Picos de Europa – 2021

Wed Sep 15^th

Drive to Ibis, Fuenlabrada

Had problem with the tyre repaired in Competa, where they’d damaged the pressure sensor so it was leaking. Paid 25 euros for a new valve. Crisps and water for lunch. Burgers for dinner at the Ibis.

Thu Sep 16^th

Good breakfast at the Ibis, then drove from Fuenlabrada to La Isla and Apartamentos Palacio Bueño

Crisps and water for lunch. Had a walk on the local beach.

We used the restaurant next door for dinner. I had lemon chicken, Lin had a plate of prawns. She was a bit disgruntled to pay 5 euros for some chips. Drank Vodka Tonicas, and then a bottle of wine while we sat on the balcony.

Fri Sep 17^th

Stayed local around La Isla

Sunny start. Drove to Playa Guadamia. Walked around clifftops with Bowie off-leash. Had Jamon Serrano and bread for lunch. Steaks at nearby Restaurant Palacio Bueño for dinner. Lin’s was inedible. Had a nice red wine for 6 euros, then sat on the balcony and just had a glass of wine.

Sat Sep 18^th

Decided to drive to Fuente Dé

Sunny start. A two hour drive. Grey and cool by the time we got there.

Had lunch at the Parador. Cold beers, in the rain. I had a club sandwich. Decided we didn’t need a full dinner, so we went to local restaurant near the apartment and shared a plate of chips and a bottle of red wine.

Sun Sep 19^th

Drove to Covadonga

Weather forecast for Monday and Tuesday not good, so as today was possibly the best day, we decided to go to Covadonga. Then we found we couldn’t drive there… we’d have to park and take the bus to the Lagos de Covadonga. Then we found car park 4 was heaving, so returned to car park 3. Then we were told that the bus didn’t pickup from car park 3, so we walked into Covadonga.

Then we found the bus cost 9 euros each. Then we found that Bowie would have to go in a cage in the luggage compartment. Then we found that where bus dropped us off, it was a serious walk to get anywhere. We started walking to the most scenic restaurant, and then found that we had to climb a high ridge to get there, so we changed direction to the other nearer restaurant…. And found it was closed.

So thoroughly disgruntled, we took the bus back to Covadonga. Then stopped at car park 4 but didn’t open it’s doors, so we thought it might stop at Car Park 3… but it didn’t. So we found ourselves in the next town some 20 km away, and waited 30 minutes for the bus back. This time the driver took pity on us and dropped us at car park 3.

Then we drove into Covadonga looking for some lunch. But we found that the only place still serving lunch was the only place that didn’t take dogs. So we drove to a cafeteria we’d seen, only to find that they only sold crisps and cakes. Then we drove back into Covadonga, took some pics of the Basilica and headed back to civilisation.

We found a bar where we could get a beer, but they wouldn’t even let us have any bread… not even a few olives. So we drove back to the coast, and tried the local chiringuito, but it had been raining, so there was no outside seating… and they didn’t allow dogs inside. We checked on Google Maps for somewhere local to eat, and was heading for one in Colunga, when we spotted the Cafeteria Las Palmera. We found they were serving food and had our first pleasant surprise of the day. We could have a substantial burger and chips for 8 euros… including a beer.

A crap day otherwise.

Mon Sep 20^th

Drove to Comillas

Iffy weather so we decided to drive in heavy rain to Comillas where there was Gaudi’s Caprice. OAP rates meant 5 euros each and it was quite nice. Back to our local area looking for some lunch and found Restaurant Al Debalu and sat on the terrace and had Serrano ham and bread, and watched the torrential rain.

On our way back we parked and walked to the weird ‘beach in the middle of a field’ Playa Gulpiyuri… and just as we arrived, the heavens opened and even with cagoules, we got soaked.

In the evening, we had a cliff-top walk to the civil war trenches near La Isla, and as our local restaurant was closed, we went back to Cafeteria Las Palmera. This time we had to wait an hour for the kitchens to open. I had an OK pizza, and Lin had a burger.

Tue Sep 21^st

Drove to the Rio Cares gorge

Last day, and a rainy start. We drove back into the Picos de Europa to the Rio Cares gorge. I knew there was a restaurant there, and we got there just in time for lunch. We both had pork fillets, egg and chips, and a beer. Very cheap!

Then we noticed that the rain had stopped and there was even some blue sky, so we spent an hour or so checking out that end of the Ruta de Cares… from one end to the other it’s a serious three hour walk. Drove back into bright sunshine, so as it wasn’t too far out of our way, we stopped again at Playa Gulpiyuri to take some better photos. We had a walk around and found the going was quite slippery in places. Also went to the Playa Cuevas de Mar.

In the evening, we went to local restaurant and had Serrano ham and bread, and when we asked for a bottle of the house white wine, they brought us an already opened bottle of something that looked like beer and was disgusting. Paid 12 euros for a proper bottle of wine, and found we’d been charged for two classes of the other ‘wine’. More wine back at the apartment.

Wed Sep 22^nd

Back to Fuenglabrada

Back to Fuenglabrada. Started off in heavy rain, then it cleared. Crisps and Oreo cookies for lunch, and we got to the Ibis around 4pm. We had four hours to kill before dinner. Had beers in the garden (noting the sodden chairs), then a doze, then a bottle of wine with our dinners (me a pizza, Lin Serrano ham)

Thu Sep 23^rd

Drove home.

Good Ibis breakfast again, lunch of crisps and Oreos again, and got home around 3pm.