skiing all going on. Would there be food going on. The waterside cafe of choice was serving - as you'd expect in August. Stifling inside, so outside in the cloud. Nice crab sarnies & chicken dippers. Walked a little further along the path - estuary views and questionable views of the remains of a Norman fort or was it just a mound? Back through town scrutinising the ludicrously priced & poncy menus. Instead headed into a second hand book store (wonder whose idea that was?) Picked up a couple of bargains & headed back. Sun was trying but just not hard enough. By the time we were back it was a little brighter - a little time in the garden. Miraculously no Welsh cakes consumed - can't last.Read more

  • Chilling in Pembrokeshire

    Closed in August - How dare they!

    August 13, 2018 in Wales ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    The forecast wasn't too bad so the planned hike around Dinas Head got the go ahead. That said there was much debate about atire - Shorts? Boots? Waterproof? Couldn't decide - whatever would be wrong. Rather like yesterday the cloud cover looked set in for the day so a case of make the best of it. The walk to Cwm yr Eglwys was fairly straight forward - high tide so little beach to speak of so pushed on safe in the knowledge that the headland hike may be hard work but at the end was a pub lunch. While the sun wasn't around it was still quite warm & this was the serious part of the walk - seal spotting. Well for those of us with remotely decent eyesight - so just Liz. Spotted one around half way much to her delight. Celebratory banana. Once past the half way cairn it was downhill all the way & eventually the Old Sailor pub came into view along with the beach at Pwllgwaelod. The closer we got the more it became apparent that all the benches outside were vacant - in August... Now it had been quiet on the walk & the weather wasn't great but... Bad feeling. Got there to find it was closed on Mondays. IN AUGUST. Wouldn't get that in Cornwall. At least it was a flat walk back to Cwm yr Eglwys. Plenty of blackberries & an ice cream by the beach. And the sun made an appearance. By the time we were back the cloud had well & truly been burned off. Little bit of late lunch, relax & down to the local beach for a swim. Bit of a battle getting in. Refreshing or something like that...Read more

  • Chilling in Pembrokeshire

    The sun smiles when the reds win.

    August 12, 2018 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    Woke up to bad dreams about work (Ofsted) & rain. Not looking good but since Jurgen's finest were playing today, a chunk of the day would be inside watching the mighty reds at which point rain wouldn't be the end of the world. Liverpool loosing - that might be. On the verge of a snotty call to the letting agents when the shower wouldn't co-operate - Liz sorted it & hopefully a one off. Spent the morning reading & having a quick dash down to the beach when the rain eased. And then dashing back when it didn't. Located a couple of suitable venues for the match that showed football & also served food. Headed in only to discover that the chosen boozer wasn't in fact serving - no chef - for 3 weeks. The landlord didn't seem too happy. We had prime specs - do we give them up for sustenance or do we have a sunday lunch of crisps. No choice. Great views of 4 fine goals. Happy days - top of the league after 1 game - hopefully the same after 38 games. To be fair to the landlord he pointed us in the right direction for a sunday lunch post match. Opted instead to have a snack of 'G's' favourite - some Welsh cakes. Can see his point - their 'beltin' boyo. By now the sun had made an appearance - the world is a better place when Liverpool win. Down to the beach - a mear 1 min walk downhill - couldn't really be much closer. Soaked up some rays & took a little (slippery) walk along the coastal path. Need boots really.Read more

  • Chilling in Pembrokeshire

    A rather damp arrival.

    August 11, 2018 in Wales ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Set off in the finest Merseyside sunshine safe in the knowledge that such a state of affairs was unlikely to last much beyond the border. The car was well laden down - uncertain weather forecasts necessitates a broad range of clothing. Opted for the tunnel rather than the chaos of the M6 or the robbery of the Mersey Gateway. Stocked up at Wrexham & pushed on to the A road nightmare that would be stuck behind endless bastard boxes (caravans) Thankfully that didn't really hit us until Aberystwyth along with the rain. A couple of detours along country lanes but the start of the season commentaries and the occasional apple kept me alert. The turn off to the cottage was a bit of a double take - the clue was in the satnav instruction - turn right onto alley. Hmmm. Alley was a little generous. Eventually wound up in a farm courtyard & our cottage was a former stable. Unpacked the bikes and then the car - damp work in the rain. Settled in & braved the rain to head to Fishguard & the local supermarket (ish) Pizza & fruit for tea. Early night - 5 hours of driving behind slow arses can be a little draining.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Southern SpainJohn Bickerstaff

    Dealing with the Ryanairs of this world.

