Week 5 – 6th January 2024 – 12th January 2024 – Benicarlo, Spain -Balerma, Spain (424 miles)
Saturday 6th January 2024 – Benicarlo to Mar Menor (253 miles)
We keep saying the previous day that this is our last long drive. Well, we say the same thing again, but this time it’s an even longer drive.
Today we do a 6 and something hours of driving. The upside is that we are now in the warm part of Spain where the daily average temperature is 17 degrees. That’s cooler than it’s been recently – the week before we arrived it was in the low 20s but Europe is having a bit of a cold snap.
The motorways are free in Spain, apart from some shorter newer routes and even then it’s cheap. We follow the coast until we pass Alicante and Hayley finds us, what on paper, looks like an excellent campsite called “La Fabrica” or The Factory. The reviews talk of vegan cooking classes and oboe concerts, Del is a bit dubious but these quirky stops make for an interesting trip. It’s off our route by a couple of kms but we think that we will give it a go. We drive through a town called Dolores which is dead, not just quiet, but dead, nothing there. It feels very odd. We find the campsite which is equally dead and closed but looks, on the outside, how it is described on its website. It’s worth just clicking on their website to see what we mean.
We park up while Del investigates. It is definitely closed apart from one run-down camper van with an old Spanish guy sitting outside it spitting. Nice. We give up and set off. Del finds a Whatsapp number for the owner who replies to Del’s text saying that it is the right place but that they are full.
We drive off to rejoin the motorway, it’s all starting to feel like a bit of a slog now after 6 hours. We head to the Mar Menor where there are two cheap camper parks. One of them doesn’t open until 6pm and looks full, the other is full so we end up spending 40 euros for a place in the nearby campsite for the night.
We are put into a tight space which is basically the campsite carpark with some wire running to it for electricity. We decide to change and move into the campsite for the same price but without electricity. It’s more spacious and quieter. The other pitch had a group of revellers playing music extremely loud and having a BBQ and we were downwind of it. We like the new space. Nice, but very expensive. It’s high season here. We are amazed that the two cheap camping parks are full, between them there are 215 spaces and they are all full! Most of the spaces in these parks and campsites are filled by huge German motorhomes in a completely different league to Jess, they are the size of coaches and some store a car inside them. We do some research and find a Morelo Empire Liner for £686,000! We’ll stick with Jess.
We settle in for the night. Tomorrow is another day.
Sunday 7th January 2024 Mar Menor to Cabo de Gata (136 miles)
The wind in the Mar Menor is strong. We are getting quite fed up with it, it’s cold as well, so we finally decide that after breakfast we will move on further south to find some winter sunshine. We set off, Del is driving while Hayley does her best to find us a place. We, text and email sites as we go along, all of which have “no room at the inn“. It’s a busy time of year, this is where the warm weather is and this is where everyone wants to be. Just like us!
Finally Hayley does find us a place. She is really good at scouring the camping apps and maps and finding us places. We have finally broken free of the windy weather and the skies are blue. We are heading south towards the Cabo de Gata. It starts to feel like a bit of a slog but it is well worth it. We have booked and paid in advance and we are welcomed by a very nice chap who gives us a space. Finally, finally, we have found the sunshine.
There is not much around here at the Cabo de Gata. We remember it from our sailing days when we sailed from Almerimar to Barcelona and back on a couple of occasions. This area of Andalusia is considered the poor part of Spain, but it is also where most of Europe’s fruit and veg are grown.
Miles and miles of land are covered in plastic greenhouses. It is said that after the Great Wall of China, it is the second largest man-made thing that can be seen from space.
We have a great pitch and get settled in quite quickly.
The have a restaurant here on the site serving local stuff at a good price so without too much delay, we are sitting down to a cold beer, a huge salad, fried baby squid and some fries on the side. We also have a cold glass of rose to help it along all enjoyed in the wind-free sunshine. Finally.
It is still winter here so it does get cold from around 5 pm. We are well fed and watered and content to be where we are. Fabulous. Could the days of long drives be finally over?
