WHERE ARE WE ANNE?: ONWARDS TO THE NORTH ATLANTIC

FROM THE MOUNTAINS TO THE SEA

ME AND MY GIRL. SIERRA DE GRAZALEMA

Sunday 3rd November 2013

Heading west from Ronda towards Cadiz on the Atlantic coast we drove through the spectacular Sierra de Grazalema National Park. A drive up through Cork tree forests and then beautiful views on every twisty turn. Lots of people taking advantage of the Halloween/All Saints Day long weekend to go walking in the mountains.

We stopped at Arcos de la Frontera for a walk into the old town. It is a 'Peublos Blanco', a cluster of whitewashed houses town typical of the area and the guide book said we might like it. We took a wander but were vaguely underwhelmed. We'd been so spoilt with Ronda and the mountains.

We drove to Cadiz, stopped, walked, ticked that one then headed on down the coast to our curious accommodation for the next two nights in Conil de la Frontera.

It's November. That means we've clicked over in to low season. I found our accommodation on Booking .com with a half price rate for two nights making it the cheapest accommodation so far at 25Euros a night. Anne was apprehensive. It was going to be a bargain or a trap.

We turned off the highway driving through coastal lowlands as the tarmac got narrower then gave way to potholed dirt and further waves of apprehension. Carlos the owner greeted us as we pulled in and showed us to our rooms which were met not only with relief but smug approval. We seemed to have bagged a bargain. We were the only people staying at a small summer resort. Spotless rooms, great eggs and coffee breakfast and incredibly quiet.

The nearby area of Roche on the beach was a very curious affair. A boomgated enclave of hundreds and hundreds of very expensive houses for summer beach holidays. The whole area was pretty much an empty ghost town except for a few full timers. It must really heave in summer though.