|
Nearby the beautiful village of Laxe, you find Playa de los Cristales. In this beautiful part of Galicia, there are plenty of stunning beaches all with beautiful white sand. But Playa de los Cristales (Praia dos Cristais or crystal beach) is different, it is made up by thousands of green, white and brown pieces of glass. Once an old landfill for glass, the sea returned the glass as polished pieces throwing them back upon the shore. Where the beach is unique in its own way, there are other beaches like this around the world. One beach like this is Glass Beach near Fort Bragg, California. This beach has also an abundance of sea glass created from years of dumping rubbish into an area of coastline.
Note: It is forbidden to remove glass from this beach, so just enjoy this unique experience and snap a few pictures. Also, the beach is not suitable for swimming due to strong currents within the area.
0 Comments
The Cueva de Nerja was discovered by 5 boys in 1959. Where they used to visit a small cavity (Las Minas del Cementerio), this time they decided to enter the cave through an opening used by bats. This brought them to a large space known as the ballet hall and the hall of the ghosts. After telling their teacher about their discovery, the cave system was introduced to the world. In the years that followed the discovery, further sections were discovered through the systematic speleological explorations of the cave system. On June 1960, the cave was opened to the public. With a length of 4823 meters, it is one of the most extensive caves in Andalusia. The cave can be divided in two sections: The tourist-accessible section and the non-visitable section. The tourist section has a total length of 546 meters along which tourists have to climb/decent 458 steps. Along this route, many of the galleries are accessible (Vestíbulo, Belén, Cascada or Ballet, Fantasmas, and Cataclismo,...)
The cave stands out archaeologically for housing one of the largest collections of cave art in the world. There are 589 cave paintings as far as they know, and although you won't be able to see these cave paintings during your walk due to conservation requirements, the cave is more than spectacular enough to impress even the most unlikely to be impressed. The chambers within the cave are just huge, and some of the stalagmites and stalactites are just huge. The cave art dates back to around 35,000 years ago, with the largest number of paintings dating back 20,000 years ago. Over 50 figurative paintings that were executed in red and black pigment have been identified to be deer, horses, goats, seals and fish. Through excavations within the cave system, traces of activities like production of stone and bone tools, daily food preparation ,.... have been found. Many of these artifacts can be seen at the Nerja museum, a museum definitely worth a visit. When we visited the cave, we decided to do the whole tourist package. This meant first visiting the Nerja museum where we were introduced to the cave, its artifacts ,.... After that visit, we took the tourist train at Av. Mediterraneo which brings you in about 15 minutes to the cave which is located approximately 5km from Balcon de Europa. The drive is fun, especially for kids who love nothing more than waving to the many pedestrians and cars.
Visiting the Nerja cave system will leave you in awe, especially when you get to see the world's longest stalactite that with can be found in the Cataclysm Hall. Standing beside this 33 meter high monster is just spectacular. The paths throughout the cave are very easy to navigate/walk, but many steps need to be taken to reach the lower parts of the cave system
Another interesting experience that is included in your ticket is the VR room. The Virtual Reality Room at the Nerja Cave complex represents an innovation that brings visitors even closer to the cave after they finish the physical tour. The Virtual Reality technology implemented in Nerja Cave allows visitors, through special glasses, to feel as if they are actually in the place being shown, thanks to a 360º immersive simulation. Food: A large restaurant with a beautiful terrace overlooking the Mediterranean Sea provides a great choice of food and drinks, but many picnic options are also available within the forest. Tickets: The best place to buy tickets is the official website: Link Each day, there are 60 free tickets available for entrance at 9:30AM, but looking at the website, they are booked out months in advance This walk is often referred to as the Caminito del Rey of Frigiliana, although lesser known. It is compared to the much more famous Caminito del Rey nearby Ardales because of its unique water channels that cling to the edge of the cliffs.
But more about this section of the path later. The first part of the walk is where you have to follow the Higueron river. Nearby the Frigiliana bus stop, take Camino Boticario which brings you down to the river. From here, follow the river bed upstream (although, most of the time there isn't any water at all in the river) while entering the stunning natural park Sierra de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama. This area is one of the most remote areas of Andalucia, so come well prepared bringing plenty of water and some snacks. Another important rule to keep in mind is to respect nature and don't leave any rubbish behind. The area is a walkers paradise with dozens of signposted walks starting from the villages or the recreational areas. The diverse geology of the area brings with it a huge range of plants and animals, many of them being rare.
