Sunday 22 October - Urkiolagirre (1011m)

We didn't travel far when we finally left Elorrio after four nights there. In fact, as the crow flies, we are only just over five miles away, although we did drive rather further than that, due to a lack of roads over the lumpy bits that lie between the two places.

It had been a bit of a toss up as to whether to head for the coast, or further inland to some more hills, but inland won and Bertie slowly hauled his bulk up to an altitude of 720m, whilst Mick marvelled at the Spanish tendency to put four speed limits in the space of 200m (approaching a hairpin bend you get 60, 50, 30 and 10 in such rapid succession that you've barely read one limit when the next is before you. I wonder what a Spaniard would make of winding lanes in the UK, where we are trusted to use our own judgement as to the sensible speed at which to take bends? But, I digress).

It isn't very warm up here, but the weather yesterday afternoon was much better than forecast (i.e. mainly dry, with a bit of blue sky). Believing that today was going to be the better day, the only activity after we arrived here was a quick trip to the nearby Visitor Centre for some mappage, and a stroll to the 'Three Crosses View Point':

Looking back from the Visitor Centre towards where Bertie is parked. Our plan for today was to visit the ridge in the background.

One bit of the panorama from the Three Crosses

A slow start was had today, but we suddenly put a spurt on when I looked at the latest forecast to find that it had now changed to predict four hours of rain, starting at noon.

Half an hour later we stepped out of Bertie ... and then stepped back in again to change into waterproofs. The rain had come a couple of hours earlier than expected.

Back outside, the rain let up not once as we strode uphill, into the cloud:

We knew there were stunning views around us and now wished we'd made the effort to do this walk yesterday afternoon.
At least we weren't alone in our madness of being out in the cloud. Many groups (some large) were seen as we completed our circuit.

Mick studies the topograph, not that it meant much today.

There was clearly no point in making the out-and-back detour onto the limestone ridge in today's conditions. However, we didn't simply backtrack, but dropped down the other side of this grassy hill (being well grazed by bell-toting horses and cows) to complete the rest of our intended circuit.



Our return track lay below the cloud, but ran through forest, so we didn't get to see much even then, aside from plenty of other walkers out for their Sunday exercise. The bread seller who had set up his stall in the car park had looked out of place as we walked past him on our outward leg. When, by early afternoon, the car park was full and he was doing a roaring trade, we saw the sense in his enterprise. Locals come here for a bit of a walk on a Sunday morning, then pick up their fresh bread on the way home - a win-win.

As I type this we are still sitting in the same car park. We are both wearing two fleeces apiece and have blankets over our knees. Whilst we could easily drop back down to sea level for a bit of extra warmth*, we're toughing it out here this afternoon, as tomorrow's forecast is for sunshine and there's still that ridge calling to us.

^{(* We could even put the heating on. That may yet happen.)}