Spain and Portugal – Saldaña to Santander

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Saldaña to Santander

The aire at Saldaña was quiet overnight, we are up early, breakfast and service the Hymer ahead of a day of driving back to Santander (about 95 miles), our return ferry due to depart at 23.15 (delayed from the original time of 17.00).

We leave Saldaña on CL-615 to a junction where we turn right onto P-225/P-230 to Herrera de Pisuerga. Here we join N-611 and then the A-67 a fast straight road to Santander, passing Aguilar de Campoo last visited in October 2017 and Reinoso. We pass through some very different scenery: the flat, dessert like plain at Zorita del Páramo, the deep valleys crossed by viaducts at Villela, and the spectacular Bárcena mountains to the west. We stop at Petronor, a filling station in the village of Arenas de Iguña for lunch, only because there are no services or turn-out stops on A-67. After a brief stop long enough forlunch we are back on A-67 to Torrelevega where we stop for shopping.

First call for shopping is at Carrefour, who have 2.0m barrier on their car park thus excluding motorhomes. I wouldn’t have stopped to spend my money here but Alan wanted a particular wine which they stocked. After some considerable messing about we got the wine. Then across the road to Mercadona and a much more pleasant shopping experience. Mercadona does not have such a wide range of wines as Carrefour, but the wines at Mercadona are good and the jamon and cheeses are very good.

Back on A-67to Santander, first to Petroprix, the cheapest diesel in Spain and fill up. Then, as the time was about 5.00pm and we had several hours to spare we drove to the municipal cemetery of San Román de la Llanilla on Calle de Victoriano Fernández, in the north of Santander. Here we have a light tea before we leave for Santander ferry port, arriving at about 7.00pm. We check in and join a l-o-n-g queue of motorhomes and motor bikes waiting to board.

Around 9.00pm they start boarding the cars and later motorhomes into the front of the ferry (Pont Aven), as has happened before we were almost the last to board (three more behind us). So close to the end that we parked on the ramp at the very front of the ferry. While dinner was being served it was about 10.15pm and bedtime for us. We went more or less straight to our cabin and to sleep. The crossing was smooth and without event, breakfast and lunch on board arriving at Plymouth a little early at 6.30pm.

Being last on did mean we were first off, almost. It was still light when we disembarked but pouring with rain! We were glad of the relatively short drive out of Plymouth, Plymouth is not easy or pleasant to drive through in a motorhome. (The worst part… being on the left side of the road again in very heavy rush-hour traffic) we take  the A38, through Ivybridge to Avonwick.

From here a very narrow B-road, only 2.0m wide in places and now in the dark. Following the many twists and turns we finally arrived at Halwell and Wheeldon Farm campsite – acceptable for an overnight, but very difficult access roads. Because of the narrow access roads we would not stay there again. By now it was pouring with rain and dark, with no outside lighting we had no idea where we were! We opened a bottle of Corbier red wine which together with a chick-pea curry made us feel a whole lot better. We were in bed early and slept well.

Gallery Saldaña to Santander

Click at image to enlarge