Granada & Sierra Nevada

Hola,

So we left Tarifa a week ago and to be honest we were gutted to be leaving such a beautiful unspoilt place and knew that the next stop would be totally different especially as we passed through Marbella & Malaga towards Motril as the landscape was filled with motorways and high rise hotels/apartments and became more obviously touristy but we both knew that we had to move on, a bit like when we left the snow & Meribel.  We arrived at Motril and were pleasantly surprised as the campsite Playa De Poniente (funnily the name of one of the winds we had left behind in Tarifa) was basic but right on the beach and had good facilities although rather small pitches but we found one big enough for our van & trailer.  We only planned to stay a couple of nights here as had decided to head North into the Sierra Nevada region which was only 50 miles away.  Once set up we went for the usual explore on foot and by bike along the lovely beachside cycle paths.  The beach was totally different from Tarifa with grey sand and polished pebbles and of course this time it was the med not the Atlantic and it was nice to sit on the beach throwing stones into the water without being sand blasted by the wind!!!  Whilst sat on the beach Julie & I were casually throwing stones over our shoulders into the sea while chatting, we had been doing this for 10 minutes or so and then just as I launched another stone I glanced over my shoulder and to my shock there was a Spanish bloke walking along the waters edge with a stone heading straight for him but luckily it just brushed his shoulder so after a pathetic English apology and some arm waving I think he understood it was an accident!!  Thank god as he was a lot bigger than me!!

After 2 nights at Motril we headed the 50 miles north towards Granada & the Sierra Nevada not knowing what to expect but the campsite had good reviews.  We knew nothing about the area or surroundings but not long after we left Motril and began the climb up towards Granada we knew it was going to be somewhere special as the scenery and roads got better and better.  Once off the small ring road around Granada we continued to climb up and then we got our first glimpse of the Sierra Nevada mountain range with it’s snow capped peaks.  The road resembled the road up to Meribel in the Alps with it’s hairpin bends and mountains either side the only difference being the sun was out and it was 30 degrees.  The sat nav then said that we were close to our destination, with that round the next hairpin we were confronted by a huge reservoir called EMBALSE DE CANALES which covers an area of 176 square kilometres and to a depth of 156 metres with aqua blue crystal clear water which is fed from the Rio Genil which is basically snowmelt from the Sierra Nevada mountains.  We couldn’t believe it as the campsite, just outside a little village called Guejar Sierra, was perched 200m above the reservoir so once at reception we were asked to go and pick a pitch we could’t believe our luck as there was a empty pitch on the very edge looking down into the reservoir and mountains beyond, words can’t describe the scenery, just breathtaking, hopefully the pictures give you some idea.  

One thing we just had to do was go up and visit the ski resort which was only about 20 miles away but at an altitude of 3,500 metres at the summit.   There are two ways to get to the resort either back to Granada and up on a main road or through our village and across the end of the reservoir then up a single track windy, steep road which doesn’t see much traffic and we found out why as it was steep and windy enough on the bike but amazing.  Once at the top we joined the main road into the resort and headed for the top, it was quite spooky as the roads in the resort were deserted as were all the shops, hotels & restaurants and even the chairlifts were hanging idle above the streets, just like a ghost town.  We kept going up and until we could go no further but to our surprise there were 2 small car parks and a couple of cafes and a surprising number of people walking around, there were even children with toboggans heading for what snow was left.  There must have been some sort of competition on as there were people walking back to the car park with skis over there shoulders clad in lycra with numbers pinned to their backs, god only knows how they got up to the snow to ski down as all the lifts we closed, sod walking back down the rocks where the snow line finished with ski boots on let alone walking up!!  We made our way to one of the runs and took a couple of photos it was strange being back on snow and being at altitude but fun and great to see.

