Sidra Y Chorizo

The thing with not being in the thrall of adevetisers, sponsors or even having an audience - well, except the person who reads the blog - this is all for you - is that I can be self indulgent and I am being.  We are going where Google does not - along the beach.  Why are we doing that I hear you cry - go on, you have to now. It is because my son and I walked along here - and so will provide some of the details.




Google has only one color for beach ‘yellow’.  This suggests sand.  Do not be fooled.  This coast is full of rock and landslides and shingle.  Once the farmers farmed and fishermen and gatherers of shellfish came down and went for a bit of a splash.  This ‘beach’ is basically that.  On top of the cliff are a few remnants of the fisherman’s stores.  Down below is rock and bits of sand and large trees that gave up the will to live and threw themselves in the sea and were washed ashore.




It is probably not a route to be tackled at high tide.  At low tide ot offers a certain amount of solitude and the chance for some reflection.





At the other end of the route is the Playa de Valina.  It can be reached by car or foot.  It has a few more people attending to its beauties.  It also has the remains of water mills which lie on the Arroyo de Vivigo a pleasant enough stream which dashes down from the headline. The mill gets 4.9 stars from ten reviews but, to be honest, it is not worth making a special journey of above 30 minutes to see.







We are coming into Ovenana.  It is one of those places where you can see the change of the decades. Once this was one of those weather battered headlands which was off the main road. It was a place of scattered smallholdings, a church and a market.  A few farms remain.  A few houses are in ruins, many more have been remade and other built for tourists, commuters and retirees.  Some fields remain. Others are being nibbled away.  Some of the old houses have a ground floor area built into them where you can get shelter from sun and rain.





We will end at the Bar El Cafe. At the end of a drive from Santander we ended here on a hot day.  A cider and chorizo make excellent ways to transition from traveller to traveled.




The Bar has had 1639 reviews.  It averages 4,5 stars.  https://www.barelcafe.com/   Five hours ago COncha wrote ‘Cabo Vidio road, in Oviñana. We have returned this year, since last time we stopped here and we were very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the dishes they offer. Of course, in summer, which is when I visit, you have to make a reservation, or you can't eat. I always recommend the octopus, delicious, the croquettes and the peppers stuffed with seafood. Ahhhh!!!, I don't know how the other desserts will be, but the cottage cheese cream with honey and walnuts are the best 😋😋’

Three days ago Luisma wrote ‘I have known him for many years and he has not changed, he continues to eat as well as when I came to Oviñana more than 10 years ago. Now what was the restaurant and the bar are united in one, with its 2 dining rooms but the same menu. Highlighting the preparation of the dishes (and variety to choose from), the quality of the product, the quantities (typical of Asturias) and the treatment of the staff, they are lovely people. If you like meat... the rare sirloin is one of the best I have ever eaten in my life (tender, one that melts in your mouth), for fish I had turbot (off the menu, and they give you a generous portion , you don't have to eat the whole turbot), what a good thing. The octopus with garlic is delicious, the lobster salpicón is more delicious, and they have varied portions of seafood, croquettes, etc... I heard very good comments about cachopo at the tables next to me (I can't say because the cheese and I don't get along very well). A place that I love for all of this and that is why I have returned several times. In summer it is important to book (although they have the 2 dining rooms, they are always full).’

I think we’ll stay and have something to eat.
























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