Tootling around Totana

Totana Plaza de Balsa Vieja

When we returned to the Camperstop Sierra Espuna at Totana we intended to stay a few days, this eventually became fifteen days as we found so much to do, walking up to the local restaurant for lunch ( the chef was having a crazy day and not only overdosed my prawn and sweet corn salad with sauce but created a Mr Blobby complete with caviar buttons - weird!!) days out on our bikes or going into town to sit in the plaza to drink coffee and watch the world go by (AKA People Watching)

This has to win a prize for the weirdest salad!

The weather didn't let us down with only a few days when 

the temperatures dipped, but we were still able to get out and about. The average daytime temperature here in January being about 15°c rising to over 20°c on a sunny afternoon, warm enough to sit outside and enjoy, on our days out cycling we would take a picnic and find a sheltered spot to sit and eat our sandwiches.

Lunch break at Nonihay on our way to Aledo

Our last cycle ride of our stay was up to the town of Aledo, a hilltop community of higgle de piggledy houses perched overlooking the panorama all around them. It's always tough cycling up the hills, but it is so lovely coming back down

All roads lead to Totana, but which one to take?

The town of Aledo

Finally after a most enjoyable time at Totana, it's time to move on to pastures new

Our Spanish adventure continues...

Town square Mula

Our next stop was the town of Mula, a small town about 50km inland. It's off the tourist track so is typically Spanish, steeped in history and overlooked by the ruin of a castle perched on the high hilltop. We have visited Mula in the past for the Via Verde conveniently situated near to the Aire where we stay. 

Via Verde de Noroeste

 

We love the barren landscape the track takes you through, known as the Badlands and best described as a lunar landscape and then suddenly arriving in a remote village where we can stop for a coffee and maybe some tapas in the local bar. The railway is long gone but the derelict stations remain, reminding you of their former glory.

Derelict station of Los Rodeos

Having walked the town and cycled the Via Verde de Noroeste it was time to move on to pastures new or maybe I should say different rather than new - we returned to the camperstop at Totana. We feel at home there, meeting up with other motorhomers and continuing to explore the local area, we have found that the longer you stay the more you can discover, there are so many different cycle routes in the vicinity.

Looking relaxed on the way up!

One day we decided to cycle the eleven miles up to the Visitor centre and restaurant in the Sierra Espuna national park, after the long climb to the top, the temperature dropping as we ascended we arrived cold and hungry to find the restaurant closed and we hadn't brought much food with us! Disaster!! We hastily descended back home getting even colder by not needing to exert any energy. By the time we got back to the van we were frozen!! 

The restaurant - Closed!!

Not a very successful day out except for the wonderful panoramic views and the tranquil ambience of the area.

On another day we went cycling with Ged and Pauline on their electric bikes, luckily they didn't mind waiting patiently at the top of the hills while we puffed our way up!

Ged knows the area well and was able to show us some new routes.

The local Goatsherd

A new Via Verde from Totana to Cartagena has recently been opened so we couldn't resist trying it! It ran in a straight line out across the valley through endless fields of broccoli, iceberg lettuce, cauliflower and artichokes. And just at the right time we found a picnic site at a derelict station where we could sit and eat our lunch before heading back.







Apologies for the font changes but it won't let me correct it!!

Lunch stop!

Brocoli, broccoli and more broccoli....

Via Verde Totana to Cartagena

What a way to start the New Year!!

After almost a week at La Azohia we decided to have a few days at one of our favourite places - Camperstop Sierra Espuna at Totana, about 30km inland and at the foot of the mountains of the Sierra Espuna national park. 

Here we can cycle along the canal path or along the local roads to remote villages and towns. Once again we find friends there that we have met before so immediately feel at home. 

The weather warms up a notch and we have a couple of days out exploring on our bikes and relaxing in the sunshine.

On New Years Eve we headed back to Rojales to spend the evening with Janet and Frank. We had a wonderful meal and at midnight we watched the fireworks all around us from their roof terrace. It was an incredibly unique sight to behold - from the terrace you could see dozens of firework displays some near and some far away on the coast around Torrevieja. We toasted the New Year with a fizzy drink and 12 grapes - a Spanish tradition, making a wish with each grape, one for each month of the year.

Janet, Keith & dogs on La Marina beach

On New Years Day we headed to the packed beach of La Marina to exercise the dogs, there were hundreds of people there, mostly ex-pats, enjoying the first day of the year in the sunshine with a BBQ on the beach. What a wonderful way to start the New Year!

Us with Nela, Luca & Poppy

Christmas in La Azohia

Cooking Christmas Lunch 🎅🏽🎁🎄

Three weeks has passed by since I last posted and Christmas has been and gone, we have lived a social whirl, feeling like we have as many friends in Spain as we have back home in the UK. After a few days enjoying our return to Castellon we headed further south to the Murcia area to visit our friends Janet and Frank in Rojales then on to spend Christmas wild camping in La Azohia (just south of Cartagena). We love it there, camped up right by the beach with loads of walking and cycling opportunities in the vicinity. 

We were also able to meet up with our friends Maureen and Andy and spend some time with them socialising over a beer or two and on a day out walking up and over the hills to a secret beach inaccessible by car.

We were lucky enough to have wonderful weather for the whole of the Christmas period and although it was a bit windy on Christmas Day, Keith and I cooked our Christmas lunch on the beach - Turkey steaks with grilled veg and mushroom risotto followed by caramel panacotta. This is the first time we have ever spent Christmas abroad and cooking on the beach has always been a dream we have finally made a reality!

On Boxing Day we headed out into the hills on our bikes to the remote village of Tallenta where we stopped for tapas 
and a coffee and that evening we were treated to an incredible sunset, the changing colours were amazing, it felt almost surreal like as though we were sitting watching it on a widescreen in the cinema

The beautiful sunset at La Azohia

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