Summer in Spain (again)

[jumartoo]

We had another cool and windy ride today. Not as bad as yesterday though. We rode down to the village of Ródenas and took a few photos and then continued on to pick up a section of the via verde.

We exited the via verde near Ojos Negras, a strange place, partly abandoned. It was obviously built for the workers of the mine/quarry. Even the splendid big houses are now left to nature.

There is a concession to tourism though. A lovely old train and one or two other places to photo but we didn't look for them.

We're staying here again tonight, hoping for clear skies and a starry sky

 

[Peavy]

We had another cool and windy ride today. Not as bad as yesterday though. We rode down to the village of Ródenas and took a few photos and then continued on to pick up a section of the via verde.

We exited the via verde near Ojos Negras, a strange place, partly abandoned. It was obviously built for the workers of the mine/quarry. Even the splendid big houses are now left to nature.

There is a concession to tourism though. A lovely old train and one or two other places to photo but we didn't look for them.

We're staying here again tonight, hoping for clear skies and a starry sky

View attachment 956770View attachment 956771View attachment 956773View attachment 956774View attachment 956775View attachment 956776View attachment 956777View attachment 956778View attachment 956779View attachment 956780View attachment 956782View attachment 956783

Love that salmon colour stones

 

[jumartoo]

Yesterday we left our Castle parking and drove to a nearby Dia supermarket and then continued to our present spot. We're at the motorhome area of a town called Escucha, and a pretty town ... it isn't! The motorhome area is within a walled area of the Padel courts, and our first impression wasn't the best (especially after the views we'd had for two nights) but we had a quiet night. The town has a mining background and has a mining museum. It also has some nice riding terrain around it.

Today's ride took us through some terraced areas and past some cliffs, with the obligatory Griffon Vultures. We then did a few km on a road before climbing up, and up, to the high point amongst the wind turbines. Lots of people were mushroom searching. I looked in the baskets of some guys (they showed me what they'd collected, but didn't offer me any) and they were a pale orangey brown colour. Could they be Chanterelles?

Anyway, we cooked our own, shop bought, mushrooms for lunch!

We're, surprisingly, staying another night here and spending this afternoon/evening planning our route onwards.

Martin pointing to

this Vulture

Viewpoint (fire lookout?)

Palomar de Arroyos (the next town along from here, and it looks prettier)

The highest point (over 1600 m)

Escucha from the high point

And a closer view of the parking area.

 

[Peavy]

Yesterday we left our Castle parking and drove to a nearby Dia supermarket and then continued to our present spot. We're at the motorhome area of a town called Escucha, and a pretty town ... it isn't! The motorhome area is within a walled area of the Padel courts, and our first impression wasn't the best (especially after the views we'd had for two nights) but we had a quiet night. The town has a mining background and has a mining museum. It also has some nice riding terrain around it.

Today's ride took us through some terraced areas and past some cliffs, with the obligatory Griffon Vultures. We then did a few km on a road before climbing up, and up, to the high point amongst the wind turbines. Lots of people were mushroom searching. I looked in the baskets of some guys (they showed me what they'd collected, but didn't offer me any) and they were a pale orangey brown colour. Could they be Chanterelles?

Anyway, we cooked our own, shop bought, mushrooms for lunch!

We're, surprisingly, staying another night here and spending this afternoon/evening planning our route onwards.

View attachment 957648View attachment 957649
Martin pointing to

this Vulture
View attachment 957650View attachment 957652

Viewpoint (fire lookout?)
View attachment 957653

Palomar de Arroyos (the next town along from here, and it looks prettier)
View attachment 957654

The highest point (over 1600 m)
View attachment 957655View attachment 957656

Escucha from the high point
View attachment 957657

And a closer view of the parking area.
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We've passed Escucha many times (what a funny name, right?) and agree with you, what a... not so pretty town, sorry people from Escucha, but there are a lot of more pretty places around Teruel, an area we really love, to be honest,

 

[jumartoo]

27° forecast for today, so we searched for somewhere with shade and we found somewhere we'd had in mind to do a gorge walk and the parking is shady.

We're parked next to a church, some cottages and a playground, not too far from the village of Aliaga. I think where we are is called Aldehuela, but it's a hamlet not a village.

We've walked out and back in the gorge. The Hoz Mala, and I think Martin's knees are also malas now. It was rougher and more "undulating" than we expected.

