Day 44 – at Burbia

These Bierzo mountains are a plum choice for mountain activities, and the peaceful village of Burbia is a perfect base.

There are actually quite a few people in the holiday homes with it being the Easter week and school holidays. The guy I got talking to yesterday, I met again this afternoon, keen for his 6 year old twins to speak some English, has flown from Barcelona to use the family house for the week. As in Portugal, there are lots of dogs, most of which are off the lead, inquisitive, with the occasional bark, but never a sign of any aggression.

I made the most of the fine weather with a hike up into the mountains in the morning, and a ride on stage three of the La Mirada Circular this afternoon.

The La Mirada route offers options for MTB, gravel riding, hiking and trail running. At a total of 310 kilometres it would make for a rewarding week in fanatic mountain scenery. Here’s the link again, https://lamiradacircular.com/en/routes-and-stages/.

DIY conservation. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this before, and hope it lasts the years and the storms..

Here is a photo of the village of Burbia from the bike route into it, sitting about 100 metres in altitude below it. Above the village it is possible to see the steep ascent of the next stage of the route, up the zig-zags for 500 metres to the peak of Mirandelo at 1414 metres.

A truck that got the corner wrong. Not easy these tracks. It will take a bit of salvaging.

Late in the afternoon I wandered into the village for a beer at the bar. Rurally there is very little option. I usually ask for something ‘tostada’ or ‘negra’ but here was greeted only with 0% options, and had to settle for a extremely average Mahou.