    August 6, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Car parking charges starting at 9am necesitated an early start. On packing up it dawned that I'd left my razor at the last place - this cheating has robbed me of my routines - what else will I forget because of this laziness. Had a last little walk amongst the puddles, for there was a thunderstorm last night - hadn't made it any cooler. Headed down towards the beach and got a free parking space so was happy. Off for a swim so a bit of repacking was due. Amazingly at just after 9 things were fairly busy. Found a quietish spot and had my dip. Nice and cooling. By the time I was back at the car all benefit had gone. More repacking & just a little worrying - while I'd booked the car from 12, the actual time I'd received the first car at was on the agreement & hadn't been amended in light if the fact I'd had to hang around for what I'd actually booked. Didn't really need to panic - 15 mins to the petrol station & a couple of mins beyond for the car hire. Copious photos & a bit of tidying. The guy had a cursory glance & all was good - possibly. Checked the card at the airport - the deposit had been refunded but the fuel hadn't yet. Hmmmm! Checked bike in easily enough aside from it not being on the boarding pass unless you scrolled down - cue panic. Had to take it airside with her, which meant closing down check in just for me. Expecting vicious looks when boarding. Finished off with an airpory paellla - not bad. Oh yes Manchester could learn a thing or two - trolleys free, wifi free & unlimited. Ah well Manchester is shit & lives upto it.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Southern SpainJohn Bickerstaff

    Future world with free parking thrown in

    August 5, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    Interesting post bike packing breakfast - lots of local toast toppings & not much else. Some I got marmalade & peach jam, there was the usual Spanish tomato thing, a honey & something else spread that clearly was less than the sum of the parts & the climax - a soft cheese with truffle shavings in - surprisingly good. Packed up & set out the next leg of the castle trail. Tried to get up to the local watchtowers but parking was limited, the road was narrow & I was jittery about the car getting scratches - '€300' they said. Pushed on & not 10km had passed & another castle. Managed to get a bit closer with aircon ie the car. As before nice views, striking location & closed. Take the hint. Next 2, decided to admire from a distance - namely the motorway. Thankfully, the first burst of Valencia in the car would be Sunday morning & even more thankfully I found a spot near the hotel. Some kind gent made sure I didn't pay - apparently Mon - Sat 9am - 4pm. Just means I need to head off somewhere before 9 - doable. Decided to try & see as much of the city today & do the beach tomorrow morning. First stop - The Mestalla Stadium - Valencia FC & site of a certain Mr R Benitez's first great successes. Had to go a pay homage. Bit of a battle getting there in that it was just so hot - still. Tried to take it easy but sweat was pouring off. Took a strategic aircon break & evetually made it. Quiet a striking stadium. Found the stadium tour window & eventually figured out that they'd stopped the tours 30 mins earlier. Ho-hum. Back to the madly weird views of the Science & Arts district where I was staying. In this heat indoor exhibitions were the way to go. Couldn't find the entrance to the Palais Artes - which was something of a relief. Next the Hemispheric which turns out was a big Imax cinema & they were showing a NASA film on the journey to Mars. Originally I'd planned to go to the science museum but this was too tempting. On returning at the set time of 4 & finding an epic queue with more than the requisite quota of noisy children I was less sure. Eventually settled in to my seat with my stupid headset on. To be fair, while it was clearly just a NASA puff piece biggibg themselves up, it was still impressive.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Southern SpainJohn Bickerstaff

    First day of cheating.

