I'm squeezing this one in under the wire. Raven and I did a further mile from the hotel to the port (downhill, then flat). So, that definitely qualifies for an entry into a cycle touring journal. Although, I might not include today in the stats wrap-up, in case it brings the averages down too far.
Today felt like a cheat in several ways. First up, I had no cycling kit to sort out. Washing night hadn't happened. Second, I had a lie in. And third, the ride didn't actually start until mid afternoon. Look, it's not what I'd necessarily want from a cycle tour, but it definitely made a pleasant change after ten days of riding. According to Ride With GPS, the cycling app that does all those fancy route maps in the other blog entries, our totals for the tour are:
Miles - 754
Feet climbed (and presumably dropped again, since we're back at sea level) - 32,300 and a bit
Cycling time - 50 hours
Other important stats: ten days in the saddle, which is as good as things get for working out averages.
And, of course: flans - 5. Which I count as a moderate success, given Spain's stubborn refusal to help things along. In fairness, the country more than made up for it in other ways.
After a leisurely breakfast, I went for a three hour walk around Santander, which was the fourth of our Spanish cities. It would have been more than possible to simply bounce from cafe to bar to restaurant for hours on end, but it's nice to look around too. So I took a stroll out to the royal palace at the eastern promontory of the city. The weather was warm, and then hot: I slightly regretted not bringing Raven, who not only cuts journey times significantly, but adds a helpful breeze to the proceedings.
Santander banks steeply up as it recedes from the shore. The authorities have helpfully provided a bunch of assistance to support inhabitants with those pesky hills. I encountered lifts, escalators, a short funicular, and then this, a travelator with around a 250 metre length. Personally, I'm not entirely sure it was required for most people... but my legs appreciated the thought anyway.
This will be one of my lasting impressions of Santander: the preponderance of high rise housing. It felt like a very dense city, but this also meant that there were endless places to sit, drink and eat.
The approach to Palacio de la Magdalena, the royal summer residence that I was heading for. Oddly, regal types didn't get an escalator. Perhaps they were just carried up by peasants in a palanquin.
The palace. You'd probably not feel overly cramped here. And the views were spectacular. The spring and autumn residences must have been pretty impressive to tear them away.
This statue on the garden caught my eye: it's not often that you see a dog immortalised! Apparently it's a Spanish naturalist, Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente, who was a household name before (and after) a tragic accident ended his life.
One of the views from the palace's surrounding promontory. The gardens also had penguins, seals, and old ships (..?) but it was the natural beauty that I found most compelling.
And on the way back, there was a beachside cafe. This is the view from my table. My definition of a holiday is a glass of white white around lunchtime. And what with all the cycling, I hadn't had time for a proper holiday until now...
Next stop, the beach. Because a paddle is also an essential holiday activity. Raven, of course, had already paddled in the Atlantic during her rough ferry crossing to the Ile d'Oléron.
And so that's another tour under the belt, or under the chain in Raven's case. We're on the ferry now, with about eighteen hours ahead of us before we land back in the UK. Thanks to those of you who've come along for the vicarious ride, and those of you who've commented along the way. I hope you've enjoyed it even a fraction as much as we did.
Today's ride: 1 mile (2 km) Total: 752 miles (1,210 km)
Mark M.Thanks Mark! - I've not been on much lately and I think I need to catch up with some of yours, amd everyone else's... 😊 Reply to this comment 1 month ago
Mark M.To Lesley AndersonAnd the crossing back was lovely, too... plus, it's very dog friendly aboard. Just in case anyone is interested... 🐾 Reply to this comment 1 month ago
Gregory GarceauNo journal entry is dubious when it includes castles, bays, beaches, promontories, plazas, marinas, mercados, and (especially) dog monuments. You got to enjoy a fine tour and, thanks to your story telling, I certainly enjoyed reading about it. Reply to this comment 4 weeks ago
Mark M.To Gregory GarceauThanks Greg! Hope you're as busy as I am planning the next one... 😊 Reply to this comment 4 weeks ago
