Going North

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15th April

Just before we made tea yesterday, 3 identical Spanish rented motorhomes turned up. They drove round at least twice & 2 of them found pitches they liked & eventually parked up. The other chap, let’s call him Dick , faffed about still driving around, parking up, moving again, reversing in, driving in... what a dope, moving again. Kept us entertained for 20 minutes.

What a disturbed night, mainly due to small dog yapping most of the night. I was tempted to go out with pointy pole. Early in the morning the dog stopped barking & a baby started crying. Baby stops, cock starts crowing then the dog starts up again. Before breakfast I walked around to find the dog only to find it outside a cottage behind reception; I went in & gave the manager what for.

The journey was long, over 200 miles, as coming back up the centre of Portugal, there are few sites open this early in the year. Some beautiful countryside though, ranging from acres of oak with big horned cattle in the meadows, rocky outcrops, boulder strewn fields that had wild lavender growing everywhere & as we climbed into the mountains, acres of pine forest. At one point the Spanish border was only 20km away. We also past a few ancient walled towns but didn't have the time to stop.

The site is lovely, set on a terraced mountain side & very peaceful. We set up & listened to the locals singing Easter folk songs in the village. There is one English couple but mainly Dutch, who as usual are very friendly & helpful. Also a German chap on a bike who said ‘yeeees’ like Lurch out of the Adams family.

We have to go to a nearby small town, Gouvaia, tomorrow to get cash which should be fun as it’s 6km down the mountain & we have to get back plus the forecast is now 26*. Best take plenty of water what?

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