One thing we wanted to do was paddle board the length of the reservoir so we sussed out a place to park the motorhome whilst out on the bike which we thought would be OK so the next day we set off but disaster struck……all was going well with Julie getting out and checking the clearance under the back of the van on the tight bends down to the reservoir but as we were nearly there and on one of the last bends we heard an almighty scrape which we thought was just the tow bar grounding out but we immediately stopped & got out but were horrified to see both rear plastic corner panels had caught the road and broke away from their clips cracking the plastic on each bottom corner, it looked horrific but on closer inspection we had had a lucky escape so after some careful manoeuvring we managed to free the van without any further damage and decided to give it up as a bad job and head back to camp to make some repairs!!!  Luckily I had sikaflex adhesive and super glue so removed the damaged panels re-applied the clips and put the van back together and to be honest you would never know, however we have decided to get the panels replaced when we get back to the UK but will claim on our insurance as believe it or not 2 bits of plastic are £800 each……ouch but that’s what you have insurance for!!  It’s funny really as in a book that we have read about a family that did exactly what we are doing they also had some disasters too but after a couple of days it was all forgotten about as it’s all just part of the adventure.  The day was not lost as later that afternoon we found a secluded spot on the reservoir and had a lovely swim and surprisingly the water was warm for melted snow and very refreshing as it was so hot.

We were not to be beaten on the paddle board front so the next day found somewhere better to take the van but didn’t want to leave the van there as it was a bit remote so I dropped Julie and the paddle boards off and took the van back to camp and went back on the bike which took all of 10 minutes, why we didn’t do it that way the day before heaven knows but you live & learn.  It was well worth the effort as the paddle board up the reservoir through the valley and back was EPIC with the crysta clear waters, rocks below and steep mountains either side, we had the whole place to ourselves I mean absolutely nobody, quite spooky.  Julie was a bit concerned what would happen if the dam burst so I just told her we would be giblets….!!! After a couple of hours we went back to camp for lunch.

Our pitch is right at the top of that hill where Julie is pointing.

After lunch we headed into Alhambra to see the Islamic city, palaces & gardens dating back to 1237 when construction began and continued over many centuries. WOW once again we hope the pictures give you some idea, absolutely fantastic, apparently it is one of the most photographed and visited spectacles in Europe and we could see why.

After 5 nights here we are continuing our journey towards Barcelona but have been totally blown away with Granada & Sierra Nevada so if you ever get the chance it’s well worth a visit.

That’s all folks.

J&J

x

Top Of The Rock

Hola,

In our last blog we said we were planning a trip to Gibraltar as Julie has never been and I went years ago with my family when I was about 10 I think.  From the campsite here in Tarifa it’s roughly 25 miles away so we decided to take the bike as we had spoken to a few English people here who said that it was a bit of a nightmare paperwork & passport wise getting in/out with a car let alone a motorhome so thought it would be much easier on the bike so we got our gear on & set off.  We had also been told, and Julie had read in one of our many books that the coast road out of Tarifa towards Algeciras was very scenic with views across the straits of Gibraltar, Morocco & the med.  Well we weren’t disappointed as the coast road was just totally amazing.   As you head out of Tarifa across the hills and through the mass of wind turbines (thankfully it wasn’t windy as we had also been told that driving when it’s windy up there which to be honest is most of the time can be a bit hair raising!!) is just stunning.  On route there was a little cafeteria with breathtaking views so we just had to stop and take a photo, the mist was funnelled between Africa & Europe hanging over the mountains of Morocco as you can see from the picture.