The first part of the walk is easy where you just have to follow the dry river bed until the last kilometer or so where you might have to wade through some parts of the refreshing river, although on the day we done it, we managed to just avoid the bit of water. Climbing out of the valley leaving the river Higueron behind, you climb a short distance until you reach the irrigation canal (Acequia de lizar). this is the most spectacular part of the walk providing you with stunning views towards the natural park it's mountain peaks and as far as the coast.
From here onwards, the path is along the edge of the irrigation canal. Care is needed on the first kilometer as there is no safety barrier and misplacing a foot could mean sliding down a steep slope. There are also sections where the concrete of the irrigation canal is broken, but work is being carried out to fix these sections.
Whenever you meet other walkers going into the opposite direction, a bit of juggling is required to pass each other. Then again, as this walk isn't very well known, it is in general very quiet. After a while, safety barriers are placed along the path protecting you from a nasty fall. At this point , they have installed a metal grid over the irrigation canal forming an easy to walk path.
The whole irrigation canal is an engineering marvel where it clings to the edge of steep cliffs, bringing fresh mountain water to Frigliana. reaching the end of the walk, you can admire the views towards the coast and admire the white-washed village of Frigliana below. At the retention basis and a small parking lot, you have 2 options to walk back to the village. the first one is the road that winds itself back into the valley. the better one is to walk to the ruins of the old castle and follow a trail back down to the village where you can enjoy a well deserved meal or drink.
Trying to cycle through El Rocio is not an easy feature. With its dusty sandy roads, a horse would probably have been easier than a fully loaded bicycle.
And those horses seem to be the main means of transport. Most of the houses have beautiful verandas and in front of them you will find wooden rails used for tying up horses. El Rocio is located in the south of the province of Huelva and forms the gateway to the Donana National Park. On this particular day in early June, the village had a deserted feel to it with only the odd horse and rider crossing the street. But don't be fooled, where most of the year, the village is quiet, but 50 days after Easter, "Romeria" takes place. During this religious fiesta, a million pilgrims decent upon the village travelling in groups known as religious confraternities. The goal of every pilgrim is to touch the Virgin Mary who is paraded around the huge sandy square for over 12 hours. Many of the pilgrims belong to a particular "brotherhood" of which there are around a 100 in Andalucia, each representing a town or city. Each brotherhood has its own sacred ox cart (Simpecado) that will lead the pilgrims to El Rocio, turning the village in a colourful and noisy fiesta. But on this particular day in early June, it was me on my bike and maybe another 100 villagers.
So what is there to do in El Rocio ?
a) Visit the impressive Hermitage of El Rocio, home to the smallcarved wooden statue of the Virgin of El Rocio b) Visit the Donana Natural Park. As Spain's largest wetland area, it is home to thousands of storks, swans and flamingos. The park is also home to the endangered Iberian lynx. From the village promenade, you have brilliant views over the wetlands. As one of Europe's most beautiful and important wetlands, it brings different ecosystems (marshland, lagoons, pine groves, beaches,...) to the many visitors. If you want to venture further into the park, you can book jeep or bus trips that bring you deeper into the park. C) Chozo El Toruno. In Plaza del Acebuche, you find one of the last huts that were entirely built with local plant materials like chestnut,...
For the night , I stayed at Palacio Donana, a comfortable hotel. Keep in mind that throughout the year, it is easy enough to find accommodation in El Rocio, but during Romeria, beds are booked up months in advance. The smal fishing town of Llastres lies in a stunning setting. Wedged between the mountains and the sea, this Asturian town is considered one of Spain's most beautiful villages.
The towns is build upon a slope and each of Llastres steep streets provides you with stunning views across the sea. And it's the sea that has made Llastres into what it is today, a village famous for its fishing activity. Once a town dedicated to whale fishing, the hustle and bustle of the port is worthwhile to watch. Where the fishermen are preparing their boats or bringing in the catch of the day, once the fish is landed in the port, it will go on sale in a popular auction that happens daily in the fish market. 
