Spain -36 Frias - Have you ever heard of Frias ? No neither had we . A medieval bridge and the Calle of the Jews

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Well have you heard of Frias? We hadn't either . It had never been on our list of to do places. Must sees in Spain. We have been three times and never once come across the name. But then it is not a big city. It is not a Burgos or a Salamanca. Nor is it a Madrid or Santiago. I dont imagine many folks find there way to Frias as it is off the beaten track. Positioned in the Merindades region north of Burgos. The river Ebro flows by. It is the smallest city in Spain. The third smallest in the world . So why have we never heard of it? Well it only has a population of 275.

The journey was tortorous but breathtakingly beautiful. Glenn had to wrestle with Gabbys steering wheel as we drove some of the most interesting scenery we have ever driving through in Spain. The high bluffs raised to our right, the left of the road fell away into the valley with milky blue reservoirs filling the void. Tiny tunnels just wide enough for cars and small vans were cut into the hills. Overhangs were everywhere. Luckily it was a very quiet day and little was on the road. We were able to take our time meandering backwards and forwards in this beautiful land of many coloured earths. Reds and mustards, crimson and yellow, cream and conker brown.

Eventually we found it. Our first port of call in this isolated spot. A medieval hump back bridge that we had read about in either The Rough Guide or the Dorling Kindersley guide to Spain. Similar to Cahors but prettier and set in a much more delightful spot. Cobbled with a chapel which was extremely small in the middle. It is easy to imagine how many souls crossed the bridge on their way to some unknown place and asked the Virgin for her blessing. An equal number must have returned that way and thanked her for safe passage. The bridge was built in the 12th century and is well preserved. We got out of Gabby and walked slowly over the slow running river below. It was a real gem and extremely photogenic. We even had the bridge to ourselves. Above it was the hillside city of Frias with its castle overlooking the valley below. We were heading up there in search of the aire beneath the castle walls. We hadnt realised as we walked that there was a charge for the aire 6 euros for 24 hours to be paid at the Tourist Information at the castle. But we are not stopping.

The history of Frias dates back as far as 867 but it was mainly in the 11th century that it came into prominence. We climbed up to its rocky hilltop spot before dropping down again to the aire. "Will we get down that slope" I asked . Fearing now for the low step, the low slung exhaust and the low slug grey water tank. "Of course " said the driver and in we glided. By now I worried if we would get out again but was assured that what went in would come out again even it meant going back reversing . Oh ye of little faith I was told. In the 11th century Frias was sold off to Count Sancho Garcia. After his death it became the property of a king whose name I forget but whose tracks we seem to be following. Oh yes Sancho El Mayor .

The climb up to the city is excruciating in this heat. By mid- day it is touching the 30's and each step up the hill makes our muscles ache beyond belief. We are heading for the centre where Alfonso VIII granted loads of privileges and returned the city to Castile. We climbed higher and higher - not a step in sight just a sloping cobbled path through the narrow streets with their three storied houses. Many empty and boarded up, others holiday homes . Through the Calles the small street more like a corridor of the Jews. They once thrived here as they did in most parts of Spain even the remotest of locations. At the top were squares, cafes and bars full of the local tourists - the Womens Institutes or Townswomens Guilds afternoon adventure. They were eating at the first cafe to the right of the narrow street. I wondered if trade was shared and tomorrows travellers would eat at the first cafe to the left.

At the very top it was a choice , flip a coin - church to the right - still open or castle to the left - open until 2pm when the great Spanish siesta stad nrted. We opted for another castle assuming that the church would stay open all day. How very wrong can you be? Entry to the castle was 4 euros for jubiladoes half the price of Loarre so there wouldnt be much to see inside. We were given 20 minutes to race round before they closed up for the afternoon. A whistle stop tour it was to be then. It was not big and perhaps not that impressive from the inside. We got round just before the bus load of pensioners arrived at the gates . Their whistle stop tour was going to be 10 minutes long.

The church by now was locked. Nothing more to it then but to head for our night stop at Camping Fuena Blancos in Burgos. A site we have been to before , massive and open all year round . 19 euros and full .Full of people like us who just want to stay a night and others who want to see Burgos. Five big blocks of sanitaires, a bar and a supermercado. a 1* campsite that ticks all the boxes.

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