Nice scenery though.

The drive in.

Motorhome tucked under the trees.

We tried to take a short cut to the official route. We got into an area, but had to almost limbo back out.

It's the fenced off area of the old Central Electric building, now abandoned and falling into bad state.

Gorge photos to follow.

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[jumartoo]

We started the route proper and watched a pair of mountain goats. Mother and offspring, we think, as one was calling to the other, although they're both the same size.

Watching them move along the rocks, and then upwards, seems to defy gravity.

The gorge. We walked until it really started to get rough and rocky and turned back.

 

[Barriesimpson]

We arrived in Ribeira today and it is a pleasant 15ºC. As you can see from the photos, you can't see anything coz the clouds are at ground/sea level

 

[jumartoo]

It was a sunny, warm day today, warm enough to ride with short sleeved tops. We rode a mix of unsurfaced roads, and a newly surfaced (mainly) road.

We entered the village of Villaroya de los Pinares and, after marvelling at the carved wood on the Ermita de Loreto, we went into the village to check out the motorhome area that's been fairly recently built. It's got a service point and three marked parking spaces and is in the entrance to the village and next to a small river.

From there we took the road to Miravete de la Sierra, where we visited the church and rode up, and down, some very narrow original cobbled streets.

We stopped to look at a rock formation before we arrived back at the van. We'd parked it in the village of Aliaga and I'd bought some bits from the little supermarket there.

We've now driven 19km on a narrow road to the Puerto de Majalinos where we've parked for the night. We have a clear sight of the internet mast and have a pretty fast signal.

 

[jumartoo]

Last night, at the Puerto, was cool and calm. We're now at the motorhome area of Ejulve. Billy no Mates but if we'd been here last night we'd have been parked with 10 German offroader vehicles on a group trip. They were off to Albarracin from here.

Ejulve is on the Silent Route. We've driven it in the past and we rode 10km of it today on our return ride.

It's been raining this evening, but now it's just windy and spotting. We're off to the big city tomorrow. Alcañiz. There's LPG, the cheapest diesel around (not as cheap as we've recently paid), a motorhome area next to a laundrette and next to a supermarket.

The town looks pretty good as well.

But today. I didn't take many photos and I also didn't ride all the route. I got off on a steep, loose rocks, descent, in more than one place. I'm back safe and sound so I'm happy.

The only bit Martin walked down. It was worse (much steeper) than it looks.

 

[Peavy]

This place was one of the more silent places we have ever been

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[jumartoo]

This place was one of the more silent places we have ever been

The only sound is the winnnnnd 🌬

 

[jumar]

My turn...after last night heavy rain, we did our domestic duties and headed along part of the Silent Route....planning to get to our destination before it filled up..
We shopped for food, topped up with LPG at Repsol...never had a problem....and found our overnight location...we had been before, but just to do our services....but this time we are staying....not because another Funster is here but because it's handy to do the washing along the same street..
jumartoo popped along to the Launderette whilst I prepared and cooked lunch... occasionally we would chat to our fellow Funsters, who we know from our time living next door to Totana Camperstop....
So any detective's, or any followers of this thread can name our Funster neighbours...
No prize for the correct answer....just checking if our followers are keeping up..

 

[jumartoo]

We ate our, very nice, lunch. It wasn't a Spanish recipe, but very near to being a chicken estofado. Chicken thigh meat, onions, butternut squash and beans, flavoured with turmeric and cumin and veg stock. Cooked in the airfryer. With a piece of garlic bread, it was yummy.

We've just returned from a stroll around Alcañiz. There are some nice old buildings and some abandoned ones. The castle here is also a Parador Hotel, so we didn't see much of it. It appears to have been built in the 12th century with an addition in the 18th century (and I expect quite a lot in between).

 

[bigtree]

We’ve also met a few funsters this year, one at Santander with an almost same name as me. bigtwin

 

[jumar]

Funsters get everywhere...

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[activecampers]

Everywhere looks deserted!!!

And will be be as sunny in 2-3 months time......?

 

[activecampers]

<edit: duplicate post, thought it was previewing as never seen the pop up post before? odd. Could not see "delete" option on post>

 

[bigtree]

View attachment 960217
Funsters get everywhere...

That’s mine.

 

[jumar]

That’s mine.