And with fresh fish landing every day, it isn't hard to see why Llastres is also famous for its excellent seafood cuisine. With plenty of restaurants and cider bars, you're spoiled for choice.
Llastres has a spectacular old quarter with cobbled streets that are lined with simple fishermen's houses, but also palaces and emblazoned houses. There is the old whaler's quarter, the Clock tower and Church of Santa Maria de Sabada. The clock tower (Torre del Reloj) fulfilled the functions of being a watchtower and belfry.
Where the natural beauty of the coastline draws many tourists, it is also known as the "Dinosaur coast". The local geological formation presents a high abundance of dinosaur remains, and many dinosaur footprints can be observed along this coastline.
For the night, I had opted to stay at hotel Lastres Miramar, a 2-star hotel that provided me with a brilliant room and a brilliant dinner and breakfast. A special mention is the stunning terras of the restaurant. Overhanging a cliff, it provides guests with stunning views of the coastline and a relaxing atmosphere to enjoy the delicious food.
I opted for the cheese table followed by beautiful prepared Merluza. So, if you find yourself in Asturias, I would highly recommend a detour to this beautiful fishing village.
Torres do Oeste is a defensive enclosure located at the head of the Rio de Arousa in the Caldas region of Galicia. Located on a rocky promontory on the banks of the river Ulla and surrounded by marshland, it used to serve as a strategic defense post against Viking attacks. King Alfonso III of Leon ordered the built of the castle in the 9th century so the river Ulla could be protected from attacks. Where the river Ulla was an important natural entry into Galicia, the castle went through strengthening works. The 2 remaining Pre-Roman style towers are from the 9th Century. In the 12th Century, bishops ordered the strengthening of the castle in order to protect the holy site of Santiago de Compostela.
Located nearby Torres do Oeste is the Torres do Oeste cultural centre which is housed in a modern building designed by the award-winning architect Cesar Portela. The ground floor houses a tourist office and a spacious exhibition hall designed like a Viking longship. The exhibition tells the history of the towers, Viking attacks in Galicia,... Many artefacts are on display in the exhibition, ranging from swords to statues to armour,.... Within the basement is an audiovisual room where they screen videos of the annual Viking Festival of Catroina.
The Viking Festival of Catoira is an annual festival which has been celebrated every first Sunday in August since 1961. It is held to commemorate Catoira's role in defending against the Vikings who were trying to plunder the treasure held in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. During the festival, they re-enact the Viking invasions that took place using 3 replica longboats. These longboats are moored nearby the Torres do Oeste and are fairly reliable reproductions based on longboats that are kept in museums in Denmark and Norway. Where Catroina is off the beaten path and not frequently visited by tourists, it is worthwhile taking the detour .
Arcos de la Frontera (www.turismoarcos.es) is a typical Andalucian hilltop town. Where I arrived by bike, it became apparent that you have to be prepared for some steep hills. The old town which sits on top of a dramatic cliff is reached by small steep historic streets that seemingly become narrower and narrower the further you head up the cliff. Strangely enough, local cars seem to navigate effortless between the historic houses taking sharp turns narrowly avoiding the many tables and chairs of the few restaurants. I made my way up to the historic town along the slope of Bethlehem. It was here that the Jerez gate was located, one of the three gates into the city during Moorish times. In those days, there was a fortification wall of double thickness, a moat and a drawbridge making it as good as impossible to take over the city. On the lintel was the coat of arms of Arcos which nowadays can be found on the facade of the townhall. The gate was demolished in 1852. Where Arcos de la Frontera is a lesser visited town by the many tourists visiting Andalucia, , it should be on your travel bucketlist. With many things to do and see, it makes for a worthwhile detour.
Minor Basilica of Santa María de la Asunción The Gothic-Baroque church is one of Andalucia's more beautiful churches, built over several centuries on the site of a mosque. Where the original bell tower was toppled by the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, a neoclassical replacement was built , but never completed. Since 1931, the building has been declared a National Monument
Palacio del Mayorazgo The Palacio del Mayorazgo is a noble 17th Century building that is currently used as an exhibition center. It now houses the Municipal Department of Culture. The various rooms are dedicated to temporary or permanent exhibitions, such as the “Room of the Miller’s Wife and the Magistrate” and the “Room of Antonio the Dancer”, the “Poets and Writers Corner” or the “Victor Marín Foundation Room”. In the lower part of the Palacio are the Municipal Art Gallery and the Andalusian Garden .
