Velez Rubio, Maria & Cazorla - Days 116 to 120

Lunchtime wedding entertainment at the church in Velez Rubio

Still don’t know if we were right to stay in Archena that extra day, yes, the walk was fab, but we’d decided on Tapas for dinner, so we pottered off into town again, hoping to find it, now we have a map! Sadly it seems to be a town without a heart. We found the tapas bar we were looking for, though a bit more expensive than our norm we were there.... decided to only have the one though as the local nutter was in, who, despite our best efforts, and the barmans best efforts, and the efforts of two young girls with a smart phone, wouldn’t stop talking even though we had no idea what he was talking about. 

What a wedding car they chose

We’ll go back for some more pork cheeks with yesterday’s little man then. We walked in and ordered before realised the kids party was about to start..... they were harmless enough, but very loud. Our selection arrived amongst platefuls of crisps and pizza for the kids, and mummies, all credit to him, but they finished and went back out to football about the same time we finished! If only we’d gone in half an hour later, never mind, have to laugh. Brian however reached the end of his tether as we looked out the window about 21.30 to find a BBQ being set up next to us! Discretion being the better part of valour we decided to move, so silverscreen off, stabilisers up and down to the other end we went. We hadn’t been aware of the road noise before, but it was soon drowned out by the music that started by the BBQ....!

Managed to get a sneak into the church before they locked it up after the wedding

A herd of goats came to visit on our campsite

It may be a Saturday, but definitely time to move, so, off to Vélez Rubio, a small town not far from Totana where we’d first gone to, and recommended by the same guy who had recommended Ricote. Not a bad journey, but just at the eleventh hour Doris (sat nav) let us down and tried to take us a very convoluted route to the Aire, through the street market, and then progressively narrower streets as we kept having to ignore her! Oh well, gave us something to do once we’d finally parked up! (Campsite location: 37°39'08.4"N 2°04'25.5"W) (Campsite amenities and photos: click here and then item 47 in list)

Found and English bar serving Sunday breakfast in Velez Rubio - fabulous!

So walked the market, where finally, a friendly Spanish cat wanted fuss, didn’t know if it would get it but pounded its little paws in anticipation, found the tourist info, and walked back to the church where a wedding was going on. We assumed everyone was waiting for the bride, to follow her in, but it actually seems that the wedding was part of the mass, and the assembled crowd were actually waiting for them to come out to go on to the reception. Still we’d got a table in the sunshine at the bar, had ordered a beer, calamari and chips (€9.50 for chips?!) and watched the band, flamenco dancers, and bride and groom. What better way to spend a Saturday lunchtime?

A a fabulous cake shop next door!

One of the cats that came to visit in Maria

Vélez Rubio wasn’t quite the hub of cycling and walking we’d been expecting, so we thought we’d move up, through Vélez Blanco to Maria, and stay at the campsite in the Natural Park. On Sunday morning after a full English breakfast at the local British run cafe (La Bomba) we had a chat on with our British neighbours as they had come and then gone and returned the previous day, where did they go? Did they go to the Botanical gardens? Did they know if there was parking? They hadn’t, they’d been for a guided walk around Los Cuerva de Los Letros which is what they’d come from the coast to see. 

Walking up to the cave with our guide 

As a cave they were slightly underwhelmed, but the paintings were there, the view was stunning and it cost €2 so despite their guide having no English, because they’d come specifically to see the cave paintings and done their homework they’d enjoyed it. We’d sort of discounted it, but the views were so stunning, and there was meant to be a trip at 13.00 so we rang up and signed on. We definitely got the better deal, there were just four of us, us and another English couple with a guide who did speak English! 

For 7000 year old painting they were pretty clear

Our guide holding a picture and pointing out the Indalo man on the wall

It was a very worthwhile hour, she’d got all sort of flint tools, knew her stuff, and had the key to the fence! Apparently the image here was the inspiration for the local artist who created Indalo man (didn’t mean anything to me, I confess, but apparently it’s famous). We did have to pay €3 each, as a tour is €12 seemingly, but well worth it.

Maite, our guide, did know about the botanical gardens, she used to work there, we could park by the church, so off we went. Interesting enough walk, and at least our questions had been answered.

