316 lines
11 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
316 lines
11 KiB
Plaintext
Executable File
sponsored
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travel
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brittany-ferries-to-santander
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7881532
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# The stunning Picos de Europa in Northern Spain via Santander with Brittany
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Ferries
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## Between the two main pilgrims' routes in Northern Spain lies a dramatic
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area of outstanding beauty - the Picos de Europa. Penny Cole reports.
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Penny Cole 1:29PM BST 09 Jul 2010
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Deep gorges cutting through mountains, secret villages in high alpine valleys,
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serene lakes, bubbling rivers and historic market towns await those who take
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the loop around the Picos de Europa, surely one of the great drives of Europe.
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![The market town of Potes with the Picos de Europa in the background][1]
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The market town of Potes with the Picos de Europa in the background
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This national park rears skywards just behind the coast to the west of
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Santander and is easily reached from the city.
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It is possible to undertake the full route in a long day, but that would be
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without some outstanding diversions and too little time to simply stop and
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wonder. Take three or four days, leaving room for a couple of nights on the
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stupendous coast, plus a stay in Santander, for a wonderful week's touring.
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The Picos de Europa is not vast but it does justify the word spectacular; more
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so than much of the Alps, in my opinion.
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Out of Santander, head for Panes and you're at the start of this magical tour
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in about an hour. Suddenly the road south disappears into the Desfiladero de
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la Hermida, a narrow, twisting slot through rock walls with jagged tops,
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following the Deva river which cut this ravine over the millennia.
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## Related Articles
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* [The Picos de Europa][2]
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09 Jul 2010
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* [Spain's north coast][3]
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09 Jul 2010
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A first side excursion comes at the hamlet of Hermida and leads up into the
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Picos to the tiny villages of Bejes and Quintana, lonely places that share the
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silent landscape with a few cows and goats.
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Back in the gorge, the road opens into the sunny Liebana valley and, passing
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an excellent new visitor centre, reaches Potes, one of the "gateway" towns
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around the national park which have accommodation bookable through Brittany
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Ferries. Here, there are charming cafes and restaurants set above the river.
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Most travellers head down the side valley that eats deep into the Picos to
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Fuente De, where a cable car glides up one of the most impressive sheer rock
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walls you'll ever see. The vista from the top is everything you'd imagine, but
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do try to go for a hike, either into the stark high ground or down through a
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breathtaking upper valley.
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You need to return to Potes to take the quiet road around the southern part of
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the park. It winds up past untouched forested valleys to the Puerto de San
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Glorio pass, where from above 5,000ft there are stupendous views south-east
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across strange, cloud-skirted peaks or, from a side road, back down into the
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Liebana valley.
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Soon drivers can take a turn-off to Posada de Valdeon. Hemmed in by formidable
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mountains, it's a cute place with more cows than people in the streets. From
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here it's a short drive up to the south end of the Cares gorge through which a
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path clings to the mighty walls. It's an astonishing walk, high above the
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river.
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The scenery is superb all the way out of Valdeon on the way to Oseja de
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Sajambre and the beginning of another drive through a deep ravine. The
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Desfiladero de los Beyos mirrors that of Hermida on the other side of the
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park, with the bonus of a large waterfall.
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Cangas de Onis, the next stop, is another friendly market town, boasting an
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ancient footbridge over the Sella river, a historic parador, cider bars and
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some good restaurants.
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Heading east from here, there's a must-take diversion up to Covadonga, an
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important cultural village and religious sanctuary where, in the eighth
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century, Christians won a significant battle against the Moors. Admire the
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imposing basilica on a ridge and the shrine of the Holy Cave.
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Confident motorists (you'll need to take the shuttle bus in summer) can head
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up the spindly lane to a pair of lakes, Enol and Ercina, set in aweinspiring
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mountain scenery, a divine place for a walk.
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Back downhill, the loop road follows a magnificent valley to Arenas de
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Cabrales, a good place for lunch or to stay overnight (and to try the local
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blue cheese). A route south leads to the north entrance to the Cares gorge at
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Poncebos and another opportunity to take a hike through this bewitching
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natural wonder.
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A recommended alternative is to jump on the funicular that bores more than a
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mile through the mountain to emerge into an alpine wonderland, a hidden valley
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that is home to the bucolic stone village of Bulnes. You can wander to the
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upper part and wonder how people lived here before the transport system was
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built just 10 years ago; until then, the only access was via a precipitous
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path.
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From Poncebos, the little road winds through to the old Picos villages of
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Sotres and Tresviso, which again are on excellent walking routes.
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Retracing the route, it's a short run back to Panes and Santander, where
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you'll ponder on a memorable short tour -- and go in search of another camera
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memory card to replace the one you've just stuffed full.