Iglesia de San Pedro This stunning church was built on the remains of a Muslim fortress. The church went through a few expansion projects adding a total of 6 chapels during the 16th and 17th century. The impressive facade was made in the 18th century by Manuel Gómez and Pedro de Silva in Baroque style. Structured in three sections, the first one being the entrance which is flanked by twin columns, the second one with a statue of San Pedro and the third part containing three bells. Where there are more historic buildings in Arcos de la Frontera which are worthwhile a visit, I ran out of time to cover them all. So a return trip is definitely on the cards.
Where there are many hotels in Arcos de la Frontera, I stayed in the old historic part of the town. With a great selection of restaurants on your doorstep and magnificent historic buildings in the vicinity, it is highly recommended to stay a few days in Arcos de la Frontera  It was Saturday 16th June, and I was on my way to Dublin airport. I had excitedly counted down the days to this particular day, the day where i would commence my 9 day cycle through Spain which would see me cycle from Santander to Malaga. Waiting for my flight to Santander, i was hoping that my bike would arrive in Santander in one piece. I had paid Ryanair an additional €60 each way to transport my bike, a bike which I had wrapped in bubble wrap and then placed in a bike bag. We boarded the flight early and took off on time. After a great chat with Pedro, a teacher from Cantabria who had just spent the last 10 days in Dublin with a group of students, we started making our decent into Santander. Flying above the coast in our approach to Santander, you can't but admire the beautiful landscape. The green fields, the fabulous beaches and in the distance the Asturian mountains which would be my playground during day 2 of my cycle. Upon touchdown, I was welcomed by the sun and temperatures of around 20 degrees. The small airport of Santander (Seve Ballesteros airport) is easy to navigate and it didn't take long before i was reunited with my bike. Where the bike bag is large, it wasn't large enough to take the entire bike. So the next hour was used to put the bike back together and getting everything ready for my adventure. And I must say I was delighted to find my bike in 1 piece. Rolling out of the airport at 5pm, I knew that the cycle on day 1 was the easiest one in the saddle. With a total distance of 36 kilometers to the coastal town of Suances, I would take the smaller countryside roads to reach my destination. As Seve Ballesteros airport is in a quieter area of Santander, navigating my way towards Suances was never a big issue, but what became apparent was that the countryside in Asturias isn't flat at all. Climbing up the first hill leaving the airport behind me, it gave me an immediate impression of what to expect on this adventure. Navigating my way around another turn, I was greeted by the clanging of bells. Cows in Asturias have bells around their necks, and it is their movement which filled the green pastures along my route with a continuous clanging noise. But cycling through the Asturian Countryside is fun, especially mixing tarmac with gravel, and the time in thwe saddle passed quickly. The last 5 kilometers of the day was a cycle along a designated cycle path along the river Saja, a brilliant location for birdwatching.
Walking from the hotel direction town is beautiful. After a short stroll, i decided to eat in one of the local restaurants where I enjoyed Scorpion Fish pate, steak and a chocolate mousse, all washed down with a bottle of white wine.
The entire meal and the bottle of wine came to €12 , not bad for a great meal. After the meal, it was an uphill stroll back to the hotel where i turned in for an early night with in mind all the cycling which had to be done on day 2. After a great sleep in Hotel Miralba (https://hotelmiralba.com/) , I was woken up by the sound of goats outside my bedroom window. Sliding the curtains away, blue sky and a fabulous sunrise welcomed me to my third day of cycling. Breakfast was prepared by my host who made me a fabulous toasted sandwich with smoked ham, fresh coffee and a nice slice of cake.... After having said my goodbye, I took off for another long day in the saddle. Cycling early in the morning at 1325 meters under a blue sky was just fabulous, admiring the beauty of parque natural de Fuentes Carrionas y Fuente. The natural park was in full bloom, the many yellow flowers standing in stark contrast with the dark blue of the lake below me.
