Blowin' in the Wind

Saturday 28 March – Tuesday 31 March

On Saturday we travelled about 50 miles to Camping Eden in Peniscola, which will be our most southerly point in Spain. This means we have left Catalunya and are now in the region of Valencia. Still windy, but glorious sunshine. It's a huge site and almost full, as it's the start of Easter week. We had a low-key day, relaxing in the sunshine, getting the lie of the land and catching up with some chores.

We unashamedly admit to people watching and that is causing some amusement here. There are very few Brits on the site and most of the rest (Germans, Dutch, Swedes, French, Spanish) appear to be long-termers. Their groundsheets are pegged out to cover every last inch of their pitches in front of their 'vans and then refilled 5 litre water containers warn of anything hazardous, satellite antenna perhaps, guy lines, bike storage tent etc. Wind breaks complete the set up, one with a sign hanging on it, saying “hello neighbours” in German. We have seen one lady sweeping her groundsheet and an elderly gentleman pulling up weeds!

While here we cycled northwards along the sea front from Peniscola, which is predominantly hotels and restaurants and merges seamlessly with the next town, Benicarlo. More of the same. However, we did venture further than this towards Vinaros. Once we had left the touristy area, we began to see a more rural Spain, passing by fields of vegetables - artichokes, cauliflower and cabbages). There were some properties for sale and we got the feeling that some of the land belonged to those, as it looked rather neglected. We saw orange trees, still bearing some of their fruit, but with much of it lying on the ground going to waste. The quality of the soil is variable, some a mixture of sand and rocks so that you wonder how anything would grow, some looking more “improved”. Lines of small irrigation pipes shadowed some newly set plants in very neat rows.

A walk into Peniscola old town, a 2 km stroll along the sea front in the opposite direction to Benicarlo, was another “must do”.

To our minds it was pleasantly warm, despite the huge bank of cloud which refused to budge during the whole day, tantalisingly leaving the patch of blue sky behind it in the distance. The Spaniards, however, thought otherwise, and were well wrapped up in jumpers or even coats and must have thought we were mad in only t-shirts.

On the way we passed this fantastic sand sculpture

After a quick look at the port area, we browsed the steep and winding little streets of the old town, where there are innumerable restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops until it was time to find somewhere for lunch. We had an excellent menu del dia, choosing a paella for the main course.

Then on to have a look around the castle, which is undergoing some restoration. It was well worth the Euro 2.50 each (a reduced rate for over 60's!) for the views alone.

View of the port area (left) and North Beach (right) from the castle

But there were also explanatory boards in several languages, which made the walk around the buildings all the more interesting, and not even a mention of a guidebook! After leaving the castle area, we noticed some gardens below, and found that the entrance to these is included in the ticket to the castle. They comprise mainly date palms but our limited Spanish and various tethers told us that this is where you would find the Bird of Prey Sanctuary. Nothing happening today though.

Once back at the 'van, the wind picked up and later in the evening we became aware of a warm, pink glow resulting from a beautiful sunset. The wind had blown the bank of cloud away at last!

Tuesday 31 March: Today's THE DAY and what we came here for. The sky is an unblemished blue, the sun is blazing and it's really hot. The 'van thermometer tells us it is 27.5 deg C outside and 30.5 deg C inside. Thank goodness for the wind!

So we have not ventured far; the shop (200 metres), the toilet/shower block (50 metres), the rubbish area (15 metres),the tap (3 metres). And the chairs have been used quite a lot!

But we did stir ourselves towards the end of the day and go to the beach across the road to paddle in the sea.

Always take the weather with you

Wednesday 25 March to Friday 27 March

The trouble with having stayed on an excellent site, the next one falls short of the mark!

