“Gentlemen, start your engines”

Cumbria to Cantabria

After spending a night, a day and a night sleeping on the car deck, Herman the German was itching to get his wheels rolling on terra firma, well if he wasn’t then his ‘pilot’ certainly was!

The quick and inexpensive way to get to Spain is how Ken and possibly Andy D will, jump on a cheap flight and be over here in the number of hours you can count on one hand, as opposed to the 50 hours it took me from driving out of CA3 to pulling onto the dry sunny roads of northern Spain. I suppose I could have done the former and hired a car when over here, but picking up a convertible sports car for a month would ramp up the cost considerably and doesn’t have the kudos of doing it the way a proper motoring explorer should, or at least I can kid myself that.

I’ve loved riding Reg my old Rocket to the North Cape and the Canary Islands, hiring a bike for such trips just isn’t on my agenda and so neither is hiring a car, Herman and I do things together 🤗. 

Before I get into today (Saturday) here are some photographs I promised you from the ferry crossing, if you want to see video then (eventually) you will need to tune in to my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BriKinsella

Saturday

My intention was to knock off a few fishing villages along the north coast and all went according to plan with me eventually arriving at my hotel at Mundaka six hours after disembarking, having called in at Playa de Berria, Castro Urdialles and Gaztellugatxe (good luck with pronouncing that one!)

Mundaka

I would describe Mundaka as ‘authentic’, draw your own conclusions from that, but my take is that it’s a no airs and graces kind of place but friendly and pleasant enough. My one star hotel (even one star hotels by the coast are knocking on £100 per night) surprised me. Walking in through the front door there was quite a commotion in the small bar to the right, it was just down to my timing as much as anything, arriving during the early afternoon at the peak of a lunchtime ‘sesh’. Although reception had the appearance of a small Fawlty Towers setup the surprise awaited me as I walked up the wide polished wooden staircase onto an unexpected modern landing. The bedroom has everything I need, with the exception of tea & coffee making facilities but you know me, have kettle will travel.