It was pretty difficult to see, here I filtered my photo to get the best contrast and you might just be able to see the image shown on her drawing above. Apparently its not very clear now as, before it was fenced off in 2015, people could visit unsupervised and many people squirted water onto it in an attempt to make it clearer, Unsurprisingly, its worn it away 

Lovely views around. The mountain name translates as molar - like a tooth

Carry on up to Maria then, it’ll be cold, she’d warned, well we were about 500m higher than we’d started that morning and the day had already been colder than the previous t-shirt one. She was not wrong, fortunately we had electricity at the campsite so the heating was on, all night, not for us, just for Ted... kept us about 11 degrees which was grand as outside was -2! Doesn’t sound that warm, but the floor was warm, which made all the difference to the coffee fairy! (campsite location: 37°42'35.2"N 2°14'14.8"W) (campsite amenities and photos: click here then item 48 on list)

Almond blossom coming out in Velez Rubio. 

The fabulous restored castle in Velez Blanco

I went to rinse the cafetière, penalty for getting coffee in bed only to have a tabby and white cat run up to me wanting fuss, which I obviously gave. She then followed me all the way back to Ted. She wasn’t that bothered by cat biscuits, they do feed them at reception, but she really wanted milk, and more milk. Cat number two appeared outside the toilet block as I had an emergency wee before our walk. 

On our walk in Maria NP

She also followed me back to Ted, had a few biscuits and some milk, but we were off, out, wrapped up. A pleasant enough circular walk, with the Griffon vultures circling overhead, but glad it wasn’t too long as it was very cold. Cat number two was obviously also cold, waiting for us to return, straight into Ted, mewing at the fridge! We decided not to stay another night, but to take advantage of the facilities, shower, wash some pants and get the boeuf bourguignon started on the electric ring before putting it in the thermal cooker. I’d also exchanged two books at the book exchange, we’d charged everything and watched a movie off the laptop (very power hungry), and had lots of cat love, so all in all a good little stop.

Griffon vultures circling overhead. Don't think they were waiting for us

Plaza de Conedera in Cazorla

We returned to Vélez Rubio, via a quick stop in Vélez Blanca to look at the castle and even got our prime spot back.

Tuesday we set off to Cazorla where according to the Aires book we might spot Lynx. (campsite location: 37°55'17.0"N 2°59'54.3"W) (campsite amenities with photos: click here and then item 49 in list). Parked by a busy road overlooking olive trees as far as the eye can see, I don’t think it’s likely, but who knows? It was a long 2 3/4 hour drive on windy motorway and then wiggly country roads. Again Doris brought us to the site via a suspect route, up a 15% hill, bit scary, but all ok. We walked into town to find the tourist information, to ask about walks, arriving at 16.55 a tour had just left. Do we want to go? He asked. Where? Under the plaza, like that picture, €2. OK. He knocked the window and we rushed off. 

Saw this in Cazorla, a bicycle house!

It was a 20 minute tour down to the river and through a locked gate into an amazing tunnel under the plaza that they had decided to build over the river. All very odd, particularly when accompanied with the legend of the Moorish King who locked his daughter in there to protect her from the marauding Christians. When he died, she was still locked in and eventually had to resort to eating spiders and rats to keep herself alive, eventually turning into a creature half woman, half snake. One night a year she makes her way out of the tunnel and sings a sirens song that puts all children to sleep, so they are kept indoors on that night. It was perfect timing as it was a great little trip we could never have done on our own and knew nothing about anyway.

In the tunnel under the ruined cathedral and the half woman half snake sculpture

Walks from Cazorla itself into the natural park seem quite difficult and we were recommended two, a forty five minute wiggly drive, in the opposite direction to where we are heading, so we will reserve judgement on whether that’s worthwhile when we see the weather tomorrow, the forecast is not very good.

Today we walked through town by the river, up to the castle where you have to be shown round, on the hour. They have put a lot into restoring it, but Mr. Grumpy did not sell it well. We then set off on a Cross walk, started off well, though was all up hill. Got to a point where we could see people high above us at a view point and a path heading uphill, I should know better, but off we went, soon the path ran out and the base of the cliff up to the viewpoint was pretty impregnable. Not happy we blundered back through the underground, scrambling over rocks. Disturbing the mummy wild boar and her five teenagers, at least they ran in the opposite direction.

The entrance to the tunnel is along that walkway

Finally back on the path Brian admitted we weren’t actually following a route anyone else had done on his app, but he was sure it would be fine! It wasn’t, the sign on the gate saying no exit for walkers into someone’s garden was the clue, so we had to turn round and walk back the way we’d come. Ho hum

The ruined Santa Maria cathedral. It was built in the sixteenth century, but never completed. It was then badly damaged in a flood some years later, but repaired. It was then destroyed and burnt by Napoleons troops in the early nineteenth century after he invaded Spain. It is now used for entertainment and is a natural amphitheatre 

This is the Plaza Santa Maria from one of the towers of the ruined cathedral. Bizarrely this was a deep gorge with a river flowing through it and it was decided to build the plaza and cathedral on top of it. You have to wonder why! 

