Wild (or maybe not so wild) Camping in Spain (in Covid times)

[jumartoo]

Zooming along now ...

Our next trip, I want to include because we went to see the Montes Arabí. We first went to the wine growing town of Jumilla and parked at the Monestary parking there (P4N again!). We had a bike ride and then moved to the clinical, noisy (until curfew time) official parking at Yecla. It's good that such parking is being offered, but in some places it needs policing.

Anyway, after a 10.30 visit to a car by the National Police who entertained us watching the searching, the car left AMD we had, yet another, quiet night.

So Monestary parking

And outdoor mass.

A bit of greenery

 

[gus-lopez]

Shortly after our last trip I fell off/with my bike and broke my upper arm/shoulder. That put paid to biking for a few months. The only slight consolation for me was that at the same time we were locked down into our town's boundaries only.

Haha now a distant memory.

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So, instead of a trip the next photos are from our local areas, visited over the next weeks as we went in and out of boundary rules.

Anyone visiting Mazarron/Bolnuevo may have seen some of the coastal ones.

There are a few new motorhome parking places opening up around the area. The wild camping areas are being lost, slowly.

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The first photos are at Puerto Mazarron and an old salt mine, accessible at low tide. The exit can be seen just below the white house.

Oranges.

Then Bolnuevo.

The Blue Lagoon in the "Badlands"

Mazarron mines after rain. The colour is real!

And the last one is the Church on the coast at Isla Plana, Christmas Day.

Photo 6. Just noticed the gate on the road from the beaches. Cam out that way in the car about 17 years ago.fascinated me the garage door fitted in to the rock wall and wondering if it was even possible to get anything in as road only the width of the car?

 

[jumartoo]

Our clinical parking.

But we left in the morning and drive towards Monte Arabi. We had a bit of a problem when the narrow track we were driving along sunpddenly had a huge earth bank across it. We had a couple of attempts to climb over it,but grounded each time (even after pumping up the air suspension to the maximum). Luckily for us, the farmer who was pruning the trees in the next field, strolled across and told us to reverse back and then take the track to the right past his house, and enter the main track again. Lucky for us, or what?

The parking would be a good overnighter (if you can get there) but the Montes de Arabì are worth a visit. If you can get on a guided tour into the caves with paintings, that would be even better.

We had a walk, and a view of the caves, and were happy.

 

[jumartoo]

I'm disappointed because I can't find the photo of me up in the cave ☹.

Never mind, I'm still skimming our trips.

We had some weeks of showing neighbours some routes around the local region. And then got itchy feet and headed off again.

This time we went back to Bullas (Region bound still) and went for a bike ride.

We parked at the town parking for the Salto de Ucero, but rode away from it. We then ended up back at the Via Verde parking. A bit more colourful this time.

 

[Minxy]

I really shouldn't have clicked on this thread ... I so want to be there exploring it all myself!

Keep it coming though ... if you can find somewhere selling a pastel de nata (yes I know it's Portuguese!) and show a photo of it before you scoff it I will be in 'virtual' heaven!

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[jumartoo]

I really shouldn't have clicked on this thread ... I so want to be there exploring it all myself!

Keep it coming though ... if you can find somewhere selling a pastel de nata (yes I know it's Portuguese!) and show a photo of it before you scoff it I will be in 'virtual' heaven!

I'll try my best

I don't "DO" sweet things, but Pastel de Natas are in a different sphere.

 

[Spriddler]

A graceful exit, Spriddler!

Thanks.
Just to put my comment in context, I don't like Marmite either.

 

[jumartoo]

We were retracing our steps from earlier in the year (or even last year) but in reverse. We went to visit the towns of Cehegin (loosely pronounced theyheen) and then Carzvacz de la Cruz (the fifth holy (Catholic) city in the world). The photos are skimpy, sorry (I do have lots more). And then we ended up back at the Ermita, with restaurant, above Moratalla. I'd promised Martin he could have another meal there.

First though, we called into one of the Bullas bodegas, and stocked up. (We later paid three times the cost of one of the bottles of rosado at the restaurant, but ....)

 

[jumartoo]

After another meal at the restaurant above Moratalla amd another quiet night there we (after chatting to onemof a motorbike group who rode up to have a look, and who I've since found out is a motorhomer from our neighbouring village) we set off to try my shoulder on a via ferrata.

A via ferrata is a metal highway, a climbing route bit with metal steps and security cables. I'd found one that had avoided my radar for a few years, near Fortuna. Fortuna may be well known to some as a spa village.

Anyway, it was too hot for us to park in the unshaded via ferrata parking, so we took the van up a narrow paved road to the social centre of the village of La Garapacha. After being interrogated by the social centre bar worker, we were allowed to park in their shade for the cost of a beer each! Not a huge penalty.