From l'Estartit we planned a short journey to Blanes, only 60 miles, intending to stop off at one or two places on the way. However, it was soon raining quite heavily and we decided against stopping at Pals and hoped the weather might improve a bit later. We should have been so lucky! As we climbed up to Begur, we disappeared into the low cloud and it was still raining. Nor were the parking areas we saw especially motor-home friendly (no barriers, but small) so we didn't visit here either. So on to Blanes, a very different place to l'Estartit, being on the area of the Costa Brava lined with hotels and camp sites. We had selected Camping Blanes, where the facilities turned out to be OK, but rather dated, but this site (and the same was true for others we saw) lurked beneath pine trees, extremely beneficial in summer, not so enticing on a dull, wet day. After being dripped upon from on high all night, we decided to move on again in search of the sun, but did have a brisk walk to the edge of town along the seafront before making our escape.

Blanes

The journey to L'Ametlla de Mar, just north of the Delta de l'Ebre, was mostly on motorways and the toll system was rather bizarre. We had to stop three times in quick succession to pay tolls of Euros 1.11, 2.27 and 0.80! As soon as we had passed Barcelona, the cloud lifted (hurrah!) and the sun came out and by the time we reached Camping Ametlla Village Platja, it was glorious (ignoring the cool wind!) Another good site with excellent facilities and well out of town. One disadvantage is the road up to the campsite, narrow, windy and one quite steep bit (all OK unless something is coming in the other direction!) and there is some noise from a railway line which passes quite close by. I'm not sure the site would be as attractive at busier times as much of it is dedicated to a lot of chalet accommodation.

There is a great walk direct from the site along the coast, to L'Ametlla de Mar, about 5 km distant. The rocky path is fairly flat most of the time, but there some ups and downs along the way. It is even signed, stripes of red and white paint this time, with white stone markers as well. We did wonder, however, how long the path will exist, as it was obvious that the cliffs were being seriously eroded. You can also walk in the opposite direction, down to Cala de l'Aliga or even further to l'Ampolla, about 12 km.

The main reason for staying at L'Ametlla de Mar was in order to visit the Delta de l'Ebre, although we have subsequently found sites which sound equally good and are nearer. Next time ….

It was a very clear morning, with the mountains so sharp they looked like cardboard cutouts. However, after leaving the main road to enter the delta and putting the mountains behind us, the landscape changed dramatically and it felt like being in the Fens!

The information office at Deltebre was a good place to start our visit (open from 10:00 to 13:00). Although the assistant spoke no English, we compromised with French! She provided us with a good map (Euro 0.50) and kindly suggested some places to visit and how to get there. Before setting off we visited the Ecomuseum located above the office (Euro 2.00 per person) which gave a good overview of the delta, past and present. Panels were obligingly written in English. The exhibition continues outside with examples of trees and crops to be found on the delta, a separate building dedicated to the rice fields and an aquarium. It was a really worthwhile half-hour introduction.

Bridge over River Ebre at St Jaume d'Enveja near Deltebre

As the Rough Guide to Spain says:

In the bottom corner of Catlunya is the Delta de l'Ebre, 320 square kilometres of sandy delta constituting the biggest wetland in Catalunya and one of the most important aquatic habitats in the western Mediterranean. Designated a natural park, its brackish lagoons, marshes,, dunes and reed beds are home to thousands of wintering birds ….. The scenery is unique in Catalunya, with low roads running through field after field of rice paddies, punctuated by solitary houses and small villages, before emerging onto dune-lined beaches.

At the southwestern point, there is a working salt mine producing 50,000 tons of salt per year (if we remember correctly!) and lorries are constantly travelling to and from along some of the narrow roads and ultimately across the 6 km long sand spit. It was a bit of a headache squeezing past on the narrow roads (John, who was driving, would put it more strongly than that!), but at least you could see them approaching far into the distance.

We made some short stops to look for birds and saw flamingoes, terns, a kingfisher, and heron. Although we are no twitchers, we also believe we saw a marsh harrier and little egrets (will have to check with Clive when we get home!)

Whilst we didn't choose to do so today, the delta would be a great place for some cycling, some suggested routes being marked on the map.