This photo was taken a little further up the valley. The castle is on the left and the ruined cathedral is down there at the bottom. It's a lovely old town and has been there a long time, but the terrain seems very steep and hostile and you wonder why it was ever built here. The castle, incidentally was used by Christian troops during the war to liberate Spain from the Muslim Moors in the fourteenth century 

Snoopy dog on rocks surrounding the castle

On our blunder through the mountains. That would be a very nice waterfall in the wet season

Wild boar running away from us in the mountains

Cazorla from the highest point we reached before being defeated by a sheer cliff (with no climbing gear)

This is the view we have from our campsite in Cazorla, endless olive groves

Archena, The Ricote Valley, Southern Spain - Days 113 to 115

Sunset behind El Ope hill in Archena

We left Ricote feeling slightly hacked off, we’d had a lovely few days, two nights of fireworks (yup, more after the last blog posting, but not so near us, and not all actually visible from where we were parked) some interesting food with a wonderful atmosphere, while staying for free. We hadn’t even had to pay for water as they seemed to have turned it on, negating the need for tokens, for the gachmigas cook up. The ethos is to spend what you would spend on a campsite in the town, but nothing had been open, including the supermarket. We did manage to find it open, and heaving just before we left, so got some fruit etc, but there wasn’t actually much we needed.

Cabezo del Tio Pio mountain that we summited on Thursday

Our long 25 minute drive was uneventful and we arrived in Archena, much bigger, but still in spectacular scenery. The lady in the tourist information was very helpful, though she was only covering for the boy who was sick, but she told us lots about the area, places we’d been through but actually not much about the town. Oh well, we’ll find our own way to the peaks surrounding us then. We’d set off from the van to walk into town, to see if any lunch was going, but had got chatting to Paul and Jackie, next door but one in British motorhome row. They used to have a Frankia, but for one reason or another had downsized to a small campervan, and had yet to convince themselves it had been the right thing. We had a nosy, and everything is there, but very compact and cosy. By the time we’d finished chatting it was well past lunch time, so back to Ted for bread and cheese. (Campsite location: 38°07'21.6"N 1°17'38.9"W) (campsite amenities: click here and on item 46 in list)

Our second summit on Thursday

On top of Cabezo del Tio Pio

So our plan the following morning was to summit the three surrounding peaks. We did the first two with relative ease, only having to climb one locked gate as our exit route between them was not quite as it had appeared from the top! At that point however my legs were feeling heavy and we stopped for the day, except for a quick trip down the river path to feed cats and a quick trip to the supermarket, emperador (swordfish) Thai curry for dinner, experimental but very nice. We also chatted to our new neighbours who had moved in from the far corner, as we got the sun earlier, and had no trees, not normally a problem but we have had some very very windy weather since we’ve been here. I’m convinced I could hear a chain saw at 23.30 on the first night, dealing with a fallen tree perhaps? We then popped to the local cafe for a beer and tapa before dinner, seemed only polite! Another experimental tapa, carriennas de cerdo. Pork cheeks, will definitely be having them again, so tender and tasty, yum, much better than the pigs tail!

Archena and our motorhome Aire from the summit

Got up this morning planning to leave, chatting with next door and next door but one for them both to recommend the Roman Baths and the spa, which is what the town is known for, and the river walk, and We didn’t actually do the third peak. We’ll stay another night then, used to be indecisive....!

Jackie finds a nest of cats keen on here stock of cat biscuits

The old Roman baths at the 4 star hotel and baths complex

Walked along the river to the baths complex, had a nosy around and continued on, along the cycle path which must bring us near the last hill, and so it did. We did the little tourist path, but then continued with a scramble to the cross and geographical marker on the summit, followed by the ridge between it and the next little peak and a blunder down off the edge back to Ted. It was a lovely, interesting walk, thankfully as I’d probably be in trouble if it hadn’t been! We still haven’t cycled the other way along the river path, but I’m sitting outside Ted writing in the sun in shorts and t-shirt. Was it really only three days we were in 4layers, coat and hat and gloves? It is still a bit gusty but it’s obviously coming from a different direction, the van overnight was 17degrees, ten degrees warmer than Ricote.... we just have to hope that the football game or training or whatever on the pitch right next door finishes a little more reasonably than the 23.30 it was last night!

The Ricote Valley - a little bit of background....

