Finally ? a connection

Day 1 - 3 The crossing 2 - 4 March

Storm force 9 to 10 in the channel once we cleared the shelter of the IOW. So most of the night was banging, groaning and moaning and that was only the cabin next door. I know, you can see it coming a mile off but I am on holiday.

It’s only one day to survive but am still convinced that a cruise would be like hell on earth. Noisy people and too many of them.

Due to the storm which I’m told was described as a ‘cyclone’ ! on British weather we had to shut down half the engines and arrive three hours late.



Day 3 The journey south 4 March

Starting late meant it was unlikely that we would get to the area I wanted to by today - near La Carolina, just in the NE corner of Andalucia. Had been told about the shanty town just south of Madrid but still surprising to see what looked like the outskirts of Cape Town outside a European capital.

Central Spain running straight from Bilbao to the south is mostly flat and pretty empty - certainly of campsites. No wonder Don Quixote went mad and hallucinated so much. I’d heard the area around Chartres described as “plains of bitter ugliness” and that fits what we drove through today, until we saw the mountains and the snowy tops.

We did end up arriving after dark at the site near La Carolina because there were apparently no other sites between there and Madrid. We were though, in limestone mountain country.


Day 4 1st real day 5 March

Hoop Petticoat Narcissi all over the woods on the campsite and happily re-acquainted with rather splendid Azure Magpies.

Head SE into gloriously untouristy countryside mainly spoilt by having the largest monoculture I’ve ever seen. Mile upon mile of olives with everything underneath sprayed out. Looked very much like corn braided landscape.

Past Cazorla into the Parc Natural de Las Sierras de Cazorla.

Campsite with a river alongside, lots of static caravans and we seem to be the only tourers - perfect.

Long tailed tits and tree creepers on site. Our book helpfully says that “song is important and then that some tree creepers mimic short toed tree creepers and vice versa. Great.
However, from our location they are more likely to be short toed ones.


Day 5 Nat. Parc de Cazorla 6 March

Stopped at the park information office which is very classy and really good on it’s displays which are obviously aimed at older children. EC money according to the signs. Things like pictures of birds on which you press a button and you hear the song. One large wall panel showing a wood in spring/early summer with everything looking the same. Press a button and the box backlights a rear picture of the same view in autumn. Very clever.

Drove northwards towards the reservoir which was disturbingly low. We guess about 30 - 50 feet low and in the early spring. Saw our first orchid of the year, the only one all day and in full bloom on 6 March. We think it was Giant Orchid (Himantoglossum longibracteatum). We only have a Polunin with us which isn’t very good and many of the flowers don’t even look familiar enough yet to be put into a family.


Day 6 To Almeria 7 March

Awoke to heavy rain seemingly in for the day so decided to carry on driving south to Almeria or more specifically the Parc Natural Cabo de Gata-Nijar, the only bit of coast we want to see this side of Gibralter and the Atlantic Costa de La Luz We managed, in one day, to drive through heavy rain, fog, sun, very strong winds and dust storms to get to our site by the beach at La Negras.

We thought that we might be too early for some campsites but are amazed to discover how few there are. Today, over a 220 mile drive we had a choice of 2 actually on our route. That‘s the one we‘re on and one 2 miles inland. If we had cared to go off route (anything up to 50 miles off route) we could add another 4, according to our Caravan Club book. Goodness knows what it’ll be like when we get the no touristy west of centre Spain. Our expectation that we would stop on a site and walk into the nearest village or base ourselves somewhere for short trips out is looking optimistic.


Day 7 Cabo de Gata -Las Negras 8 March

Very, very strong winds overnight but no damage to us or to the very pleasant site next to the beach. It’s just north of here they filmed all the ‘Spaghetti Westerns‘ with Clint Eastwood. Between there and here are masses and masses of plastic sheeted growing (not polytunnels) just plonked everywhere. Fortunately we’re in a National Park and the landscape here is unspoiled, spectacularly rugged, very red and very dry. Lowest rainfall in Spain, we’ve read and with dried up watercourses and no open water to be seen this early in the year, believable.