    August 4, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    What was supposed to make life easier & to a certain extent safer initially didn't seem to be all it was cracked up to be. Various minor ailments suggested that 80 miles wasn't the smartest of options but getting to Murcia airport & then negotiating the bizarre intricacies of the rental agreement pushed the stress levels way beyond what an imminent mountain could. It's the first time I've had to deal with a downgrade & having to pay for a tank of petrol without being due warned. Back to the hotel & the receptionist thought I was clincally insane to have done what I'd already done. Because of the 4 wheels & motor there was a little more freedom. Decided to head towards Elche - a world herritage site - a historic palm grove (but that doesn't really do the size justice) In an outlying town there was the obligatory Christ statue on a mountain - they love him in the latin parts. Afraid it was quite Rio though. Made it to Elche & proceeded to go round in circles trying to find somewhere to park. That sorted headed to the visitor centre - ambled around the main palm area - lots of shade = good. Then went with the recommendation - climb the cathedral tower. 170 steps in 40° heat - going to be sweaty. Views were good & showed the scale of the palms. Had some ice cream on the way back to the car. Heading off to the hotel, passed a number of castles - clearly a sought after neck of the woods at one point. Stopped at Saxo Castle - closed but could walk up the hill to it. Made it to the hotel by 6 - refreshed & relatively sweat free. I was told about the fiesta that was happening tonight. The towns great & good were running a racing around Moixant - in this heat. Surely they need to rethink the date of their fiesta - August is always stupid hot. Wasn't tempted in the slightest but made entertaining viewing for a while. Headed back to watch the match.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Southern SpainJohn Bickerstaff

    A lucky detour.

    August 3, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 36 °C

    Out & about sharpish. Along the seafront promenade - a world away from last night - less noise, people and sun. Then uphill, except each & every option ended up being a dirt track. Ended up on what looked like a motorway (but no keep out cyclists signs) Assumed that satnav had rejected this route on the basis of the motorway but the absence of signage & the reduced distance meant it was worth a shout. What was the worst that could happen? Another traffic offence in Spain - surely not. After a couple of minutes I was a little more relaxed - no horns so prob ok. Use the term loosely since it was a fairly incessant climb & then a puncture. Where all the flies appear from god only knows. Down to 1 inner tube - got to be careful. Hopeful that this was the only climb of the day so enjoyed the view - sort of. Down onto the plains & while it was clearly farming territory not a lot was being done. Equally few places to pass through - lots of on hoof navigation to protect the tyres - for all that the total distance was still 5 miles than planned. Relied on petrol stations for cold drinks & food - classy. Some way out, it became clear that tomorrows cycle may well be a bit too much. 80 miles in an area where the government are urging caution. E out of 4 days of low 40s and some evidence of dehydration. Unfortunately the weather has beaten me. Never thought it would be too sunny. Anyway, hire car sorted and a slightly more relaxed weekend in prospect. That said, getting to Murcia airport may prove hard work with it being 30km away without public transport...Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Southern SpainJohn Bickerstaff

    Cycling in a desert in a heatwave - hmmm

    August 2, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    The starts are getting earlier - not that it does much good. The sound of the wind rattling the shutters didn't bode well. Thankfully it wasn't too bad & I was braving a range of dodgy turns that could end up track like. Took in a monument to the spaghetti westerns & you could see why this area was chosen. I later found out that it is the only desert in Europe. Not a good idea in a heat wave. Some turns were just ignored for the good of mine & my bikes health - detours = extra miles = bad but better than punctures. Hoped that one detour would miss out the big climb - it did not. For good measure acooling pre-climb swim - didn't help. Good views from the top. Proceeded to battle through an undulating route - which by the end even the smallest of pimples were being tackled in 1st or 2nd. Took another swim but while it was very nice - the faff of getting changed meant I was as hot afterwards as before & the sand was baking hot - felt like my feet were frying - I imagine. Very relieved to get into Aguilas. Chinese food & rehydration salts the order if the day.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Southern SpainJohn Bickerstaff

    Fog, fierce winds & firey heat

    August 1, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    The profile suggested a fairly easy day (& rather long) The surprising presence of fog suggested the fierce temperatures mights also be tempered. How wrong I could be. To a point the temperature was bearable for a little longer - clocked 30 miles reasonably quickly. That's where the wheels fell off - not literally, but not far off. The inevitable dirt track wasn't wholly surprising, what was was the gate at the end ... that was locked and then the depressing sinking feeling of a tyre deflating. Opted to do repairs at the gate on the off chance someone would appear & let me out - they didn't. The first of many detours. The vast majority of the day consisted of endless miles of cycling roads surrounded by greenhouses - the very definition of intensive farming & very tedious cycling. To top it off a vicious wind had blown up & it was a direct headwind. It looked like it would be pretty much all the way as well. The only respite tended to be in urban areas - which also offered a vague degree of interest. Almeria, the main city offered a park dedicated to victims of terrorism & a renovated train line used for quarrying. From there it was across the Cabo de Gato National Park, though that seems a little generous, more a seemingly endless barren scrub land. But hey whatever floats your boat. A couple of breaks purely out of need - no shade. Managed to get 1 mile of tailwind with about 8 miles to go. As it transpired it was 6 - satnav miscounted again. Checked in - in Spanish - very friendly host. Aircon & swim cooling off combo. Las Salinas is not the biggest but a little explore & a huge fish supper.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Southern SpainJohn Bickerstaff