By lunchtime, I reached the town of Cistierna where I enjoyed a picnic under the heat of the Spanish sun. To be honest, my legs were getting sore, especially after the tough cycle from the previous day where I had climbed approx. 4000 meter through the Cantabrian mountains. And today wasn't any different, turning onto the L 4606 I started progressively climbing again. The roads were quiet, and it was a pleasure to cycle along these roads enjoying the scenery. The weather started changing and by the time I reached La Robla, the rain made an appearance. Climbing steadily out of the valley towards Riello, my mindset wasn't in the right place.
I hadn't put enough training in as preparation for this cycle, and with every push on the bike, I felt my muscles burn. I arrived at my hotel for the night at around 8:30pm, the beautiful Gran Hotel Pandorado located at 1100 meters. With an empty car park and a closed door, I feared the worst , trying to work out where I could find another place to stay in this remote part of Spain. A note on one of the windows had a telephone number on it, so i decided to ring it and got talking to the owner (Carlos) who arrived 10 minutes later and opened the hotel for me. After getting shown around, a retreated back to my room where I enjoyed an hour long bath relaxing my sore legs and went to sleep at 9:30pm tired but relaxed. On day# 4, I was welcomed by a fabulous breakfast of bread, cake, cheese and honey and even received a surprise lunch pack from my host. After having said goodbye to my friendly host, I cycled downhill into Riello. Riello was still asleep, so I carried on my cycle towards Portugal. Day#4 was going to be the longest day of the trip, in the end I would cycle 230km in total over hilly terrain. One thing I learned quickly in Spain is that Spain isn't flat at all, so after approx. 10 km into the cycle I was already climbing again to a height of 1300m ... But then it was all gradually downhill leaving the Cantabrian mountains behind me heading towards my first destination of the day, Astorga. Astorga is located in the province of Leon and is a gateway for anyone walking the French route, the most popular path and via de la plata route. Astorga is the European birthplace of chocolate, and the chocolate museum is worth a visit. The town is also famous for the 19th century Episcopal palace which was designed by the Spanish Catalan architect Gaudi.
After having admired the buildings, I climbed back in the saddle for a cycle through the rolling hills between Astorga and the Portuguese border. These hills became gradually steeper and steeper, and the milage of the day was taking it's toll on the legs, but the scenery kept me going. One thing which mesmerized me was the amount of butterflies which were all sitting on the warm tarmac, all flying away just in time when I got to close for their own good. But butterflies were not the only animals which crossed my path, the area north of the Portuguese border has many deer, all of them enjoying the wild landscape of this region. The air was filled with the smell of flowers, cars were almost non existent and the views were fabulous, ... and to top it all off, the sun was providing me with a pleasant 23 degrees. When you select your route in this region, you have to be very careful... a lot of the roads are untarmacced and can get very rough at times slowing your progress down to a snail pace, especially when you are trying to cover a decent distance.
When I arrived in the village of Brandilanes from where I would cross into Portugal, i discovered that the road was blocked for traffic. My next best option was a 20km detour in order to cross the border which as it turned out was my only option.
Crossing the border into Portugal, the sun started to set in the distance. A goat herder was gathering his goats together with his dog who decided it was more fun to run after a lonely cyclist while ignoring the calls of his owner. The lonely cyclist, me in this case, started to cycle a good bit faster as the dog was the size of a small horse. Escaping the dog, I pushed myself out of the valley up the last climb of the day. I had forgotten that there was an hour difference between Spain and Portugal, and by the time I arrived at my accommodation for the night (Casas Campo Cimo da Quinta) it was 8:30pm. I was welcomed by a friendly girl who showed me to my room which turned out to be a 2 bedroom apartment. When i walked into the breakfast room of Casas Campo Cimo da Quinta, I was welcomed by the same friendly girl of the evening before. She showed me all the food on offer which was to be honest a spread fit for a king. You could get absolutely anything under the sun, from cakes to a fry, from fruit to yoghurts, it was a feast fit for a hungry cyclist. Day# 5 was one of the shorter days, so i only left around 10:30 am on my cycle through Parque Natural de Arribes Del Duero, a fabulous park which stretches along the Douro between the Portuguese and Spanish border. First stop of the day was the beautiful town of Miranda Do Douro, a gem located high above the Douro valley. The town has many preserved buildings of its medieval and renaissance era, all of them well kept. The town is popular with tourists who are travelling through the Portuguese Tras-os-Montes region, but it also attract locals from the countryside.
