Unquera to Llanes
15.2 Miles/33,668 Steps – (Total 143.4/329,770)
As we walked along the dirt path it sounded like heavy breathing. Very heavy breathing. I made Sonia stop and listen. We looked up at the hill that separated us from the sea. About 100 yards up we saw the breath coming out from between the shrubs. We waited, and several seconds later it came out again. You could see this breath coming out of the land. It was like some giant monster was snoring away under the hill.
We deduced what it was, and confirmed it at lunch. The rocky limestone coast gets undercut by the sea and holes form where the breath comes out. We stopped by one for lunch and I climbed as far down as possible. It was frighteningly loud. Later I stood on the cliff and watched the waves roll in. Several seconds after the rolling wave disappeared beneath the cliff the blow whole would erupt in sea mist. We saw several other smaller holes along the way.
Today will likely be our last along the magnificent north coast of Spain. We have been amazed to 143 miles. We would turn a corner, or climb a hill and find the rocky coast or a secluded beach set into a cove.
After lunch toward the end of the day we had a brutal climb that let us look down on a couple of different sandy beaches and the town of Llanes where we will spend the night. We are finally parallel to the Picos de Europe and there were several places where we had great views of the mountains and the sea.
It has been a magnificent journey along the coast. Our first prayer each morning has been the Venite (Psalm 95) where the psalmist honors the magnificence of creation. It has been such a blessing to walk these miles.
I am glad that there is more ahead.
I
68°F Mostly Sunny
Campo Municipal de Golf de Llanes, Llanes, Asturias, Spain