    False flats & flies

    July 31, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C

    Another early start, in theory to beat the heat. Some chance. Left the hotel in darkness & it was on the verge of hitting 20° That said it was pleasant enough cycling apart from all the red lights. Inevitably things headed upwards along with the sun. The gradients weren't too steep and on arriving at Lanjaron the high street offered something of a surprise. It's entire length shaded by an length of tarpaulin - flags dotted in for decoration. Would that they could do this up the imminent mountain. Clearly things get seriously hot here. No time to visit the Honey museum, unfortunately. Got to make as much progress as possible by 11. That said at the current pace it was looking likely that I would just be hitting the base of the big mountain pass at that time. 14 miles of up in the midday heat - mad dogs and Englishmen. Qualify for one of those if not a very patriotic one. Satnavs can be something of a mixed blessing - showing the profile isn't great but can't be resisted. Seemingly flattening out with miles of climbing to go provokes hope only to innevitably be dashed. Breaks were strategically placed wherever shade could be found - temp differences being around 10°. Between was something of a crawl - no chance of outpacing the delightful flies. Eventually made the summit which on arrival was 1300m. Following lunch the Satnav had changed its mind - 1280m. Don't think I'd eaten enough to cause a mountain to sink 20m. From here it was the joyous knowledge of 12 miles downhill all the way to the hotel. As they say 'a technical descent' full of switchbacks and hairpins. No chance of silly speeds (that was earlier in the day) God knows how hot the wheel rims got though - fast, brake, fast, brake repeat ad nauseam. By the end my hands were aching. Checked in and promptly plonked myself in front of the aircon. Once some semblence if coolness had been acquired time for a little explore & swim.Read more

  • John BickerstaffCycling Southern SpainJohn Bickerstaff

    Scorchio

    July 30, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ☀️ 32 °C

    Stupid early wake up - 6am flight - 4am check-in - 3am set off from home 2.30 wake-up = grumpy John. All went smoothly enough until check-in ... massive queue & sudden announcement for the final call for check-in to Granada (110 mins before departure) not happy - anyone intending to fly had to go to desks 38-39. Looked & no-one was there - happier. Got there & dumped the bike allbeit at the second attempt - first outsized belt had packed up. Rest of it was something of a sleep deprived haze. Bodes well for safe cycling (good job there's a helmet to hand) Handily was on the back row - first off and barely was affected by the epically long immigration process for an American / African couple - only 1 officer on duty. Bike was first off & almost got it built before the bus had departed for town. A fee little adjustments & a few dirt tracks but all in all a nice little loosener. That said things were getting hot. Managed to check-in early & had a quick dip to cool off. Despite the heat it seemed rude not to have a look around. Followed the hotel map through the Gothic quarter towards Mirador St Nicholas which offered great views of the Alhambra. Bit of a hike - but worth it. Decided I ought to have a look around the Alhambra - another big hike in 39° heat & not worth it - they'd sold out. Appatently they can sell out months in advance. Ambled back admiring a bizarre tepanyaki style ice cream maker - ludicrously expensive - so it was literally admire. Much busier at the hotel so no cooling off in the pool yet...Read more