After having played the tourist for a while, I carried on my cycle... After a few miles, I knew it would be a difficult day in the saddle. My legs felt like jelly and every rotation of the pedals hurt as bad as the previous one. But what do you do if you have a planned itinerary, you just carry on and absorb the beauty of the region. And this region is beautiful... it is marked by steep cliff edges and sleepy hamlets, all of them to be reached by small rural roads which carve themselves up and down the steep cliffs and hills. which meant that I had to climb up and down a lot, especially the latter part of the day. Especially the afternoon was tough, climbing higher and higher under a pleasant 26 degrees which made for a relaxing afternoon in the saddle.
By 7pm, I reached the Douro again. As my B&B was at the river bankement of the Douro, i had to make my way down into the Douro valley which has carved itself through the rocks over 1000s of years. A 10 minute descend into the Douro valley trough a series of hairpin turns was scary, and I was thankful I had disc brakes on my Trek gravel bike. Salto de Saucelle is a very small town which is overlooked by a dam , and on either side 300m high cliffs. Where i descended in a record time, i wasn't looking forward starting the next day with a steep climb out of the valley. My accommodation for the night was Posada Real Quinta de la concepcion, a fabulous B&B overlooking the Douro. The swimming pool looked inviting, but I decided to give it a miss as I had booked myself in for dinner. The dining room was full, and it wasn't hard to see why. There was only one set menu, but the food was just fantastic. After a fabulous meal and a bottle of wine (yes, it was a night where I spoiled myself), a went to bed to recover my legs.
After a great sleep, I woke up early in the morning and took a refreshing shower. Afterwards, I headed to the breakfast room where the owner delivered another feast, again a set menu delivered directly to your table. After saying my goodbyes, I was welcomed by blue skies and the warm morning sun. And as predicted, the first hour of the day was a long climb out of the Douro valley
Climbing higher and higher out of the valley, i reached Mirador de la Puerta de las Arribes where I took a well deserved rest while admiring the fabulous vista. Next destination was the city of Cuidad Rodrigo, a sleepy medieval walled city off the beaten track away from the popular tourist routes. So far, day# 6 was turning into my favorite day of the trip, the legs were in great shape, the sun was beaming down and i had for the first time wind pushing me along rather than the headwind I got accustomed to during the first few days. Cycling towards Cuidad Rodrigo, i could see the mountain range of Las Batuecas - Sierra de Francia Natural Park which would be my playground for the afternoon. The roads were in brilliant condition, and before I knew it I had reached Cuidad Rodrigo which I left soon afterwards. My plan was to push along knowing that the toughest climbs of the entire route were ahead of me. And I also wanted to arrive early enough at my destination as I had booked dinner. The meals were really important for me during this cycle, this as they were key to replace the 1000s of calories I burned during this cycle. During the cycle itself, I just tend to snack as I find it difficult to eat lunch and then carry on the cycle. So my preference is to snack and then replenish calories during dinner and breakfast.
The barren landscape soon made way for evergreen forests, lizards running right in front of my wheels oblivious about my presence , the scent of pine trees filling the warm summer air. The road gradually climbed higher and higher into the mountains, and my water ration was fast depleting. I always carried about 5 liters of liquid with me, and believe me, staying dehydrated was a task in itself. When I reached the village of Serradilla del Llano, it was time to replenish my water supply which i did in one of the local shops. This rural shop didn't have any till, the owner just calculated the overall price on the countertop. In the village, I got in conversation with a local man who explained to me that the next 10km would be tough climbing non-stop out of the village. And he was right, under a blistering sun, i made steady progress and entered an undiscovered part of Spain off the beaten path. When I turned onto the EX366, a desolate road which brought me through miles and miles of pine forests, I knew this was one of my favourite parts of Spain. When I reached the almost deserted village of Riomalo de Arriba, I was surprised to find an elderly couple seated along the road enjoying a quiet life.
Following the river towards Las Mestas, I reached this pretty village with it's river swimming pool. This would be the place where I would stay for the night, and I must say that I didn't expect to find a fabulous hotel like Hospederia Hurdes reales in these remote parts.
