Wednesday 18th January 2017

It was very cold in the night at Belmonte. Just as we were warming up the van in the morning we ran out of gas and I went out in my dressing gown to change over to the second cylinder - very very cold! The aire here is part of a multipurpose amenity area with parking for cars and coaches as well as motorhomes. It is also a bus stop. I believe the buildings you can see over the far side have showers etc but I didn't go over to look.

We made a shortish journey north to Celorico da Beira and parked at the aire.

We took a walk around town. Here's the main church - locked unfortunately.

Here's the castle - also locked.

There are commanding views from outside the castle walls.

Down the hill a short way we saw another (smaller) church - also locked.

As the shadows lengthened we moved our van from the designated parking place for campervans which had got into the shade to one of the car parking spaces which was still in the sun where we had this view out of our windscreen. I think the high plateau you can see in the distance is the planalto - a cold and barren area which we are planning to travel through tomorrow, There is an old Portuguese saying about the towns on the planalto- "The Cold lunches in Penedrono, takes tea in Trancoso and dines in Guarda"!

Today we traveled 34 miles (55 kilometres). We are at N40.63943 W7.38898