On the way up El Ope hill in Archena, today

The Ricote valley is an area of fertile countryside watered by the Segura river that flows onwards through Murcia and eventually out into the Mediterranean Sea at Guardamar del Segura, just north of Torrevieja. There are eight small towns in the valley, linked by a narrow twisting road with superb views at every corner. We stayed at two, Ricote and Archena but all have an interesting history, having been occupied since the bronze age by Iberians, Romans, Visigoths, Muslims and Christians and all have left their mark here. Early bronze age artefacts have been found at Ricote, the Romans built thermal baths at Archena using the hot springs next to the river, which is still a spa town with an open air swimming pool, thermally heated, steam baths and the full spa works available in a four star hotel in the town. After the Christian reconquest of Spain from the Muslim Moors, the valley continued to exist with Christians and Muslims living alongside one another owing to it's relative isolation among the rugged mountains here. The result is a rich cultural and artistic heritage that is a blend of all it's past; the food has a certain arabic angle to it as did some music we heard playing, making us imagine we were perhaps in Morocco rather than Spain and the the rugged mountains are a walkers and mountain bikers paradise, hence the reason we've spent some time here.

On the scramble to the first summit of El Ope

An exposed step on the scramble to make Jackie think a bit

An on the summit with the cross behind 

And the view the other way showing the other two summits we did yesterday. And our campsite is in view

Just to prove Brian was there too

Back at Big Ted in time for lunch

Here's our Strava plots of our two walks. Here's the Cabezo del Tio Pio and other summit. Where our track reaches the road near the top of the map there was a high gate that we had to scale. I think we probably shouldn't have used that route!


Here's todays walk to the Roman baths (top right on our track) and the two summit scramble of El Ope at the bottom

Ricote, Southern Spain - Days 110 to 112

On the top of the local hill in Ricote

Our last night in Totana was slightly disturbed, there was rain, first at 00.15 and then at 02.25 which was accompanied by voices that disturbed us both. On looking out of the window, there were three people, with torches, walking the other side of the fence. Very strange, they then disappeared down the bank, into a car and drove off. It didn’t feel sinister as they weren’t trying to keep undetected, but what were they doing?

On the Aire in Ricote, about to go exploring

Said our farewells to those on the Aire, and finally got away about 11.30, but that’s OK, it was only an hour and a half and the weather wasn’t up for much. Once off the motorway however the scenery was stunning and the little white road actually pretty good. We arrived at the Aire having driven erroneously round half the village, a huge space, though Aire for 7 vans? Also confusing in that in the book the hexagonal buildings have pointed tops on, to make them look like pencils, fortunately we’d been warned they didn’t look like that anymore. We parked away from the busy corner, towards two other vans with a lovely view down the valley, later realising why the majority of the vans were in the corner, it was very windy! (Aire location: 38°09'03.5"N 1°22'01.7"W) (Aire amenities and photos: click here and on item 45 in list)

The town of Ricote

Found these cacti growing behind the town

Although it was Sunday, we were surprised that there were so many cars parked on our way in, particularly with notices warning of parking restrictions that evening, for fireworks! Went for a walk about and found a little funfair, notices about parades and fireworks, warning that the supermarket and market were shut on Monday and Tuesday..... Better find out what is going on then. Search the Internet to find it’s the fiesta of San Sebastián, learned about it in an interesting article, written by the mayor, for La Opinion de Murcia, which very impressively turned from Spanish to English before my eyes. So Sunday we have a parade and fireworks, which we had worked out on our own, 21st, neighbourhood participation with popular food such as traditional gachmigas (?) and procession through the streets again on the 22nd.

They really have very large spikes on them. Definitely don't want to fall into one of those!

View of the town and Aire parking from behind the town

We decided to indulge in the spirit of the thing and eat out having seen street vendors for crepes, waffles and churros, must be something savoury somewhere? We did eventually find the burger wagon, just opening, while we waited for our hotdogs he presented us with five chips each on a cocktail stick, to keep us going! I just love the way that sort of thing happens here! While wandering, we found the one shop that was open (no bars, nothing else) and cooking frozen baguettes, hurrah, nip back to Ted with one of those then. 

The town and full moon

The fireworks set up and ready to go, on the access road to our Aire!

Back into town, following various members of the brass band, they are bound to know where the action is - at the church. We waited for Saint Sebastián to come out, on his dias, carried by 16 or so strong men, led by the Padre, past the ridiculously close first set of fireworks. They were followed by the five princesses, and then the brass band, and then the people. They weren’t that strong, they had to keep calling the boys, carrying large crutches, in to support the Dias and give them a break. We followed the procession as far as the churro stand.... well, rude not to! Right, back to Ted as we weren’t sure if we left it much longer, we would be able to, what with the road being full of fireworks to be launched in about an hour.....! 

