Following a pre-trip once-over by JAZ and a last-minute windscreen repair from Glasstech, we fought our way through the usual Friday London traffic and made it to Portsmouth for the ferry to Santander.
The 33-hour crossing was largely uneventful. The only drama came courtesy of an angry couple travelling in a Morgan, who seemed convinced the Brittany Ferries staff were incompetent and that fumes from my car were somehow going to kill them during the crossing. It certainly helped pass the time!
Once off the ferry, we headed along the north coast with a quick stop at Santillana del Mar before making our way towards Luarca. A lovely little town and well worth a few days.
From there we headed south to Salamanca, taking the direct route which turned out to be a great choice. The motorway was fantastic, the scenery superb and the roads generally very quiet.
The weather was kind to us. Hot, obviously, but nowhere near as uncomfortable as I'd expected and, perhaps most importantly, there were no complaints from the passenger seat.
Getting into Salamanca was an adventure in itself. Our accommodation was right in the centre, which involved navigating through what appeared to be several pedestrian zones.
The car definitely got some attention, with plenty of smiles, waves and approving nods. The notes from the exhaust bouncing off the old stone buildings probably helped ensure nobody missed us.
After a few days there, we headed north again into the Picos. Quite simply one of the best driving destinations I've experienced.
The roads were smooth, empty and beautifully engineered, with stunning scenery around every corner. If you've never been, put it on your list.
The car felt absolutely perfect for that sort of terrain. The tight, twisty roads really suit an early car and it never felt out of its depth. In fact, I'd struggle to think of a better tool for the job.
After three days in the mountains it was sadly time to point the car back towards Santander and catch the ferry home.
The car was faultless throughout, apart from a headlight that decided to have a moment. Other than that, it didn't miss a beat over the entire trip.
A thoroughly enjoyable mini tour with some fantastic roads, great scenery and a reminder that these cars are happiest when they're being used exactly as intended.
A few photos below...
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