2018-09-25 Camping Rio Vero to Ainsa

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Camping Rio Vero to Ainsa

Very cool start to the morning here at Camping Rio Vero… 10°C, we need to wear a fleece when we get up! By 8.00am the sun is up and it gets warm quickly. Showers, service the camper and get stuck on the very steep concrete slope to the chemical disposal! Eventually, Mr C. reverses back up the hill and, apart from leaving about 10,000km of rubber on the concrete of the front right tyre, all is well. The photos do not show just how steep and difficult this path is, do not drive down there, carry your cassette to the disposal point.

We make slow way along the A2205 that crosses the high sierra of Canones de Guara, along the deep canyon of the Vero river. In places it is very deep and we stop several times as the scenery is spectacular, especially at Barranco la Palomera and Barranco la Gargantas. At Gargantas we stop and have lunch (only about 8km!).

Onward on the narrow and tortuously bendy A2205 as it follows the river gorge to Mirador del Vero, a raised platform over-looking the gorge where many griffin vultures (and lammergeier) are gliding on the thermals. We spend about two hours here just watching them. A French couple join us and as they speak no English we have an animated conversation about where we have been (for them 4 months on their boat to the Scilly Isles!) and our travels across France.

As we leave a coach full of Algerian tourists stop and want their photo taken with Mr C. with sun hat and birdwatching cameras, scope, binoculars and tripod! I take a photo of them taking a photo! It is late afternoon so progress along the A2205 through the small villages of Arcusa, Guaso to Aĩnsa. Aĩnsa is a moderately sized old town built on the top of a hill. We pass the municipal car park next to the bridge and drive up to the castle where we find a large flat, grassy car park. Here we can stop for the night but there are no facilities at all (although we find a toilet next to the castle).

While it is light and the sun still shining, we walk through the village, take photographs and call at the Tourist Information for maps. Back on the campsite, there are now about 15 campers dotted around, all facing the magnificent Sierra de Guara mountains. We have a bottle of red Montsant wine and spaghetti bolognaise. What a day… what spectacular mountain views.