  • John BickerstaffSantander & Picos de EuropaJohn Bickerstaff

    Airport worries

    June 10, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    An early text from easyjet complained of French air traffic control strikes, again so we were braced for delays. Quick breakie, tidy & pack - out by 10. Rather than spend time here & risk cutting it fine at the airport, it was decided to head up the coast to Bilbao & head to a beach near there. The forecast was better there anyway. Motorways were pleasingly empty especially going through Bilbao itself. Approaching the coast there was a sudden inundation of walkers in purple t-shirts. Seems it was an annual charity hike along the coastal path. Stop at a crossing and there was an endless stream of people. Patience. Parked up & finished off the remnants of our supplies for lunch in the sunshine. Path down to the beach seemed to have suffered a little storm damage - a puny bit of tape blocked the way down. Judging by the steady stream of surfers coming & going, this was something of a tick box blockage. Chose to ignore - Liz played by the rules & chose life. As it happens it was perfectly safe & the surfers were having a ball. Back at the car we sought out toilet facilities but baulked at the prohibitive parking fees so cut to the chase & headed to the airport. Miraculously easyjet had managed to catch up on the predicted delay so all went relatively smoothly apart from baggage reclaim at Manchester. Useless place.Read more

  • John BickerstaffSantander & Picos de EuropaJohn Bickerstaff

    It could almost be Cornwall...

    June 9, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 19 °C

    A relatively upbeat forecast & the option of having breakfast outside proved to be a shock to the system. Once the various courses had been negotiated (muesli, toast, fruit) we, eventually, headed for the beach. The plan being to have a couple of hours at the beach, come back for lunch when the sun was at its fiercest and then go to San Vincent for a walk along the beach. La Franca was as gorgeous as last time and only maginally busier. Plenty of basking, swimming & reading. Throughout the week the constant comment has been how wherever we were could've been Cornwall - both appearance & the changeable nature of the weather. A couple of hours in & Liz was needing a break so along with others heading off for an epic Spanish lunch we made tracks & not 10 mins had passed before things were clouding over. Back at the cottage lunch was taken outside but it was a stubborn thing (ie 1 of us) Again the stubborn streak - persevered with the walk at San Vincent despite the looming black clouds. Miraculously there was only the odd drop of rain but it was a bit blowy - kits surfers were loving it.Read more

  • John BickerstaffSantander & Picos de EuropaJohn Bickerstaff

    More English than England

    June 8, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    Just a little rain in the night & no real suggestion of better or so it seemed. Lazy breakie & a book finished - forecast suggested coastal & to the east might be better so decided to give it a go. A couple of options - Santillana del Mar (not by the sea) historic & scenic village - cloudy option. Suances - surf beach option - not likely. Not a huge drive to Santillana - the challenge it seemed would be finding a parking spot that we understood whether to pay or not. The location found had a pay & display but no instructions. One car had a ticket - no one else did - we were confused. We gave it a miss & went to Suances sunny or not & it most definitely was not. Parked up, found some food & picniced on the beach - bit breezy. That done, had a walk along the coast to Roco Blanco - some nice walks around the headland which unsurprisingly had a white rock. By the time we were back in town the sun was making a miraculous appearance. Enjoyed a final walk along the beach and waited patiently while a couple of old biddies got in the way of my photo. On the way back the heavans opened - sunny in Liverpool & crap in Spain. Not HP.Read more

  • John BickerstaffSantander & Picos de EuropaJohn Bickerstaff

    Going Underground

    June 7, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Leisurely start to the day, part laziness, part grim looking weather. The forecast suggested things may improve but it didn't look hopeful. Muchos reading, lounging & lunching by which time brightness was beginning to take hold - lunch on the decking boded well. With a certain amount of trepidation we headed for the local beach - not far if the it goes pear shaped. Thankfully it did not. That said there was another school party disturbing the peace. Had a little wander - explored a little cave - intrigued a couple of the boys - not sure leader was too fussed about them doing the same. Map of the area suggested something of a cave system at low tide & a rock that looks like a gorilla. Decided to hang around in the sun for a while & as the tide subsided a little exploration was in order (well for one of us) First obstacle: get round to the next bay - much wading & phone above head height. A cave entrance could be seen & with phone flashlight there might be a chance to explore - sea was still a bit high. Ventured in and the system did cut through to a beach beyond - still needed to wade & would've been a struggle without some light. Tooks some photos inside & that was something of a mistake - the battery decided at that most opportune of moments to give up on me. Cue a battery change in the most inappropriate of places. Just about got away with it and made my way back to give the class leader another headache - more kids eyeballed me exiting the cave - was that eyes raised heavenwards. Back to Liz & no dozing on the beach today. Eventually the crap weather caught up with us - back home & a little explore down by the river. The local area's willow trees are a protected area or at least I think that's what the map says...Read more

