I managed to very lost leaving Santona. You would think this would be impossible given that I had arrived on a series of bridges.
As it turned out there are two series of bridges going in different directions. I finally got on to the correct bridge and headed east.
Big climbs
I had plotted a route to my next destination, Casto Urdiales using Google Maps. The route took me inland on small rural roads.
The first part of the route was fine as rode along the banks of river.
The route then took me a very steep hill that seemed to just go on and on.
At one point I was passed by two young English blokes who told me that they were heading along the coast into France. They were riding a bit faster than me. There was a bit of the ‘tortoise and the hare’, as they passed me and I would plod along and find them stopped by the side of the road. A while later they would pass me. After a while they disappeared.
The top of the climb was 395 metres. That doesn’t sound too much, but the road was steep.
There was a long decent into a valley another river.
The route then took me up another hill.
Finally, there was long decent towards. Castro Urdiales.
There are some videos on Flickr. I am not going as fast as the descents in the Swiss Alps last year. I am over 60.
Tricky Place to Find
I was relieved to be at my destination. The next thing was to find the campsite. I had checked it out on the internet and it looked very substantial with a large pool and restaurant. I assumed that it would be easy to find.
I didn’t believe the Garmin when it told me to take a really narrow road through a tunnel under a main road. As it turned out it was correct.
Campsite was high on a hill overlooking the city.
I checked in and was directed to my pitch. The English blokes I had met on the road were my neighbours. They had also found the place hard to find.
Nice Town
I decided to stay in Castro Urdiales a couple of days. It has a great little harbour and two good beaches.
The old part of the town has some good bars.
Bull Fighting
One of them has really good Tapas. It also had a large screen TV showing Bull Fighting. I noticed that the only people watching were at least 10 years older than me.
I recalled going to a bull flight in Madrid October 1985 when I was visiting the city on a Department of Foreign Affairs trip. The Ambassador said, “seeing a bull fight was a must do”. I did it.
I found the experience both thrilling and troubling. It was certainly a spectacle and the speed of the bull skill of the Matador was impressive . The crowd were right into it.
I do recall, however, being shocked and troubled by the obvious cruelty to the bulls – after all they were all killed.
I remember the smell of the blood of the bulls. That was really shocking.
Matador Killed
As it turned out, when I was in Castro Urdiales a Matador was killed. The fight, in the eastern town of Teruel, was being broadcast live on TV. It was the first death in the ring for 30 years.
Flickr Link
Garmin Link
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/1245761904
BBC Coverage of Matador being Killed
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