When the sun receded we drive back down to the rough parking (P4N entry) and slept well.

The next morning we set off for our first via ferrata for a few years. My shoulder was under a test, but so were Martin's knees.

We did the climb, serenaded by the fluting calls of the elusive Golden Oriole.

The climb went well, but the steep descent was a step too far for knees. So future via ferratas are on hold.

Spreading out, putting the bikes away.

Cheeky parking under the shade of the social bar.

Via ferrata parking in the evening.

Me on the via ferrata

And the view back down to our motorhome.

 

[Emmit]

Our bike ride took us through the village of Orce and the cave house village of Galera. Galera looked interesting enough to drive there the next day.

But before that we had a walk around the archaeological site of Necropolis de Tutugi.

Necrópolis Ibérica de Tútugi - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre

es.m.wikipedia.org

Sandwich break in Orce, after negotiating the market!
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A few views in Galera
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And in the archaeological site.
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Access free and a free night in their car park.

Got a couple of mates from work who live in Gelara. Fascinating place.

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[jumartoo]

Nearly there ...

Our trip before the one before this one was for a huge five nights away.

We set off, not knowing which way to go. Our first night was back at the motorhome parking of Elche de la Sierra. It was another quiet night after all the sports people had left. We even had had javelin throwers .

We then drove onto Nerpio. It was cold and windy, even though it was sunny so we continued a few more kilometres to Nerpio Viejo, up on the hill. What a lovely (manicured) place (it's now all casas rurales, rural houses for holiday rental). But the place isn't deserted so, maybe a good thing. A P4N again.

It has a nice walk up and around the castle ruins, where there are some graves. What a lovely place to rest?

Nerpios official, serviced, parking. Nerpio Viejo in on the small hill that's bathed in sun in the background.

And our overnight spot at Nerpio Viejo.
Again it was sunny, but very windy, and the wind was cold. Martin has his purple duvet jacket on again (last seen in January).

Our stroll around the castle and hamlet.

 

[jumartoo]

Got a couple of mates from work who live in Gelara. Fascinating place.

We liked it. Maybe tomorrow we'll call there again.

 

[Emmit]

Mrs Emmit still has nightmares about driving the van beside a precipitous drop to get to a car park.
We were surrounded by chimneys.
We were in fact parked on the roofs to the caves.

 

[Hagstrom]

I'm with Spriddler on the Marmite issue.

 

[jumartoo]

Keeping going, nearly up to date (motorhome trips that is). I'd like, if I may, to post a few of our local areas?

After a windy night up the hill, we descended down to the official Nerpio parking to go for a bike ride. Nerpio village is founded on factories. On the access road in from the east you pass he ruins of one of them.

And on our Wikiloc (again) bike ride we passed another. There is also a museum, but it was closed due to Cpv8d.

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[jumartoo]

Our ride took us past a quarry, which we think would have been used originally in the factories. We also got a different view of Nerpio Viejo. It was a nice bike ride, until it entered single track territory. My nerves aren't the same as before October, and I got off and walked a few short sections. Better safe than sorry;

We were back at the motorhome just in time for lunch. So we walked into Nerpio and had a lovely lunch at a place we'd seen recommended on P4N.

 

[busby]

Ah, I assumed it was now, i.e. late Spring. I wasn't aware that it was last Oct after the long dry summer.
I was rather seeking an assurance that all of Spain wasn't so brown and grey as from my brief business trips of 20 years ago I have a vague memory of Spring flower meadows (or was that in Greece?).

EDIT. In retrospect my post reads like the lady guest at Fawlty Towers expressing her dissatisfaction with the view of Torquay.

Plenty of greenery in Spain and not all in the north.Inland Andalucia can be very verdant..BUSBY.

 

[jumartoo]

The next morning we had a dilemma. Do we head into the Cazorla NP where it might be busy, or turn right at the end of the road and into the Albacete region

(From my position reclining in the motorhome in Maria right now, we made the right decision, because during the next week it so we may end up in Cazorla.)

We drove to view the source of the Rio Mundo. Unfortunately the upper waterfall was closed due to Covid and the fact that a two way, socially distanced, route couldn't be maintained. It was possibly only with a guide. The walk up to the lower waterfall was pleasant though, and there had been sufficient rain to make a good display.

Parking at the car park there??? We didn't try, but there's a barrier at the access road into the area, so I expect the forest guards ask people to leave before they lower it.

 

[jumartoo]

Plenty of greenery in Spain and not all in the north.Inland Andalucia can be very verdant..BUSBY.

At the right time of year there's green in all of Spain. But get up to "Green Spain", Galicia, and it's ... green (you might have to suffer a drop of rain though)!