Home by the Sea

Wednesday 18 March – Tuesday 24 March

Oops, hadn't meant to leave it this long before another entry, but it seemed sensible to write just once from Camping Les Medes and we have stayed here a whole week! We had read articles highly praising this site and it lives up to our expectations. It is only a 15 minute walk to the coast and you can always hear the sound of the sea. Some services, such as the restaurant, don't start until 1 April. Otherwise the only negative thing to note is that the pitches are sandy/gravelly and when it rains parts of some pitches do not drain well so are rather messy.  There is a good shop on site, with a huge range of goods, including bread, rolls etc, baked on site every day and freshly squeezed orange juice. No doubt the chilled cabinets will be stocked up when the season starts.

The weather has been a little disappointing, with one particularly wet and windy night, but on the whole it has not prevented us from getting out and about.

There is plenty to keep you occupied in this area, with a nature reserve close by and lots of footpaths and cycle tracks which have enabled us to cycle safely into both l'Estartit, where we enjoyed a tapas lunch, and to Torroella de Montgri, where the castle looms over the town.

We made an attempt to walk to Cala de la Barra and Cala Calella to the north of l'Estartit but sadly the signposting was no more than occasional daubs of fading green paint on a rock here and there and these coves completely passed us by. However, after a steep descent down a rocky path we did get to Cala Pedrosa, a tiny cove with nothing but the lapping, crystal-clear water of the Med.

Having had only ourselves for company during the journey to Spain, it was nice to find ourselves pitched next to friendly neighbours, Simon and Cathy and we enjoyed a meal together in L'Estartit on their last night on site.

We have visited the ruins of Empuries, just north of L'Escala, where there are remains of both the Roman and Greek cities. It is a huge site, where archaeological work continues. Obviously in a cynical mood, John remarked that the Thermal Bath was just like a Nuffield Health gym and, if you read the information board, there are definite similarities! 

At the end of our visit there we moved the van to the beach car park next door and then set off for short walks to Sant Marti d'Empuries, a small mediaeval village in one direction and to l'Escala in the other.

Another trip has been to La Bisbal d'Emporda, which is certainly worth a few hours' visit. The town produces ceramics, and pottery shops line the main road. 

After browsing in those for a while we found a lovely bistro called Divinum located in the Avenguda de les Voltes, offering a menu del dia for just Euro 11.50 and including three courses, bread, wine or water, and coffee. The food was delicious. 

We rounded off the visit with a leisurely stroll around the interesting old town and then along the river, which is in need of some clearing and cleaning, back to Theodora. On the way back to the site we called in at Peratallada, a fascinating medieval walled town. It seemed to be purely restaurants and holiday accommodation, integrated into the honey-coloured stone buildings and we wondered if anyone actually lives there or whether it is purely a retreat for residents of the nearby cities.

We have only scratched the surface of this part of Catalunya, but it really is time to move on …..

Drive South

Saturday 14 March 2015

Up at the crack of dawn today, but hey, who cares? We are off on our trip to Spain!

After an unremarkable journey to Folkestone and through the Channel tunnel, we departed Calais around 11:30 in the safe hands of Snoopy Satnav. We put our trust in her even when she directed us around Rouen in what seemed, to us, an illogical anticlockwise direction. Our stopover for the night was the aire at Nonancourt, approx 190 miles from Calais, tucked between the town hall and fire station with the police station only a stone's throw away. So we felt pretty well covered in the event of any emergency! It was only 4 pm when we arrived but four of the six spaces were already taken by British vans, so it was quite like home!

To make the most of the sunshine, we had a quick walk to the centre of the small town, which has lots of picturesque half timbered buildings. Another interesting feature is the church of St Martin, with a collection of stained glass windows dating from the 16^th century.

Sunday 15 March

Happy Mothers' Day!