  • John BickerstaffSantander & Picos de EuropaJohn Bickerstaff

    Gaudi's whim

    June 6, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Woke up to sun streaming through the windows - can't last. But amazingly it looked like it might. Breakie done & suncream applied - the clouds rolled in. And we rolled out - off to Comillas - one of Gaudi's first buildings, other assorted nice buildings and a beach. Amazingly the town proved to be equally as quiet as San Vincent yesterday. Parked up pretty much by El Capricho de Gaudi (Gaudi's Whim) & proceeded to take the long way round to the main entrance. Nice enough walk. Entry fee was only 5€ & that included a guided tour if we wanted - we'll see - if the intro video was anything to go by it would architecture overload. Had a little explore & some of the detailing was nice. But at the main entrance we saw the guided tour - 10 mins later having been round the garden they were still at the main entrance, the guide still wittering on about the entrance - not that nice. Headed off to get some food - usual stuff but rejected first supermercado - absence of cherries. Didn't make the beach - park & then explored the rest of the town (as the sun departed) The beach had the obligatory school party - didn't stop the snoozing.Read more

  • John BickerstaffSantander & Picos de EuropaJohn Bickerstaff

    Good day sunshine

    June 5, 2018 in Spain ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Being woke up in the night by rain didn't bode well. Foreboding clouds at breakfast equally so. Lots of fruit for breakie & a mildly optimistic weather forecast helped the mood. Decided to head to San Vincente de la Barqeura - a pretty port town with some great beaches, apparently. On the way patches of blue came & went, lasting only fleetingly. Located free car parking & headed for the visitor centre at the lighthouse - closed. Detour down to the harbour & took in the hotel quarter - no-one about, though the way the weather has been, no great surprise. Back to town & toilet quest (bus depot) By now the sun was doing it's best so the beach was calling along with food. A pleasant picnic, a safe distance away from the massive school party & ample sunshine (as it transpires too much for a certain person) Took a walk along the massive beach & managed a first swim of the year - bracing. The theory was that the coast was clear & once we went back up into the hills it would cloud over. Thus we prevaricated by way of an ice cream. Pleasingly on our return the deck chairs were of use - make the best of the sun - might not come back...Read more

  • John BickerstaffSantander & Picos de EuropaJohn Bickerstaff

    Arrival.

    June 4, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 18 °C

    No photos - something of a mundane day but in a good way. First task - big food shop - well, a big cherry shop and other assorted items for lunch & tea. Rain on departure & rain on return. Quick check on Liz's flight and the routing to Bilbao airport. Texted the owner to see how to turn the heating on - un poco frio. Headed out to pick Liz up - left plenty despite her flight being delayed the almost obligatory 30 mins at Manchester. Roads were fine & the phone satnav directed painlessly around Bilbao. Found a village nearby to sit & await Liz's arrival. Scooted around the departure drop off a few times
    (15 mins free) - phoned & found she was waiting at arrivals. Sorted & headed back into the rain for Bilbao was dry.    Read more

  • John BickerstaffSantander & Picos de EuropaJohn Bickerstaff

    When the rain comes

    June 3, 2018 in Spain ⋅ 🌧 17 °C

    Today was all about getting sorted for Liz's arrival - pick up the car, sort out the cottage & get food in. All well & good but it transpired, on closer inspection the closest supermarket with opening hours to suit was in Barcelona - not vastly local. Sunday trading laws here are a little different. Looks like bread & water for tea. Opted against walking to the airport - the 4 miles was walkable but the looming clouds & grim forecast suggested the airport bus would be a better bet. This did mean a massively early arrival. Had some dubious pasta to pass the time & supplement the bread & water diet. Dinky Fiat located & various bumps & scrapes documented. Time to pick up bags from the hotel & head for the cottage. On the way out spotted a Carrefour/petrol station combo - might be open. It was. Unfortunately the only ready meal available another type of dubious pasta. Better than bread & water ... maybe. Village located easily & perfectly on time. Circled round the village - passed a guy twice & we both eventually realised that he was the guy I needed to find. Quick tour & unload of the car. First impressions - very nice & peaceful ... & wet.Read more

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