Day 19 Touring out from Larres

Day 19:  Touring out from Larres

Fab day – coolish in the morning although a warm sunny day – became quite warm mid afternoon.

Incredible views from the top of the mountains around Spain. Countryside is incredibly craggy and every possible piece of arable land is cultivated so you find little villages perched on top of rocky outcrops.  The older homes or sheds are built on top of the rocks or boulders or into the rock face – which looks precarious but have been there for a long time

Our trek took us thru Sabinanigo, over Sierra de Portiello and Sierra Aineto ( at 1291 m)  where the 12/50’s became quite hot.  Thru Boitana and stopped for tea/coffee in Ainsa. This is quite a large more modern village.  Then back up via Escalona, Belsier, Salvise and Biescas.

Something we needed to come to grips with is that the country (as a whole) stops and closes down at 1 pm and doesn’t start again until 4 pm.  Nothing happens - no food or very little drink is available.  All shops are shut up tight.

The return trip took us through the very picturesque Gorge de Escalona (photos below).  The route took us down an incredibly narrow two way “C grade” road along the edge of a river and the canyon walls rising to almost vertical hundreds of meters up.  The road had occasionally wider sections which allowed traffic to pass cautiously.  The trip into the canyon was definitely worth the effort.  The sound of the 12/50’s was magnificent and on a couple of occasions we motored ahead to get a vantage point to photograph them coming through.  It is breathtakingly beautiful area with virtually every turn worth a picture stop and perfect Alvis motoring country.

 

The climb left the 12/50’s a little “hot” much like the day.  Mike, Ruth and us venture a little higher into the village of Vio.  It allowed a view of the Spanish side of the Pyrenees.