Safe Return Doubtful

The Ibias valley is a wine producing area and it’s the time of the year to prune the vines. These are small, usually family run, vineyards unlike the Douro valley where it’s big business. 

The area around San Antolín is also known for its rich history. A walking trail, the Senda del Oro, takes in some of the former sites of gold mining from Roman times. It’s a twelve kilometre circuit that starts along the banks of the Ibias with the remnants of large excavations from the Roman era above the trail. Then the trail climbs steeply through about 400 vertical metres to the small community of Villamayor. One could be excused for thinking the few houses were abandoned, but shepherds do use them for 8 months a year when their cattle are on the higher pastures. What is refreshing, is that it seems the renovated second home market hasn’t got here yet; the houses certainly are in spectacular positions, high above the valley. Mine works can be seen either side of Villamayor, on the steep ground below it. It’s a memorable trail, not least because of the steep climbs both in ascent and descent. 

It didn’t take me long to decide to stay in San Antolín for the weekend, five days in all. It’s a couple of kilometres walk into the town where there is a shop and a bar, band their area reserved for camping cars is attractively situated in some trees close to the river, next to a municipal swimming pool which is being repainted in readiness for the warmer weather. 

On Friday I got the bike out for the first time on this course. I’ve been slow to do so with a healing hand and the fear that gripping tightly would reopen the wound, but that has healed enough now. From the walk the previous day I had seen some trails that I thought would be interesting to take, beginning with a 400 metre zig zag climb with a gradient between 10 and 20%, mostly on rough track; the sort of thing that is an exertion on my Orbea Urrun (electric) but would be too much (for me) on my other bike (Kona Unit X). It’s good to have both though, and in future courses I do plan to carry both, but for now, the Kona is in lock-up. 

Part of my decision to stay in San Antolín for the weekend is that there is a decent 4G signal, and it’s a huge weekend of sport. As I write I have the Champions Trophy on the radio, England and Australia, and to come there is the Six Nations and the Vancouver Sevens. Last night was the Under 20s, and the tremendous tussle between Wales and Ireland showing that the Welsh have plenty to offer in future years, if not at the moment. 

It’s been a while since I gave any recommendations for watching and listening, though I do post book reviews and the odd movie review. Tuesday 25th February is a date for the diary, as it’s one of my favourite days of the literary calendar, the International Booker Longlist announcement; special because the field that qualify is so huge and that guessing is a real challenge. I’ve followed various Internet chat sites for a few months now, as I do each year, and the excitement is building. I’ll post some thoughts on the 30-odd that I’ve read tomorrow. 

TV wise I’d recommend the American historical drama series, Shōgun, an adaptation of the 1975 James Clavell novel. It’s excellent. 

I’m onto the third season of Donald Glover and Hiro Murai’s Atlanta. It’s not new, four years old now, but quite splendid. 

Podcasts, I’ve discovered the New Yorker Fiction podcast, which features the reading of one of the short stories from their magazine from the archives. It’s their centenary this year. The stories are read by other authors, and then discussed. I’d highlight Eudora Welty, <i>No Place For You, My Love</i>, but the podcasts themselves date back to 2005 so there are hundreds to choose from.