 

[jumartoo]

Decision made to go towards the Albacete region and visit some places our friend Angela recommended. The first place was the very place the motorhome got wedged in the street, Alczraz. (It wasn't us, honest. We've been there in our early days of motorhoming ). We parked where it was recommended and walked up to the ruins of the castle. We worked out we were last in Alcaraz in 2004 because we went for a meal in a cave restaurant and they were televising the Royal Wedding. No meal this time. A walk and a drive onto our next stop.

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[Terry242]

Got a couple of mates from work who live in Gelara. Fascinating place.

Likewise, I have 3 ex colleagues who all have cave dwellings there so it's on our list, if only to see what its all about.
Judith, nice to see that you're both well and posting some great pictures again (we don't bounce well as we get older and the knocks take twice as long to get over).

Terry

 

[jumartoo]

There's a Via Verde near to Alcaraz which, combined with some tracks, would give us an easy ride to do. The Via Verde parking was quite small so instead we parked in the fields allocated for parking for the Sanctuario del Nuestro Señora de Cortes. At certain times of the year thousands of people descend on a pilgrimage.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santuario_de_Cortes&ved=2ahUKEwiLsLjn1fnwAhVmQEEAHZV7CTcQFjAMegQIBhAC&usg=AOvVaw09tC_fR0qR2GcR-9fTPXnh

At the risk of sounding boring, we had another quiet night, not even a barking dog. (We've not heard one for months!)

In the morning we parked in the Viz Verde parking amd set off on our easy ride. Easy by gradient not by sight! The lights in some if the tunnels didn't work and we rode through pitch black ... very disconcerting. Even the phone torches didn't help much. It was funny when we'd finished.

Before we moved on we visited the Sanctuario.

 

[jumartoo]

Likewise, I have 3 ex colleagues who all have cave dwellings there so it's on our list, if only to see what its all about.
Judith, nice to see that you're both well and posting some great pictures again (we don't bounce well as we get older and the knocks take twice as long to get over).

Terry

Terry, hoping to see you and Paula again some day. It's been a few years ...

I hope you're all well?

 

[Lenny HB]

Keep it coming though ... if you can find somewhere selling a pastel de nata (yes I know it's Portuguese!) and show a photo of it before you scoff it I will be in 'virtual' heaven!

Find yourseft a Lidl and get your fix. The ones they sell in the uk are pretty good.

 

[Terry242]

Terry, hoping to see you and Paula again some day. It's been a few years ...

I hope you're all well?

We're hoping to get back to some form of normality and get out there early 2022. We're missing the TdeF as well this year, spending as much time as possible touring the UK.
Both well thanks, just the usual 'old age' issues

Terry

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[jumartoo]

We took a narrow, bumpy, but lovely road over the mountains to the town of Bogarra. There was parking on P4N but not been on long enough to be recommended. The only comment said it was closed when they arrived. Anyway, the gates were open and we parked up and stayed overnight with one other (campervan). The reason for visiting was a "walk of statues" and we set off through the market on Satirday morning.

Anyone arriving from the west on a Saturday in a big vehicle beware. The market is on the main road through. Its doable with care.

We dropped steeply down from the main square to the river and had a lovely walk, looking out for statues. Some were very obvious, others hidden gems.

Just a few of them.

 

[jumartoo]

Leaving Bogarra for Ayna was a bad move at midday on a Saturday in May. Everyone was out. Hundreds of bikers, thousands of cars AMD us trying to navigate the narrow roads. So we didn't stop (again). Our last drive through was in 2004 on the same trip.

We called into the camperstop at El he de la Sierra to service the van, just in case, but then ended up at the parking area back at the mural village of Molinocos because we knew the parking was shady and I'd found a Wikiloc mountain bike route from there.

We sat outside for lunch, semi legal. The bench was there we just added a table and food and drink.

(I'm just being distracted by a very vocal Scops Owl as I type )

Ayna from the hill above

And our shady lunch spot

 

[Emmit]

Likewise, I have 3 ex colleagues who all have cave dwellings there so it's on our list, if only to see what its all about.
Judith, nice to see that you're both well and posting some great pictures again (we don't bounce well as we get older and the knocks take twice as long to get over).

Terry

"ex colleagues"
Two of them wouldn't be Julie and Bob would they?

 

[busby]

At the right time of year there's green in all of Spain. But get up to "Green Spain", Galicia, and it's ... green (you might have to suffer a drop of rain though)!

There now and it's raining. Heading south rather quickly.I don't come all this way for rain.. BUSBY.

 

[jumartoo]

There now and it's raining. Heading south rather quickly.I don't come all this way for rain.. BUSBY.

Sunny here today but rain forecast for tomorrow

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