We seemed to be a bit slow in the getting up, organised and away routine this morning, but our excuse is that it's the first outing of the season so we are probably a bit rusty. The forecast for today included rain, but we escaped that and had a pleasant enough motorway journey with a few sunny spells. A bit chilly once you stepped outside though. We have been surprised by the light traffic, apart from around large towns, and today, being Sunday, there were few lorries on the road. With a few exceptions, lorries over 7.5 tons are banned between 10 pm Saturday and 10 pm Sunday. In July and August there is a further restriction between 7 am and 7 pm on Saturday leaving the poor hauliers a window of precisely 3 hours to complete a journey. But perhaps the drivers don't mind - when we stopped at some services in the afternoon the lorries were all parked up with the drivers lounging on camp chairs around tables in front of their vehicles enjoying the sunshine! The motorway toll was a bit of a shock, but is a trade off for a faster journey. Our night halt was Camping Le Clos Auroy at Orcet just off the motorway south of Clermont-Ferrand. There were only a dozen or so pitches occupied so the facilities had been scaled down but it was more than adequate for our needs. The water in the swimming pool (not yet opened) looked a bit green! The only disappointment was that there was no ACSI discount until 1 April – blast!

Monday 16 March

The journey today was mostly on the A75, which is the longest European toll-free motorway (that is if you disregard the section at Millau). The average height above sea level is 700 m and the views are rather splendid. As we rounded the corner at Col de la Fageolle (1107 m) we were greeted with a panoramic view over the distant mountains, still bearing the last of the winter snow. We stopped off at the Aire de Garabit to admire the Viaduc Garabit, the railway viaduct, designed by Gustave Eiffel and built between 1880 and 1888. Sections of the viaduct were constructed in Paris and transported by rail to the nearest station which was some 30 km from the site. Some walk for the beasts of burden!

Our next stop was the Millau Viaduct which appeared on the horizon while we were still some 10 km away. We exited the motorway prior to the tolled section and followed the signs for the Aire de Viaduc, which has separate sections for buses, cars and motorhomes. Not that that was significant today as we were the only vehicle there. We suspect that most people stop at the Aire de Services, accessible from the tolled section. From the Aire de Viaduc it's a short walk up to the Aire de Services where there is an interesting exhibition and short film about the construction of the viaduct. A further short walk takes you to a viewpoint. Despite the size of the structure, it is visually rather delicate.

From the Aire de Viaduc we zigzagged our way into Millau itself and then drove under the viaduct, which really brings home how massive it is. Beneath the viaduct is another visitor centre, but we didn't venture in here.

From Millau we continued to Roquefort-sur-Soulzon for another free night stop at the aire next to Tourist Information Office. Only one other van (German) was parked when we arrived, but a quick chat affirmed that they intended to stay the night (reassurance for Ruth!).

By the time we retired to bed, there were five of us, one German, two French, one Dutch and us. It was a glorious sunny late afternoon but the clear sky meant that the temperature fell dramatically as the evening progressed.

Tuesday 17 March

The temperature continued to fall through the night and we added socks, t-shirts and another blanket to our sleeping clothes/bedding! At 7:30 the thermometer was reading 1.5 deg C outside and 4 deg C inside. We hadn't realised that Roquefort is quite so high up, altitude 630 m. However, the gas heating quickly took the edge off this 'fridge-like environment and the brilliant blue sky and rising sun was encouraging.

Roquefort is a town of only about 700 inhabitants but has no less than 7 cheese producers, four of which offer free visits. We chose to call at Combes, one of the two producers who do the work by hand, their cheese being called “Le Vieux Berger”. The visit is self-guided comprising a dozen or so informative panels with English translation, a 15 minute film in French and a view into the packaging area. Unfortunately they do not allow you into the caves. Before we left we were offered a tasting and, as a result, came away with a small wedge of the pungent delicacy.

From Roquefort we travelled on to Spain, much of the journey still on the A75 (“la Méridienne”). The scenery was very varied: moorland to begin with, still bearing patches of snow despite the lower level; interesting rock formations in the Causse du Larzac; impressive cliffs as you emerge from a tunnel near St Félix-de-l'Héras; south of Narbonne the very red earth of the rocky moorland mirroring the red roofs of the buildings. Eventually we passed through the Traverse des Albères and had arrived in Spain.

A warm welcome was waiting for us at Camping Les Medes and we began to plan the next few days.