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[X][4] Share & bookmark
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Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][5]
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* Share: [Share][4] [ ][6] [ ][7]
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[Tweet][8]
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-
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santander/7881532/The-stunning-Picos-de-Europa-in-Northern-Spain-via-
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Santander-with-Brittany-Ferries.html
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Telegraph
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## [Brittany Ferries to Santander][9]
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* ### [Sponsored »][10]
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* ### [Travel »][11]
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[X][4] Share & bookmark
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Delicious Facebook Google Messenger Reddit Twitter
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Digg Fark LinkedIn Google Buzz StumbleUpon Y! Buzz
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[What are these?][5]
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Share:
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* [ ][4]
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* [ ][6]
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* [ ][7]
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* [Tweet][8]
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* ![Brittany Ferries and Santander][12]
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[VIDEOS: PILGRIMS' ROUTE »][13]
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### [Travelling in class to Santander][14]
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[![Brittany Ferries to Santander introduction video: Derek Bishton's
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Camino][15] ][14]
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Derek Bishton heads to Santander with Brittany Ferries as he returns to
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Northern Spain to take another Camino to Santiago de Compostela.
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### [Retracing the Camino: day one][16]
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### [Retracing the Camino: day two][17]
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### [Retracing the Camino: day three][18]
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[Derek Bishton's Blog »][19]
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### [Blog: Santiago or Bust][19]
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[![Derek Bishton's blog: Santiago or Bust][20]][19]
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Read Derek Bishton's blog as he takes his Camino across Northern Europe to
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Santiago de Compostela.
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[Picture gallery »][21]
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### [Derek Bishton's Camino][22]
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[![View of Burgos, including Cathedral, Northern Spain][23]][22]
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Great photographs from Santander to Santiago de Compostella in Spain.
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[Picture Galleries »][24]
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### [The Picos de Europa][2]
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[![Potes][25]][2]
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Beautiful mountains, countryside and historic cities.
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### [Spain's north coast][3]
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[![Frejulfe Beach, Asturias][26]][3]
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Magical coastlines, culture, and delicious seafood.
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[Picos and further afield »][27]
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### [Stunning Picos][28]
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[![The market town of Potes with the Picos de Europa in the background][29]
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][28]
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Between the two main pilgrims' routes in Northern Spain lies a dramatic area
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of outstanding beauty.
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### [Eastern promises][30]
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[![Aragon, Spain][31] ][30]
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A leisurely drive from Santander are the delights of Aragon, Navarra and even
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France.
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[1]:
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http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01676/BF_picos_1676133f.jpg
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[2]: /sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-santander/7875099/Northern-
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Spain-picture-gallery-The-Picos-de-Europa.html
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[3]: /sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-santander/7873218/Spains-north-
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coast-the-Northern-Pilgrims-Route.html
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[4]: #
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[5]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/4590190/Share-this-article-
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What-are-these.html
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[6]: mailto:?subject=A Telegraph reader thought you would be interested in
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this article&body=Depending on your email program, you may be able to click on
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the link in the email. Alternatively, you may have to open a web browser, such
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as Firefox or Internet Explorer, and copy the link over into the address bar.
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%0A%0Ahttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-
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santander/7881532/The-stunning-Picos-de-Europa-in-Northern-Spain-via-
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Santander-with-Brittany-Ferries.html %0A%0AFor the best content online, visit
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www.telegraph.co.uk
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[7]: javascript:print()
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[8]: http://twitter.com/share?via=Telegraph
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[9]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-
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santander/
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[10]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/
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[11]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/
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[12]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01676/sponsor_brittany_16
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76015a.gif
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[13]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-
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santander/7881948/Brittany-Ferries-to-Santander-introduction-video-Derek-
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Bishtons-Camino.html
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[14]: /sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-santander/7881948/Brittany-
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Ferries-to-Santander-introduction-video-Derek-Bishtons-Camino.html
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[15]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01676/Derek-Bishton-
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Vid1_1676356g.jpg
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[16]: /sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-santander/7882042/Derek-
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Bishtons-Camino-Day-one-video.html
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[17]: /sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-santander/7882215/Derek-
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Bishtons-Camino-Day-two-video.html
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[18]: /sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-santander/7882393/Derek-
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Bishtons-Camino-Day-three-video.html
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[19]: http://my.telegraph.co.uk/bishtonblog/
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[20]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01676/Derek-Biston-
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Bentl_1676275g.jpg
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[21]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-
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santander/7889579/Picture-gallery-Derek-Bishtons-Camino-in-Northern-Spain.html
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[22]: /sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-santander/7889579/Picture-
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gallery-Derek-Bishtons-Camino-in-Northern-Spain.html
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[23]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01678/Burgos-Cathedral-
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v_1678782g.jpg
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[24]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-
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santander/7875099/The-Picos-de-Europa.html
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[25]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01673/NSpain-Teleg-
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Picos_1673508e.jpg
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[26]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01673/NSpain-Teleg-
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Coast_1673005e.jpg
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[27]: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-
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santander/7881532/The-stunning-Picos-de-Europa-in-Northern-Spain-via-
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Santander-with-Brittany-Ferries.html
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[28]: /sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-santander/7881532/The-stunning-
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Picos-de-Europa-in-Northern-Spain-via-Santander-with-Brittany-Ferries.html
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[29]:
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http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01676/SceneryPeak_1676387g.jpg
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[30]: /sponsored/travel/brittany-ferries-to-santander/7881779/Visit-Aragon-
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Navarre-and-France-via-Santander-with-Brittany-Ferries.html
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[31]: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01678/Spain-
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Aragon_1678922g.jpg
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