Trelevez to Granada

September 17th 2014

From the campsite there is a beautiful little path to the village of Trevelez which wanders its way alongside a fast running stream, before dropping down into the myriad of narrow streets and alleyways.

[caption id="attachment_2530" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Our walk to the village….[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2529" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Even the stream is full of colour….[/caption]

Our first glimpses of the town yesterday had left us wondering what all the fuss was about...

[caption id="attachment_2518" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Trevelez…nestled in the hills of the Sierra Nevada[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2528" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Trevelez...[/caption]

but as we walked the streets we were won over by its charm and beauty.







 

 

 

There are views across the mountains from every corner, little shops hidden from view...the only way to distinguish a shop from a home was a small sign above a curtained door, or having seen a customer emerge with their arms full of goodies!





The main square was full of colour and vibrancy...hand woven rugs adorned every doorway

[caption id="attachment_2526" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Brightly coloured handwoven rugs...[/caption]

locals sat at the bars drinking coffee and large Jambon hung from the ceiling of the many local producers…..



 



[caption id="attachment_2527" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Dried peppers...[/caption]

We weren’t able to leave without buying a new hand woven rug for the hall and some ham for BT to munch!

Granada is our next stop and our campsite hosts gave us some great advice about where to stay overnight and what to see in the city.

[caption id="attachment_2531" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Last views from the campsite...[/caption]

But first, we had to make our way back down the many windy mountain roads before arriving at our campsite about 5 miles outside of the city.



[caption id="attachment_2533" align="aligncenter" width="640"] I did say it was windy….[/caption]

We were very lucky and took the last remaining place.

A bus stop was just outside the campsite so we decided to catch the next one into the city and have a wander. We love to walk off of the beaten track and discover the little backstreets....today was no exception. The city has a very moorish feel to it.

[caption id="attachment_2535" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Lots of tiled hallways, road signs and door lintels all over the city...[/caption]

Many little shops, similar to the souks in Morocco were to be found up and down streets no wider than a hallway, spilling their brightly coloured wares onto the pavements.



Bars and cafes were found on every corner offering cuisine from around the world.

[caption id="attachment_2536" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Many beautiful buildings….[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2579" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Gorgeous….[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2580" align="aligncenter" width="640"] A spot of yarn bombing in Granada….love it![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_2581" align="aligncenter" width="427"] Moroccan influences everywhere...[/caption]

Granada is a huge sprawling city with many gems to discover..the largest of these is the Alhambra which we plan to visit tomorrow....

[caption id="attachment_2582" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The Alhambra[/caption]

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]