Saturday 2 June 2012

Day 7 Santillana - San Vicente de la Barquera

Morning wandering round Santillana, so pretty, could spend the whole day... 20 miles to San Vicente de la Barquera along the camino. Leave Santillana on the CA-131 towards Comillas, turning right after 3km onto the local road to Torriente. Follow the camino around and under the main road across and on the CA-352 up the hill until the camino sign to the right points you down a narrow lane. This races down through fields into Ciguenza and then leads you to Cobreces.

Pick up the CA-131 through Liandres, Comillas and past signs to Trasvia until the turn-off to Oyambre and the CA-236.

This leads you through the Parque Natural de Oyambre with great views to the coast, a couple of short climbs, and then join the N-634 for a last freewheel down into San Vicente de la Barquera with views of the bridge, castle and church.

We stayed in a friendly Pension for €15ea, with 2 double rooms off a family apartment, but otherwise were unimpressed by San Vicente.

A long discussion over a poor dinner in one of the overpriced restaurants by the port Marina compared the fantastic service in similarly touristy Castro-Urdiales to this port town. Is it the volume of people passing through which means that good service is overlooked? (like the shoe shops in Oxford Street- if you don't buy there, somebody else will, so service is slow and apathetic). We payed half as much for amazing food in Bolivar, but Coca pointed out that passing trade from tourists & travellers is probably minimal here and you rely on local custom, so it has to be good.

In defence of San Vicente, we passed a pasteleria on the way back to the pension, had delicious biscuits made with love, served by friendly, helpful staff.

20miles
Total distance so far: 262miles

1 comment:

  1. Madre mia!!! me encanta la idea de ir contando cada dia el recorrido y las fotos!!! disfrutadlo un monton!!

    ReplyDelete