A pair of Sardinian Warblers next to the van at breakfast. Male picks up and puts down nest material close to female who hops over picks it up, puts it down and flies off. ???????

Lots of plants in bloom. Pungent lavender, a pale mauve Phlomis, something called Cornicabra in Spanish, lots of deep red poppies, a Vipers Buglossy sort of thing, compact gorse and more that we haven’t a clue about. Still haven’t seen one raptor.

Explored a little of the area by driving. San Jose quite a nice little place, being built up but quiet at this time of year. This where our current internet connection is made.

The nearest village, Las Negras is just in the process of being overdeveloped like so much of the coast and that‘s inside the national park. I’m glad we’ve seen it now. The coast has some spectacular walking and after a very relaxing day today, we plan to start walking tomorrow.

It’s been a hot day and the evening is still warm enough to stroll on the beach.


Day 8 Cabo de Gata - Coast Walk 9 March

Day (start late/finish early) walk along this stunning coastline - about 10km. The heat brings out the scents of all the aromatic plants, lots of Thyme, Lavender and Rosemary, some of which have been gathered for cooking. Several very different aromas to the Thymes but strangely no ordinary Sage.

More Orchids, some already going over.

At the highest point we got to on the coast we could stand in hot sun and see. 40 miles or so to the west, the snowy tops of the Sierra Nevada. Probably the area we head to next.


Day 9 Cabo de Gata 10 March

Drove to the equivalent of Lands End, the lighthouse, on the way to the salt pan lagoons. Not much to see really, flamingoes, avocets, black winged stilts.
Would be a good list for Brownsea Lagoon - perhaps in a few decades or so.

Unfortunately, the interpretation centre with it’s “best display in the world of the flora and fauna of the area” is closed for refurbishment “to provide a better service”. Had to console ourselves with tea and fruit cake.


Day 10 Cabo de Gata 11 March

Had a day at leisure, as the tours usually describe no plans to do anything.

Today, what I think is a Serin serenaded us regularly all day from a treelet 20 feet from the van.


Day 11 To Laujar de Andarax 12 March

Into Almeria for some shopping and learnt about the England victory over France, a match I would have loved to see. West of Almeria, a shimmering sea of plastic. Odd flat topped structures - nowhere near as beautiful and elegant as a polytonal. We turned north over the hills which are rugged but not beautiful with lots of what seems to our eyes as inappropriate development.

Once on the north we head westwards towards the Almerian Alpujarra, the eastern end of the Sierra Nevada, apparently more wooded than the Granadan side. Views towards the snowy tops further west. Lots of blossom, almonds, cherries and lots of citrus fruit. L:aujar turns out to be a pleasant little town at about 3000ft and the campsite is set in a small orchard. It was freezing at night. We were colder than we were last year in the Ice Hotel, although at that time we were in one piece sleep suits, in a four season sleeping bag with hood and on a reindeer skin (reindeer not in residence). So not a good comparison really.


Day 12 Laujar de Andarax 13 March

A walk in the hills, straight from the campsite and up. Lots of conifer and not much else but some great views. Still the only raptors have been a couple of Kestrels, probably Lesser Kestrels according to the book. Not many other birds either.

The campsite owner, Pasquale brings us a thick blanket and the emergency supply of hot-water bottle is broken out. Still freezing.


Day 13 Laujar de Andarax 14 March

Today we plan a longer walk higher up and do about 12 miles, reaching about 6,500 ft. Noticed that our lunchtime crisp bag has inflated, presumably from the lower air pressure from the Supermercado at sea level where they were bought. Only plants of note was a group of Fly (?) Orchids as we drive back down to town.


Day 14 To Cordoba 15 March

Drive of 180 miles to Cordoba, where we planned to end up but only one campsite between Laujar and here. Last time hare we stayed in the Parador, half a kilometre further out of town than we are. For those of you who don’t know Paradors are not, despite the publicity, all converted castles or monasteries and old romantic buildings. They are state run and the one here is a modern block hotel with as I recall, surly state employees. Easily forgiven however for the wonders of the Mesquita. This relly is one of those places to see before you die. A huge mosque, several football piches in size, built over centuries, which has had a cathedral built in the middle of it. Just unbelievable.