Monday 8th January 2024 – Cabo de Gata – Day 2
It’s a nice bright, but chilly, day this morning. We slept well – it’s so quiet here. Breakfast is outside today in the cool winter sun. We have some winter tops on as it’s a chilly morning . It’s so nice though. We enjoy our breakfast. Laundry day today. It has to be done.
The bikes are at last coming off the back of the van, after 4 weeks we get them down. Hayley gives them a good wipe down, oiling and tyre pump up and we are off, no idea where, but we are off. We find our way to the beach. It’s not really a beach for spending the day on but it’s the beach. It stretches for miles to the left and to the right of us.
The sea is calm and it’s warm in the sun. We are the only people for miles too. We sit on the beach looking out to sea reminiscing about our boat trips along these waters. We sit there for a while just chatting. It’s lovely.
We set off again. We can see a town a few miles off along the coast, and following a dusty road we arrive at the small town of Cabo de Gata. It’s dead. There is no one here. We cycle through the empty dusty streets. It feels strange.
We make our way to the sea front and find a small bar with a couple of people sitting out to enjoy the afternoon sun. Why not we think, and sit down to a small glass of Coke and two small tapas. Lovely.
Not realising the time we head back to the campsite, again another dusty, pot holed, winding road to join the main road back to the campsite, we end the day sitting outside in the afternoon sun and just like yesterday it starts to cool off around 5 pm so we pack up and get into Jess for a nice hot cup of tea. We liked it today, lots done including a good 7 mile cycle.
We like it here so much that we ask if we can stay another two nights. No problem, so here we will stay for the next few days, in the Cabo de Gata, in the province of Andalucia, Spain.
Tuesday 9th January 2024 – Cabo de Gata – Day 3
We have woken up to a cloudy, cool morning. The sun is trying to break through but not quite making it. Breakfast indoors today. Crumpets and poached eggs! Nice. We stay around Jess today, planning our next few weeks, booking what we can ahead, if we can.
It’s mid-afternoon and the sun has pushed away some of the clouds, it’s quite warm. We get the walking boots on and set off for a walk. We walk past a lot of the greenhouses that cover many miles of the Andalucian area. Some are left to rot and decay sending massive sheets of plastic to blow around the countryside, eventually making it into the sea. There is also an issue with poor conditions for migrant workers, which we all tend to ignore, so long as the tomatoes are cheap! See the wiki here, and some photos.
An hour or so later we have done 4 miles. Back to Jess. The clouds have gathered a bit more heavily now, rain is threatening. We pack everything away and pop the bikes back on the back. We are moving on tomorrow.
The rest of the day is spent on Jess. It’s so still outside, grey and cool. Dinner on board.
Movie night tonight. Groundhog Day. A 90s film about a bloke who’s a bit of a git, wakes up everyday to the same thing and becomes an alright bloke. It was ok.
Wednesday 10th January 2024 – Cabo de Gata – Day 4
There was some rain overnight, just a shower. This morning the sunshine is back. Clear blue sky and it is warming up nicely. It’s bacon butties and coffee for breakfast today. We are leaving today to make an overnight stop along the coast. Just as we are having breakfast Del gets an email cancelling our reservation. Nice. We get into a bit of a flap as the day is already planned. It’s a short-lived flap though as we decide to stay put just for one more night. It’s nice here so we don’t really mind.
Camping Cabo de Gata has everything and it has a nice easy going feel about it, clean and well maintained.
It has really warmed up now to a balmy 17 degrees so we sit outside jess reading, writing and chatting. It’s that good we finally get our shorts on and just relax for the rest of the day.
The camp restaurant does a fabulous 13 euro menu of the day, so we take advantage of that. Fantastic value for money and enjoyed in the afternoon sun.
Back at Jess we rinse and repeat the mornings activities. It’s all go! We discuss and part book a trip away for the summer.
No dinner tonight but we do play one of our EXIT games.