Great ride this morning...but tough in places...but excellent terrain...now at new Camperstop, which is wonderful..10 places..just us an a German Carthago owner.They get everywhere....prefer a Hymer..

.

 

[jumartoo]

We said goodbye to bigtree this morning and eventually persuaded the GPS to take us on our chosen route to the motorhome area of Torrevelilla. It's a nice enough spot, especially once we'd trimmed the tree with our roof, and we set off on a ride from there. Note the greenery we removed. The rest is in the garden area behind

We fully intended to spend at least tonight there, until we rode through our present spot. This motorhome area of La Cañada de Verich may, possibly, be the best we've stayed on. Definitely one of the best, totally free, areas. Ten marked spaces, with free leccy. A very superior emptying point. A bike repair point, with tools and information boards for biking and hiking. All within a short stroll to the village and directly across from the Capilla del Pilar. We're spending tonight and tomorrow night here.

Now, the ride. From Torrevelilla to here was lovely and leaving here was also pleasant. We stopped for Martin to ride, possibly the slowest circuit, on the Pumptrack, and then continued. Not too long afterwards began the tortuous climbs and descents on a very stony track. We rode the first half and then the steeper, stony, water gullied descents made getting off, at times, the best option (especially for me). Once we were over these few kilometres the track improved and became pleasant again all the way back to the van.

No photos of the nasty bit, I was holding onto the bars too firmly!

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[jumartoo]

We've just had a nice sunset to round off a good day.

It started orangey but then turned to red.

 

[bigtree]

I was out on my KTM today and dropped in on the Jumars, I think they will be chopping in their e-bikes for a proper bike.

 

[jumar]

I was out on my KTM today and dropped in on the Jumars, I think they will be chopping in their e-bikes for a proper bike.

Glad you got back OK Trev....I think you need to spend a bit of time in the shade now .

 

[jumartoo]

After yesterday's ride with the bad section, today we stayed mainly on roads. At the start of our ride was a sculpture to the cyling club of the area which was formed in 1895. There is an old photo of a woman throwing water over a cyclist (for some reason not explained).

From there we rode through three or four different villages. The most interesting, for us, was Fórnoles. It has a murky pond and frog, a tower and a woman knitting (the cat is real!)

 

[jumartoo]

No riding today. Instead we had a leisurely morning and then a short, but interesting, drive to our present spot.

First, though, we parked up at the village of Aguaviva and had a walk up to the church and Plaza España.

On the walk back to the van we spotted a few interesting buildings. Some renovated old buildings and this one. The

The building for municipal services. We don't know if it's still in use for all the services on the list. Probably not.

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[jumartoo]

From Aguaviva we followed the River Bergantes and the terrain changed to take us through a rocky gorge. We came out the other side and we're now at the tiny (2 official places) motorhome area belonging to the village of Villores. It's on Ruta 99 (yes, we'd not heard of it either) but it appears to be a route that visits 24 villages in the Valencia region that have less than 100 inhabitants. I'm now looking into a future bike ride .

The parking we're on is small and with a slightly tricky entrance. Not suitable for long vehicles. It's next to the renovated wash-house and some very productive orchards and gardens. The trough next to the wash-house has fish.

We're hoping to do a ride from here tomorrow and maybe check out the next motorhome area down the road.

 

[activecampers]

Are you just using P4N/S4S to find parking areas and going to them as a starting place to explore?

 

[jumartoo]

Are you just using P4N/S4S to find parking areas and going to them as a starting place to explore?

We're using P4N as always. It's helped us find some great places. For us the more remote/unknown places are the best.

 

[activecampers]

We're using P4N as always. It's helped us find some great places. For us the more remote/unknown places are the best.

You certainly are finding some good spots that we're making notes of for our visit - but usually just bumble and see whats around - so wondering how they were located We do love P4N for giving info on random places we'd never know about - so glad thats the source

 

[jumar]

You certainly are finding some good spots that we're making notes of for our visit - but usually just bumble and see whats around - so wondering how they were located We do love P4N for giving info on random places we'd never know about - so glad thats the source

P4N is a must...however we do quite often just drop on a place....normally remote, we risk assess anything that could be an inconvenience to us... traffic, barking dogs or the young folk that do young folk activities...being in a Spanish registered van rarely attracts any serious attention... inquisitive locals come and look, quite often want a chat...we are quite open to this and they often like to get to know our origins..

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