Old buildings

One of many villages we looked at. The purpose was for my girlfriend to find a cheap and cheerful bolt-holt to do up and use to escape from Madrid at the weekends. And if I'm a good boy, I might get to share it too sometimes! Sight and sound: www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oyhlad64-s I tried to add this to the group Sight and sound but seem to have reached the max allowed. I don't understand. I add about 2 a month. How can I have exceeded the maximum with 2 in one day? .................. OK I have just read the rules. One a day!!

Unfortunately this place, which was highly rated, had had a recent change of ownership and the service was awful and the food only marginally better!

Pedraza, Segovia province.

In the distance, St Agnes beacon and the Cornish north coast.

Turegano was an important town many years ago but it suffered population decline along with all the lesser towns and cities of Spain. Now it is just the castle ruins that keep it on the tourist trail.

Chinchon, Madrid Province is very pretty and very touristy. I visited on a Monday in April, so it was pleasantly tourist-horde free.

Well, my brother calls it a cottage. It is in fact quite a big house comprising all that you see here. Near Perranporth and so not far from Saint Day and re-assuringly close to my elderly parents. My sister and I live in Spain so it was a worry before my brother acquired this property.

I really enjoyed our visit here today (sorry, yesterday). A much less intimidating royal palace than El Escorial, just over the other side of the Sierra de Guadarrama.

A beautiful town in Madrid province, surprisingly tourist-free.

Palacio Real de La Granja de San Ildefonso, Segovia Province. Sight and sound; www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FOUqQt3Kg0

Neolithic tomb chamber ( Ballowall Scillonian Burial Chamber, to be technical) and Land's End in the distance, complete with its apostrophe at long last!. Another Cornwall sea view for Pam!

I meant to save this for an HFF but forgot!

Near the car park before the walk up to Chun Castle and Chun Quoit. I think this is just in Morvah parish but it could conceivably be in Madron parish. If anyone is desperately anxious to know which, please ask me and I'll get back with a definitive answer

The convent from above. There are a number of steep ascents to the high point of the ridge from here. I normally ascend by another route and sometimes descend here. I have ascended here twice only and it is pergatory if you are not reasonably fit! Situated at the foot of the steep ridge of the Sierra de La Cabrera.

old wall, church and street in Chinchon, Madrid Province

on a stormy day. This has to be for Pam too. It's a typical English West Country coastal town shot. Even without the sea as a backdrop, it couldn't be anything else!

Patones de Arriba, Madrid Province

Pedraza in Segovia Province is a very well preserved medieval fortified town and worth a visit despite the tourist coach loads on a day trip from Madrid. It does boast some excellent restaurants.