We planned that our furthest point south on this trip into Spain would be Javea – or Xabia to give it its Valencian name – so we wended our way along the coast past orange groves and through more built- up resort towns. Javea was a pleasant surprise and its planning laws mean there are… Continue reading Javea or Xabia
Valencia region
On leaving Benagéber we followed the Utiel-Requena wine route towards Valencia, miles of bare terracotta earth and dark low-growing vine root stock with no spring growth yet visible This area has been dedicated to wine making for over 2,500 years but has only found more popularity for its red and rosé wines in the mainstream… Continue reading Valencia region
Benagéber
We continued our meanderings south by heading inland again into the hills to the west of Valencia. We seem to be drawn to the hilly and mountainous landscapes more than some of the coastal towns. Great scenic roads took us deep into the hills and brought us out above the beautiful Benagéber reservoir in the… Continue reading Benagéber
Around Alcossebre
The campsite at Ribamar, north of Valencia, is on the edge of the Sierra d’Irta national park, and one of the last remaining unspoilt mountain landscapes on the Valencia coast. Paths from the campsite lead straight into the pine forests and down to coastal paths on the rugged coastline. In contrast to the built up… Continue reading Around Alcossebre
Coastal stops
From the monastery overnight stop we headed back towards the coast and south to the delta plain of the River Ebro, a vast flat area and one of the largest wetland areas in the western Mediterranean. We commented in jest that this was probably the rice bowl of Spain and Spain’s equivalent of the Mekong… Continue reading Coastal stops
First foray into Spain
Our first couple of days on the road were about covering some miles to get down to Spain, via Bram, so a mixture of motorways and cross country driving. This was also the first test of off-grid camping by using the various apps to find sites for the night. We had a halfway point in… Continue reading First foray into Spain
Back on the road in 2022
So after a couple of months in the UK we are back on the road again to resume our travels – with a few changes. While we were away last year we had started to think about changing our van for one that would reduce our dependence on campsites and extend our ‘camping’ season as… Continue reading Back on the road in 2022
Saying goodbye to the Aude
Well this has been the last week of this stint of our travels, before we head back to the UK for boring admin issues and important booster vaccines. Important because we’ll have to be able to show proof of those for travel, going in restaurants and public places, in France at least. On another crisp… Continue reading Saying goodbye to the Aude
Buried Treasure
We’ve had a quieter time over the last few weeks as the days draw in and the weather is more mixed. That doesn’t stop us getting out every day, either on foot, bicycle or motorised transport. We had the opportunity for a late November outing on the motorbike, taking advantage of a crisp, sunny day… Continue reading Buried Treasure
Local wines
We’re still enjoying exploring new wine and food specialities and there is plenty to discover nearby. The Aude department is in the region that was previously called Languedoc Roussillon and since 2014 has been called Occitanie. The region is a major wine producer, with well known red wines such as Corbieres, Fitou and Minervois. In… Continue reading Local wines