Tomorrow we will definitely be moving on. Maybe…
Thursday 11th January 2024 – Cabo de Gata to Balerma (50 miles)
We have liked staying here in Camping Cabo de Gata. We have stayed longer than we thought. There is not much around here, you can go out on a bike and do some walking, which is nice, it’s just that the campsite has a such a nice feeling about it which is hard to describe, it’s relaxing, care free and has everything you need including an excellent restaurant and bar. We will probably call in here again for another night or two on the way back home in a couple of weeks.
We do finally leave today. After a massive breakfast. “A clear out breakfast“. Getting stuff used up that will be soon out of date. Del knocks up a poor man’s tortilla using up some eggs and potatoes. There’s ham, cheese, jam and bread. We go a bit mad really. We do a full service on Jess and set off west along the southern coast of Spain. It’s a lovely day, 18 degrees and all’s right with the world. We are heading for a campsite called Camping Mar Azul in the town of Balerma. It’s a short 50 mile drive and on route we stop at the Spanish version of Tescos – Mercadona. A fabulous supermarket. Never thought we would say that “It’s our favourite supermarket“, but they are rather good. The fridge and cupboards in the van are jammed with stuff that should last us a good week or more.
At the campsite we find that they have a van wash! Jess has not had a decent wash since the start way back in Switzerland. For 3 euros, yes 3 euros she gets the best wash ever! So, so cheap.
We get checked in and get to our pitch and settle in very quickly. The site must be occupied by at the very least 98% Germans. It’s mad… No problem with that, they work hard, they buy all the toys, they move about and enjoy using them. It’s a nice place here, we have a walk around to find out where all the essentials are, toilets, showers, stuff like that.
We walk along the front to the town of Balerma. It’s quite sad really. This area of Spain is the poorest area. There are so many construction sites that have started and have been abandoned. Blocks that are occupied but are starting to fall apart. The town is almost deserted. Eventually though we do find some life. Two seafront restaurants that are busy. We stop at one of the places for a “Tinto Verano” (Red Summer). Red wine mixed with lemonade and lots of ice. Very refreshing.
We make friends with the restaurant’s local black cat while studying the menu which is excellent. We decide that we will come here for a late lunch tomorrow. Back at Jess, we half heartedly plot the rest of the trip out before showering and having a fabulous dinner on board. Hayley does do a an amazing Fidua.
Early night tonight…
Friday 12th January 2024 – Balerma Day 2
It was a good night’s sleep, we were in bed by 9 pm! Bacon and avocado butties and coffee for breakfast this morning. It’s windy today, much more than yesterday. You can get fed up with wind. Today we plan on a bike ride and a late lunch. After breakfast we sit about chatting, get the bikes off the back and off we go. We plan to go to Almerimar which is east along the coast, a 10km cycle, 20 round trip. We set off but the strong wind is dead in our face, it slows us down and the roar past our ears is getting on our wick so we forget all about it and cycle back in the other direction and take lunch a little earlier.
It’s nice afternoon out and the time goes quick. We end up at a restaurant with the best sea view, its very quite and peaceful here and our cat friend from yesterday puts in an appearance.
For 13 euros we have a menu of the day, which is quite extensive. Salad, fried aubergine with honey, followed by paella and a local stew. More food comes; calamari with some fries, a local dessert and coffee. Del has a splash of brandy in his coffee (carajillo).
Back at Jess, Hayley does some planning for a summer trip while Del does nothing! In the end we did manage a staggering 7 mile cycle…
Another day here tomorrow, the last day before moving further along the coast to Nerja.
Glad your persistence at chasing the sunshine finally paid off! Fabulous photos as usual. Envious of your weather, as bitterly cold here! Safe onward travels.
Thanks for , once again , a great narrative of your journey . I’ve added to this the theme from The Good The Bad and The Ugly as you encounter these deserted Spanish towns . January in the UK is as you might expect a dreary time of short days.
Guys, you do amazing job, well done !!! All the best for your next days of travelling and having fun.
So nice to hear from you Ewa. All the very best to you.. D&H
That calamari looks so delicious 😋
Enjoy the sunshine 🌞 the island 🏝️ is very bleak right now.
Have a great day xx