9 October 2022 - Driving the Douro Valley part 2.

Miles driven today = 50

Total Miles to date = 2,143

We woke to a very misty morning in the Douro Valley so we delayed our start in the hope that the visibility would improve.  It didn't, which was disappointing but also a reminder of just how lucky we have been with the weather ever since we left the storms behind us in France.

Our journey along the N222 continued and occassionally we would catch glimpses of the river far below but otherwise we had to make do with mist obscured vistas. We crossed the river at the Pont Entre-os-Rios and followed the N108 along the northern shore for a bit.

At the village of Rio Mau we were stopped by a gentleman in a hi-viz jacket standing in the middle of the road.  Lots of people were stood around craning their necks with looks of anticipation.  We sat for several minutes waiting for something to happen and eventually hi-viz man waved us through indicating we should stay on the left hand side of the road.  

As we turned the corner we could see the reason for the delay.  Half the village were parading down the other side of the road with what appeared to be a statue of the Virgin Mary or some other saintly icon.

They were followed by a brass band playing a slow funereal march.  Lisa managed to snap these pictures through the windscreen as we drove slowly past.

We crossed the river again at another dam, the Barragem de Crestuma-Lever and it was at that stage that Google Maps had the first of today's major wobbles.  Rather than following the N road the app had us take a right turn into the village of Crestuma.  From there the road appeared to become very narrow with a succession of hairpin bends so we did a 3 point turn into a riverside car park to weigh up our options.  

At least this gave me the opportunity to take a few photos of the river.  I also loved the way this house has its own staircase cut into the rock for access to the riverside.

We did the same 3 point turn in reverse, cursing Google Maps.  If only we had known then what further tricks it would play on us before we reached our destination.  

A succession of stretches of dual carriageway took us around the South of Porto whilst we had the excitement of boy racers pulling wheelies as they overtook.

Then as we approached our destination Google Maps threw us a proper curve ball as it took us up a succession of increasingly narrow one way streets.  With cars up our backside we had no option but to push on.  Wing mirrors were pulled in and sphincters tightened.  I was pretty sure we could just about make it between the unforgiving looking stone walls but then we heard a gut wrenching scraping along the side of the van.

I hadn't spotted a plastic pipe which was sticking out of the ground next to the wall but there was no turning back now.  Thankfully the damage was almost entirely superficial and most of it has subsequently been removed with a pan scrub, but Google wasn't done with us yet.

It was now trying to take us round a sharp right hand corner and there was absolutely no way we were getting round that.  Our only obvious escape route was blocked by a Sunday morning market so we had no option but to turn around and go 50 yards back, the wrong way down a one way street.

Finally we escaped and found our way to the campsite we were heading for.  I've never been so relieved to pull on my handbrake!

We are at one of two campsites at Praia de Segueiros.  It's a bit tatty, unloved and full of stray cats but it's only €11 including (2 amp) hook up.  We are only a couple of hundred yards from the beach and the No.15 bus to the centre of Porto goes from the end of the road so it will do for our purposes for a couple of nights.

We took a walk down to the front.  It's quite heavily developed with apartments and bars stretching as far as the eye can see and there are more on the way as well judging by the number of construction cranes.

The shoreline is quite rocky and above that is a steep, sandy beach.  We took a stroll and enjoyed the feeling of sand between our toes for the first time in almost a week, before sitting ourselves down at one of the bars for a beer or two to de-stress.

Tomorrow we shall go see what Porto has to offer.

10 October 2022 - Porto