Motorhome News from Europe 11. Spain November 2004 Cordoba, Granada, Sierra Nevada and Almeria Where have we been this week? Cordoba, Granada and the Sierra Nevada. Superlatives all the way! Cordoba wasn’t originally on our route, but we’d heard from several people that it was not to be missed. To put this right it was necessary to make a detour of a hundred miles back to the north again and although the weather was clear and sunny there was a definite nip in the air and it was time for jumpers. Cordoba campsite was very convenient, just half an hour’s walk from the historic centre and we spent a couple of days there, enjoying the “small town” feel. The highlights of Cordoba include the Mesquita, a huge mosque which amazingly also houses a Christian cathedral. The ... read more

Motorhome News from Europe 9. Spain November 2004 Donana National Park, Huelva, Cadiz, Cabo de Trafalgar, Seville, Jerez, Tarifa and Old Tangiers First of all, I have to add a footnote to our last newsletter which omitted one particular birding day when heading south from Monfrague to Aracena, where we spent a whole day driving along potholed narrow back roads, hunting for bustards. We saw numerous red kites, buzzards, black shouldered kites, great grey shrike, hoopoes and EIGHT LITTLE BUSTARDS - yes, they really do exist! More recently here on the south coast of Spain, our bird sightings are of Flamingos, Egrets, Stilts and more Kingfishers. We’ve found wetlands on the border between Portugal and Spain and again in the Donana National Park and around the estuary of the Quadalquivir River between Huelva and Cadiz. Aren’t ... read more

Motorhome News from Europe 7. Portugal 20th October 2004 Portuguese Palaces and villages - and into Spain Estoril, Cabo da Roca, Cascais, Sintra, Lisbon, Extremadura, Monfrague National Park. Tempted by continued spring like weather, we checked out the golf at a hotel complex near Estoril. ‘Are you staying in the hotel?', the receptionist asked. 'No? Then it’ll be €150 each for 18 holes. It would be best for you to book on the internet,’ then it’s only €130!’ At that sort of money we decided to give it a miss. Besides, there were too many other things to do. A short drive took us out to the most westerly point in mainland Europe, at Cabo da Roca, where we found a good campsite near Cascais, which we used as a touring base for a few days. ... read more

Motorhome News from Europe 5 Spain. October 3rd 2004 Galicia From the Picos mountains to Santiago de Compostela. The Picos snared our hearts with its ragged mountains; its ever-changing skies and stunning green valleys etched in our minds. But after four days we both felt that we needed a break from mountain driving Picos style: narrow, steep, hair-pins, sheer drops, no parking places, no passing places and no turning places. Certainly not motor-home friendly, but oh, so very, very beautiful. With some fabulous hikes and equally stunning weather we had ventured on foot high into the mountains and will remember forever our first hike which we called, 'walking with choughs', because both Alpine and Common Choughs accompanied us most of the way. A small group of chamois posed for us on the rocky hills and griffon ... read more

Motorhome News from Europe 3 France. 21st September 2004 Bordeaux and South along the Atlantic Coast Having said farewell to Sonia in Limoges, we headed through heavy rain west to Bordeaux country and the wine town of St Emilion, a name surely on everybody’s lips at some time in their lives. There were vineyards as far as the eye could see in every direction, purple grapes just about ready for harvesting and every cave in the town seemed to be selling wine and sign after elaborate sign seemed to point to yet another chateaux. St Emilion itself is immaculate and drools with money - a place to admire, a centre of commerce - but not a place to live, Janice would tell you. At last the temperature was dropping, now approaching 18C from a sweltering 37C ... read more