The dias waiting in the church

We had the best view in the whole Aire of the various displays that went on as the procession proceeded, but even so, when it came to ours we threw on our crocs and ran to the end of the little road, well if it’s ok for the firemen, the firework men and the drone pilot it’s ok for us. Well it almost was, except for the piece of bomb of some sort that fell on my foot, and then vanished, sounds pathetic, but it really hurt! The fireworks were amazing, I know we’ve all seen big displays, but not usually from that close!

The princesses waiting for the procession to start

The dias being carried down the road amongst crowds of people

Apart from the wind gusting into the van, and the dogs in one of the two nearby vans the night was also disturbed by going out at 05.20 to look at the red moon and the eclipse, glad we did, though it was jolly cold!

Right, where are we going to walk? That’s why we came here after all. Up to that little man made lump on that hill? OK. Ambled through the town, never finding the band who were already at it, sad really as I later discovered it was the children’s procession, the girls carrying the baby Sebastián, but never mind. 

The blood red moon near the end of earth eclipse

Found what looked like a possible route, and a couple with a dog having a mad five minutes, fortunately, as she said “Castillo?” We nodded as if this had been our intention all along, she pointed us up the drainage canal and said just keep going. Really we shouldn’t have started from there, but she was right, we found the path, all the way to the three bits of wall of very unstable looking castle. Half way back down we deviated from the path to look in the cave and have a mess about our the rocks. From our vantage point we could see Ted, all alone in his part of the carpark, the wrong side of the new barrier that was being erected.....! 

Jackies foot injury from the firework. Fortunately it looks worse than it is!

The path up to the castillo de Ricote

Walking very fast we found the barrier wasn’t very substantial but we were on the wrong side of it. “Are we ok?” A sort of noncommittal shrug, till we realised small brush fires were being built all around. We got into conversation with the fire builders on either side of Ted who were lovely, said we were ok, until the bombero (fireman) came up and looked worriedly at the silver screen. We’ll move, so glad we did, as 10 minutes later it would have been impossible, and sparks were everywhere! I guess this will be the neighbourhood participation gachmigas then. Migas we tried last year in Granada, it’s a plate of fried breadcrumbs with various bits of sausage and bacon added, quite liked it. This version however wasn’t quite the same, the ‘crumbs’ were formed just from flour and water fried and chopped and stirred till they were very small, before bits of sausage, pork and according to what I read dried fruit were added.

The remains of the Moorish castillo on top of the hill

Views back down Big Ted is in view, far right

We found a great space in the corner, slotted in nicely, got the chairs out in the sun and watched the comings and goings. It was great, lots of small groups of friends and family with chairs, tables, an open fire, a big frying pan thing and away they went. When it all seemed to be calming down a bit we went for a wander, back to where Ted had been parked as they’d said to come back to ‘comer’ eat. 

Zoomed in to Big Ted before they set up for the afternoon party

With that we were handed plates of crumbs, salt sardines, a chilli and a spoon. The crumb was very bland, as it would be, but with the additions was an interesting meal, not quite as interesting as trying to drink wine from a hide wine carrier, over my face and glasses, and it was horrible, but all part of the event. The music for the event did leave a bit to be desired, particularly after all the mums and dads had gone and we were left with the techno rave, but fortunately they all packed up and went home about 19.00!

Being observed by a goat near the castillo

So a second night of not eating the last portion of chicken casserole.... we must eat it tonight, but how great to be included, and welcomed like old friends.
Today we went on a longer walk, dressed to kill, hats, gloves, buffs and layers, it really is very cold, and today, no sun, so Ted isn’t charging. I’m writing this, but will the laptop survive to post? Particularly as our planned drive tomorrow is only 25 minutes! It’s all part of the learning experience!

By the ruins of the castillo on the summit. There's quite a drop near to Jackie!

Now that's a view to eat our lunch to - and on a provided bench!

Here's a Strava plot of our walk to the Castillo de Ricote:

Cooking the gachmigas over an open fire

There were quite a lot of people there. Big Ted would have been about centre of this photo if we hadn't got back in time to move him!

Jackie trying, unsuccessfully, to drink wine from a hide wine carrier

On our walk today. Interesting hole in the rock up there

Fabulous view over the surrounding countryside. Apparently Spain is the second most mountainous country in Europe after Switzerland

A reservoir on the opposite side of the mountain to Ricote. The town at the head is called Blanca

A cutting through the top of the mountain taking us back into our valley

And abruptly we arrive from the cutting to see Ricote

But we have been observed. On top of that hill you can just see the heads of some mountain goats (or are they deer?) peering down at us

Here's our Strava plot of todays walk. Click on it, it's interactive: