Sunday 17th April 2016.
We are off tomorrow so today was spent in those fabulous pursuits of washing, cleaning and packing - wonderful.
Monday 18th April 2016.
Moving day - always exciting and today we have moved to an area we have never visited before, which is getting a lot harder in both Spain and Portugal, Albarracín, a Spanish town, in the province of Teruel. The CAMPSITE CLUDAD DE ALBARRACIN, where we have set up, is close to town and a very pleasant if rather small site.
Tuesday 19th April 2016.
We spent today wandering around the town of ALBARRACIN today, most people walk there and back from the camp site, but we elected to drive down and park in a large free car park just a few metres from the Tourist Information Centre where the enthusiastic English speaking staff provided us with maps, brochures and details of the various local sights. To visit Aibarracin is to be transported back to the middle ages, 1182 m (3878 ft) above sea level thats 97 m (318 ft) higher than Mount Snowdon, it is almost unspoilt by modernisation (there are manhole covers dated 1956) and I have read that it has been proposed Albarracin become a UNESCO World Heritage, site the 45th in Spain.
We managed to struggle up to the castle where we saw, to the utter horror of an American couple we were chatting to, that ‘elf and safety means as much to the Spanish as to the Portuguese. We have been told, but have been unable to confirm, that businesses are not required to carry third party public liability insurance (I had two shops and was required to carry £3,000,000.00 minimum third party on each) as each person is responsible for their own safety. The views from the castle are magnificent but some parts are very exposed and with a strong wind blowing, as it was when we were there, bl**dy frightening.
Wednesday 20th April 2016.
Off out in the car today looking for local waterfalls that are said to quite spectacular but first spotted a ROMAN AQUEDUCT that ran from Aibarracin to Cella a distance of some 25 kms. Much of the aqueduct has disappeared in the 2000 plus years since being built but those parts that are left are a fascinating insight into the lengths the Romans would go to to get fresh water exactly where they wanted it. There was considerable climbing to some of the access points but every step was worth it. From the aqueduct we carried on looking for the waterfalls taking us off the main road onto an unmade forrest trail. Mile after mile we followed the track giving, at times, thanks that we were in a 4x4 rather than an ordinary car, which while it (the ordinary car) would have coped would certainly have given concern. The road eventually stopped in a small carpark, we got out thinking (hoping?) to find the elusive waterfall. What we found was Alto de la Cruz which in July and August 1938 was the scene of heavy fighting between the rebel and the Republican armies. It is a commanding position with spectacular 360º panoramic views. The fortified position built into and camouflaged by the rocky terrain and protected by pine forests is very similar today as it was when that very terrain and pine forest prevented the use of artillery and mortars causing the fighting to be done using handguns, rifles, pistols and machine guns. An evocative and rather depressing place but one not to be missed.
The last few metres to the lookout post was a steep, but fortunately short, about 50 m climb over rocks that judging by the flats chiselled it them must be deadly in wet weather. The lookout is 1535 m (5036 ft) above sea level, Ben Nevis in Scotland is 1,345 m (4412 ft).
We have spent some hours trying to find internet information on this area and it’s battles but we failed.
Thursday 21st April 2016.
We failed to find any waterfalls yesterday, but having been assured by locals that given the recent heavy rain they would be spectacular we set off today with nothing but waterfalls (all marked on our map by the local tourist information lady) on the agenda.
We travelled towards the first spot marked on our map and were quite surprised when we reached a “no access to vehicles” sign at the start of the road we wanted but no car park, unusual for Spain. No matter we found somewhere to park and started walking alongside a stream that to make anything like a spectacular waterfall would have to fall a very long way indeed. We had a super walk but never did find a waterfall. Never mind we will go to the next on the list. Well we drove around for hours, sometimes seeing signs to the various waterfalls but what we did not see was a waterfall. Any waterfall.
Oh well, thats as good a reason as any to revisit the area at a later date.
Friday 22nd April 2016.
We had decided that today we would do a marked walk around the town “ . . . the riverside walk will take you around 45 minutes . . . ” the tourist information lady had told us, and then have lunch in one of the town restaurants that had been recommended to us.
The Riverside Walk we thought would be a flatish walk on the riverbank. Not a bit of it the path seemed to climb to the level of the town centre and then drop down to river level again. After an hour or so we checked the map to find we were about a third of the way round. Walk abandoned for today we made our way to the restaurant for lunch only to be told when we arrived that every seat in the house was booked. Oh well, back to the van for cheese and biscuits washed down with a bottle of port.
This afternoon we went into Teruel to do some shopping, didn’t like the shop (strange as it was a Mercadona, our favourite Spanish supermarket chain), didn’t like the town. We will not be going back there.
Things improved on the way back when we popped into a tourist “Artisan” shop selling local produce and bought a number of big glass jars containing cooked meats preserved in oil. It looks disgusting but tastes delicious.
Saturday 23rd April 2016.
Moving day, we are slowly moving north and we have now fetched up at CAMPING EL MOLINO just south of PAMPLONA, a city we have often said we would visit but never have. Things started badly even before arriving at this site. As we tried to make a final turn into the long site driveway we found our way blocked by a Guardia Civil van and three giant police men all brandishing machine guns. Indicating where we wanted to go we had to wait until the police moved their van and allowed us to complete the last 50 metres or so to the site. We arrived just after 2.00pm and were more than disappointed to find a notice on the reception door saying closed 2.00pm to 4.00pm. We had a look around and found a nice looking site but with big gates that prevented access when reception was closed. We had a look at the ACSI book, there were no other sites in the area and so would have to wait. We went to the restaurant and ordered a coffee (me) and a fresh orange juice (Sue) to while away the time but both were awful so back to the car to read for best part of two hours. As we arrived at the car the barmaid from the restaurant came out and opened the gate to let someone out and after taking our ACSI card and giving us a cheery “ . . . just report to reception when it opens . . . “ she let us in. Things were looking up.