(View along the cliff walk)

We went to dinner last night in the Fisherman’s village just up, around and down the cliff from Tate’s house. It was a lovely walk. It reminded me of the cliff walk in Greystones in places. Except the houses, apartment buildings and the odd cafe are built right up to the path. But the sheer drop without railings is the same! Fortunately it was well lit on the way home.

 

(The suspension bridge – notice it is red on the right side and grey on the left)

Today we left Bilbao via an old suspension bridge…. a different kind of suspension bridge. One where the cars and people and motorbikes are suspended in a basket (!) held by wires to an iron girder way up in the sky.

(Look closely and you can see the wires holding the basket – which is about half way across the river)

(the basket is getting closer – we’ll have to get on soon)

The basket goes over and back picking up and dropping off its load. And everyone seems to think that’s okay, so we went along with it….. I thought it would be like a ferry but it’s much smoother, and faster. Yesterday, Tate had suggested we try it and told us it is possible to walk across on the top and that it’s very beautifully made with a wooden floor. I didn’t think wood was such a good idea in a bridge that suspends cars in a basket so decided we wouldn’t be trying that. But then this morning the sat. nav. brought us straight to the basket on our way out of Bilbao!

(Here we go… the red netting is necessary because there are people up on the very top painting the iron work!)

 

Then we were on the road again. As we go along we have seen so many different types of countryside. Bilbao is very built up with apartment blocks and offices and factories and then the cliffs and the sea. And that type of geography continues as we proceed along this north coast. It’s also very busy, lots more traffic. Then we come off the motorway and almost straight away we’re into green grass and forests.

Then we reach the Picos (which is a National Park) and we’re back to windy roads and sheer drops and goats on the road!

(We’re on our way down to that windy bit)

(That’s a pair of baby goats, they were lying on the road until they heard us round the corner)

Our home for tonight is a “hotel rural”, there are sheep grazing in the field beside us and I can hear cow bells! The village seems to start at the far side of the sheep field and runs up to a green forest on the hill. Our hosts don’t speak English but found someone in the bar who did, in order to help us transfer the necessary information from our passports! There’s a dog here too, just a little puppy smaller than our cat. Will take some pictures later…. and send tomorrow.

 

Just realised it’s sheep bells!

 

Thank you for your cures, Nolene, Chris, Moira, Elaine, Viv, Biddy, Frances, and Brian. Everything calm at the moment, will keep you posted! Window firmly closed.

 

Be well, Mairead.