Up into the mountains….

September 16th 2014

We left our beachside ‘resort’(!)

[caption id="attachment_2495" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Sunrise….[/caption]

…..to spend the day travelling through the National Park towards the Sierra Nevada.

[caption id="attachment_2490" align="aligncenter" width="640"] A view across the National Park[/caption]

We found ourselves in a pretty little place called La Isleta where the local fishermen had just landed their catch and we watched as the fish were graded ready to supply the local bars and restaurants.

[caption id="attachment_2501" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Local catch...[/caption]

The heavens opened and so we dived into a waterside bar, had a drink and watched as the fishermen sorted their nets for the next day.

[caption id="attachment_2502" align="aligncenter" width="640"] La Isleta[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2503" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Typical of us, we wanted to follow as close to the coast to reach the lighthouse…but the road turned into a very bumpy, dusty track, so we had to turn back and follow the road…like most normal people!![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2504" align="aligncenter" width="640"] This is very typical of the landscape we have been seeing today…disappointing for a National Park...[/caption]

Cabo de Gata is the turning point where one stops driving south and turns to head east along the bottom of Spain. As we drove along towards the lighthouse we passed some wetlands where flamingoes were feeding and resting.

[caption id="attachment_2505" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Flamingoes...[/caption]

It is a strange experience to see birds such as these in their natural habitat....to be honest, we weren’t expecting to see flamingoes at all so it was a real treat.

The view from the headland along the coast looked amazing, and as the clouds parted we caught a glimpse of their true beauty. We had hoped to catch a glimpse of the Sierra Nevada from here too, but as the storm clouds were gathering over the top of them we couldn’t make them out.

[caption id="attachment_2507" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Views from the lighthouse…obscured by cloud and rain...[/caption]

We had read about a village, Trevelez, in the Sierra Nevada that was famous for it’s air dried ham, Jambon, and hand woven rugs and was supposed to be the highest village in Spain. It was decided that we would wend our way there along MANY very wiggly roads and spend the night.

[caption id="attachment_2508" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Views across the Sierra Nevada[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2509" align="aligncenter" width="640"] One very empty reservoir...[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2511" align="aligncenter" width="427"] A small village perched above the dry riverbed..[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2512" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Fantastic sky over the mountains...[/caption]

On arrival found a very empty, but very pleasant campsite, just on the edge of the village, where we were able to have a hot shower, a drink at the bar and some wifi access.

[caption id="attachment_2515" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Camping Trevelez[/caption]