Sitting under a tree drinking another bottle of water, I was experiencing the hottest day so far. The streets of the village were deserted, most people choosing the comfort of their own home rather than walking the streets in 36 degree heat. In the morning, I had left Las Mestras bright and early after a huge breakfast, and after some tough climbs the landscape had turned more hilly rather than mountainous. Eagles were circling around looking for their next prey, olive trees were now a regular feature in the landscape and the lakes were missing a lot of water. It was definitely hot, but that was to be expected in this part of Spain. And I had watched the weather forecast, a heatwave was on the way from the south (Sahara) which resulted in a constant warm headwind.
It was Saturday, and I was looking forward to a night in the town of Caceres. When I reached the Tagus, it was obvious that this region doesn't receive much precipitation. The roman bridge which once crossed the river was well visible. Carrying on, i slowly started to climb towards Caceres, a Roman city located in Extremadura, a Unesco world heritage site. The city retains evidence of many different cultures. Reaching the suburbs, modern flats are the main buildings, but getting closer to the old town, Ciudad Monumental, a mix of gothic and Renaissance architecture is widely represented. Having booked into my accommodation, I walked the cobbled medieval streets and admired the fortified palaces and houses. The town is encircled by 12th Century Moorish walls, but the town is also known for it's 30 towers, each of them having nesting storks on them. It was busy in Caceres, many families enjoying an evening out on this sunny Saturday. I found a great place for pintos , placed myself on the terras and watched the hustle and bustle of this busy city.
Leaving Caceres behind me, it was 7am and already getting hot. The heatwave had arrived and it would make for a tough day in the saddle. With another 5 liter strapped to the bike, I cycled along long straight stretches of dusty roads in between fields of grain, sunflowers,... The hills were gone and good progress was made along the flat roads of this region, but I was consuming a lot of my water which meant I had to top it up on a few occasions. Reaching the foothills of Parque Natural Sierra de Hornachuelos, the climbing in 35 degree heat was tough. When I reached the beautiful town of Guadalcanal, I decided to take a break and seek out some shade. A small festival was just starting and I enjoyed watching the parade,...  Leaving the comforts behind me of the shaded village square, I took the long road towards Cazalla de la sierra. After a quick decent, it was uphill all the way towards Cazalla. The odd car which passed me gave me a friendly supportive beep, one driver even stopping and offering me some water. I was delighted when i reached the outskirts of Cazalla, a lively town where I checked into my accommodation.
Daylight was just breaking through the morning clouds and the birds were waking up. It was day# 9 of my cycle through Spain, and on this fresh morning I found myself cycling through the hills of Parque Natural de Hornachuelos. I was on my way to Osuna on a short 110km cycle and I was super excited. Today, I would meet up with my parents and oldest son in Osuna and stay with them for 2 days. I was looking forward to the break and spending some quality time with my parents and son. I reached the town of Constantina in record time and from there it was downhill towards Lora Del Rio. Lora Del Rio is a bustling rural town along the Genil and Guadalquivir rivers.
From here onwards, i was cycling between fertile fields as far as the eye could reach. The roads were significant busier, especially with trucks carrying the many vegetables, grain and sunflowers which were grown in this region. Cycling towards Ecija, I noticed a very bright light which turned out to be the solar tower plant Gemasolar where they capture and focus the sun’s thermal energy with thousands of tracking mirrors. The road from Ecija to Osuna was the straightest road UI had ever experienced. Along the route, I was able to see Osuna in the distance which was still 17km away. Roadkill along the road was mainly snakes and rabbits, and knowing my youngest son would be interested in the snakes, i decided to snap a few pictures of the larger ones.
By 2 o'clock, I reached the town of Osuna, This beautiful town was a film location for Game of Thrones, but has remained unchanged and is a sleepy rural town which is worth a visit due to the many architectural treasures which can be found in the town. Navigating the small streets, I reached the house where my parents stayed in and was welcomed by a refreshing drink and a fantastic BBQ.
|
About the AuthorWe are Peter & Dolores De Bie. We love the great outdoors, discovering new parts of the world and writing about our adventures along the Wild Atlantic Way and further afield Categories
All
|
RSS Feed
