Ruidera

We left Córdoba to travel to Ruidera, in the Parque Natural de Ruidera which is a bit like the Lake District but without the rain! It’s in central Spain about 200 km east of Madrid, about half way to the east coast where we’re heading, so seemed like a sensible spot to visit over the hectic Easter period, which is huge in Spain. In fact we saw our first traffic jams on the way to Ruidera, thankfully heading in the opposite direction so we congratulated ourselves on the foresight to go somewhere quiet to see out Easter in peace.

We entered the national park on a road similar to that which runs alongside Derwentwater from Keswick to Borrowdale – narrow and windy, with lots of sharp bends. Fortunately we were only on it for about 10 km but it took quite a while, and there was a bit of a build up of traffic behind us, so it was with some relief that the campsite came into view.

This is the first site we’ve visited with a security guard on the gate! It was chaos outside the entrance, with caravans and motorhomes blocking the road as they attempted to gain entry. Fortunately we’d booked, so Karol attempted to charm said guard (who spoke no English!) but to no avail. She had to join the queue to check in and I was despatched to ‘Operation Stack’ which was operating just beyond the site entrance in a lay-by and a couple of side roads. There were caravans everywhere! I counted 9 of us parked in this one small area, and of course, as each one was checked in, we had to find a way of turning round and getting back to the site.

It was a revelation however – no one was getting flustered or upset, as we waited patiently to gain access. Everyone helped one another, be it moving cars, directing traffic, or advising on the amount of room each unit had in turning round in such a tight space. Everyone was in good humour – they were all here to have a good time, and nothing was going to stop them!

After about 30 minutes standing in the scorching heat, Karol got to choose a pitch for us, and we were able to get past the border policeman and onto the site.

So much for peace and quiet – the site was packed. Karol counted 270 pitches for caravans and motorhomes, and virtually all were occupied, mostly with four or more residents. That’s not counting the bungalows for rent, and an area for those under canvas, so upwards of 1,000 people in all.

And boy, do they know how to enjoy themselves! They were all having a great time, at least up until midnight when the curfew kicked in, and everyone dutifully quietened down and went to bed. No yobs, no bad behaviour, simply good natured family fun. It made us quite humble.

We wanted to see the real Spain and this is certainly it – whole families and groups of friends enjoying being together, eating together, kids playing and riding bikes – not an iPad or phone in sight!

Oh, and do you know how many other ‘foreigners’ were on site? None – we were the only ones who weren’t Spanish!

Sunday saw a quite a bit of changeover, as families left and others arrived, but it definitely quietened down. Shame really, as we were getting to quite enjoy the entertainment! We needn’t have been concerned about the food situation over the bank holiday either – there is a small shop on site, another across the road, and at least 10 cafes and restaurants within easy walking distance! Ruidera is good walking country, set at around 1,000m above sea level, with beautiful hills surrounding a selection of spectacular lagoons, so we’ve spent our time walking, and relaxing in the sunshine (it’s a pleasant 24 to 26 degrees here through the day, although it cools down at night).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s a rant I want to get off my chest. One of the things I’ve noticed since we came to Spain is the availability and quality of alcohol free beer. It’s as readily available as it’s more potent cousin, tastes good, and is similarly priced, both in bars and supermarkets.That is to say considerably cheaper than in the UK, at around one third of it’s UK price. That can only be down to the UK retailers profiteering on this line, as with zero duty it should in fact be a lot less than ordinary beer. In Spain where there is little if any extra duty on beer and wine it’s understandable that the price is similar but not in the UK. Surely if they want us to cut down on our alcohol intake, why can’t they make it easier and more cost effective for us to buy non-sweet drinks which aren’t alcoholic? The old excuse that it costs more to make simply won’t wash, as clearly the Spanish manufactures don’t have an issue with it. We need to take a leaf out of this particular Spanish book.

Anyway, it’s time to leave town as we got a parking ticket in Tomellosa today. There were no obvious signs, and it was a ‘Pay and Display’ oversight, so we’re the new Bonny and Clyde as we’re going on the run tomorrow, as we’ve decided to take advantage of the EU two year dispensation received by the UK to not ‘grass up’ its citizens to the nasty Eurocrats for motoring indiscretions, which we understand comes to an end on 6th May. So, we’re going on a lawbreaking spree – we’re going to park where we like and hang the consequences for the next two weeks. Look out for us on Crimewatch!