We arrived in Gibraltar and went straight through Customs which was just a quick glance at our Passports by the Spanish Border Controls and a British Policeman, the first time our Passports have been needed since we left the UK back in January.  Julie said it didn’t really seem or look British as you still drive on the right like in Spain, the only obvious familiar difference was the road signs/markings and the volume of traffic, surprise, surprise!!!  We did a quick lap of the whole of the rock which I believe you never used to be able to do which involved going through a fair number of tunnels which still looked under construction by the state of them!!!  We headed back to the centre and found somewhere to park the bike up amongst the hundreds of other bikes & scooters and headed for the main square to grab a map.  We saw a machine that sold maps so as we had some English money we put a £1 coin in and hey presto nothing come out, we had been here only 20 minutes and been ripped off immediately which did made us both laugh!!! but we went into the tourist office and told the lady and she scuttled off and came back with the biggest map you have ever seen!!! so after unfolding the huge map of the rock we set off up the main street towards the cable car to The Top of the Rock.  As we strolled up the High Street we came across M&S and went in and just dribbled round the food section at the selection and also the prices !!!!! but Julie resisted the Percy Pig sweets so it was upward and onward towards the cable car past the many tax free shops selling cameras, alcohol, & perfume etc etc. Once at the lift Julie found the best option on the price menu to get us to the top without all the entrance to this, entrance to that etc etc so we got in the cable car and off we went to the top.  We would of loved to walk up but it was just too hot and I also had a back pack on with our bike gear in plus camera, water, sun cream, sun glasses and not forgetting flip flops which as usual Julie had loaded me up with, all that was missing was the kitchen sink out of the van LOL. Once at the top the views of Spain and the surrounding landscape was fantastic with the cruise ships in Gibraltar harbour and the many tankers/cargo ships waiting to unload in the port.  When you are there you can’t fail to see the barbary apes they are everywhere sitting on railings, walking down the steps/roads, in the visitors centre etc etc.  While looking out over some railings a young family below with a pushchair were looking out to sea and with that while their backs were turned a large ape came casually down the stairs and headed for the cargo net under their pram and swiftly stole a large family pack of crisp and casually walked off opening them as you or I would then sat on the wall in full view and scoffed the lot much to everybody’s amusement and the families shock, they even know how to unzip back packs to remove food while you aren’t looking, they are constantly on the look out for a free meal .  They can be vicious as I found out by getting a bit too close for a photo, one grabbed my arm as if to say back off.  On one elderly lady we saw one had actually drawn blood on her arm doing the same thing which did look quite nasty, we even saw one with some TUC biscuits & some McDonalds fries it had stolen!!!  We did the walk around the top of the rock and then decided to walk back down into the main square for some lunch/beer.  On the walk down Julie spotted what looked like a Pinbin Skip which reminded her of work but only for a split second.... it was even the right colours!!!

After lunch we decided to head back to camp but via Morrisons Superstore on the way out as Julie wanted to get a few luxury items, OMG it was just like being in our local store at home, we just looked at each other and said let’s get out of here as it was a real reality check, thankfully when we got back outside we weren’t in Northfleet!!  The few luxury items cost more than our monthly shop here in Spain!!

 On leaving we just couldn’t believe the traffic & hustle bustle of everyday life so couldn’t wait to leave so after the all clear from the English Policeman to cross the runway which you have to cross to enter or leave Gib we hot footed it towards the border via the motorcycle/scooter lane which bypasses all the queues which was great.  We then took one last photo of the rock and headed back to camp back along the beautiful coast road and stopped to take another photo by which time the mist had cleared, what a beautiful view.

After just a few days of no wind the wind here has returned but with a vengeance although it’s “Levante” from the East so off-shore but my god it has been “wind stops play” as it has been soooo windy we haven’t be able to kite, paddle board or cycle and even had to de-rig the van to drive to Lidl’s to get our shopping as it was too much to be out on the motorbike.  Walking was about the only thing we could do but even that became impossible as on the beach it was blowing 40+ knots and it was painful as we were just being sand blasted!! We decided to de-rig the van and drive up to Bolonia to escape the wind and pay a visit to the Baelo Claudia Roman ruins which are situated right on the beach which are quite amazing and a must see.  They emerged in the 2nd Century BC in an area of great strategic importance, The Straits of Gibraltar. It’s origin and subsequent development are closely associated with the tuna fishing & salting industries and trade with the North of Africa, as it was the main port for the present-day Tangier…..get me, oh I just copied that from the leaflet!!!  The only good thing about the wind is that you don’t feel the heat as at Bolonia it was over 30 degrees although it was still quite breezy.

There are many migrating birds from Africa that fly over the campsite that we have discovered are actually vultures and there’s even a Stork with a huge nest just over the road from the campsite which has set up home on top of a pylon, it’s nest is that big that the sparrows nest underneath.  When we have been driving through Portugal & Spain we have seen loads on top of the Pylons.

