On Thursday 8th we drove north out of Potes and back through the Hermida Gorge – this time taking some photos! There is a vast amount of construction work in progress widening and/or repairing the road which made for a slow but exciting drive! Much of the route was reduced to single carriageway with alternating traffic. The van was frequently squeezing between a sheer rock face and steep drop into the valley below – but it was all worth it for the view.

We stopped for two nights at a free (!) aire just outside the small town of Norena, situated halfway between the coastal city of Gijon and the district capital of Oviedo. The main plus point of the site was that it was in walking distance of a train station which we used the following day to visit Oviedo. Note for train nerds – the commuter train lines in the north of Spain use a uncommon narrow gauge track – a remnant from construction many years ago that the country never got round to converting to the standard gauge used everywhere else.