Whilst out getting sand blasted along the beach the other evening we spotted some kiters in the lagoon that were throwing some pretty sick tricks so we walked along and spotted a VW van with “Hadlow” sign writing on it and sure enough it was 5 times world champ Aaron Hadlow practising in our lagoon so we just sat and watched in amazement as he threw trick after trick with I take it what was his girlfriend taking some pics then the same again the next evening with a couple of other English lads doing some very impressive tricks and some even bigger crashes!!!!! 

The wind did relent for a few hours yesterday afternoon so we managed to get a last kite surf in which was great.   We left Tarifa this morning which was quite sad as we have really loved it here as it ticked all the boxes and we used all the toys from our toy box but we are continuing our adventure heading towards Barcelona to meet Julie’s Mum & Dad at the beginning of June which we are both really looking forward to.  Tarifa & it’s surroundings are certainly a place that we will re-visit sometime in the future

That’s all for now, adios amigos.

J&J

xx

Wind, Wheels & Whales (oh and a splash of Wine...!)

Hola,

We are still sunning ourselves here in beautiful Tarifa.  It’s so nice here and unspoilt and isn’t at all touristy with hotels crammed along the coast which is partly because the beaches and dunes are in a protected nature reserve and also probably because it is so windy which is great for us for the kitesurfing but sometimes it would be nice to have an “on/off” switch as the last week it has just been relentless.  We haven’t been able to have the awning out and cooking outside has been impossible and we are both exhausted from plenty of full-on kiting sessions, we must be getting old!! Thankfully the last few days the wind has dropped off so we have been able to get out on the mountain bikes and paddle boards for a change.  We paddled up the Rio Jara again but further this time and as we were going along Julie said she saw a creature poke it’s head up and then on the river bank we saw things scuttling into the water and then realised that they were terrapins most of them were about the size of a cereal bowl so much bigger than those you see at home. 

There are loads of mountain bike trails here too so we headed off the other afternoon up into the hills up towards one of the wind farms, again into a nature reserve area with loads of cows, sheep, goats & horses just roaming around.  We came across a nice little stream for a photo opportunity but were later confronted by a rather large cow with huge horns who had come for a drink so we made a rather quick exit!!

We have also been exploring West along the coast too to see the dune at Valdevaqueros which is amazing, the road alongside is just pine trees and sand either side which we found out they have to clear weekly and from there you get an amazing view of the whole bay back towards Tarifa town.  A little further round the West coast is Bolonia which is a smaller version of this bay with a smaller dune and some Roman ruins right on the beach, again very nice and unspoilt.

We went out on a boat trip whale & dolphin watching across the Strait of Gibraltar where you are guaranteed to see either whales or dolphins so they say.  The trip was about 2 hours, an hour out into the Straits and then an hour back, it was as usual quite windy so there was quite a swell which Julie wasn’t that keen on but it settled down after a while.  Common, Striped and Bottlenose dolphins live here all year along with Pilot Whales which are also part of the dolphin family and if you are very lucky Killer Whales & Sperm Whales can be seen at certain times of the year too.  After about an hour the guys on the boat spotted something in the water through their binoculars so we headed towards them and the next minute all we could see were large black fins on the surface of the water, it was a pod of Pilot Whales.  They were so close to the boat and quite big with a flat round head and they didn’t seem to bat an eyelid about the boat and as you can see from the pictures we were very close to them.  The boat also had a glass hull so we were able to get pictures of them under the water too.  

Then all of a sudden the boat headed off again as the crew had spotted something else in the distance, when we looked we could see water being spurted into the air from a much larger whale that was also visible on the surface but this time we approached carefully and could see the sheer size of it.  It was a massive Sperm Whale which usually feed in deep dives of about an hour and then re-surface for about 10 minutes so we were really lucky to see it, after a while it arched it’s back and dived back under and I managed to capture it on my camera, it was an amazing experience.

I have been out on my surf board too but the moment I stepped foot in the water the swell seemed to double so it was hard going but it’s something I have been wanting to learn for a while so I will persevere with it as I don’t like things getting the better of me.

Well that’s the “Wind”, “Wheels” & “Whales” covered and the picture below is the

"splash of Wine”…….

We are planning a trip to Gibraltar in the next few days so will update you in our next blog.

That’s all for now.

J&J

x