The Romans are probably my favourite. So I've been looking forward to seeing Cartagena amphitheatre since we got to this area, and that was the plan today. But it's Monday, and it's closed. Thwarted. We didn't want to hang around here for a day, and we have a motorhome rule: never go back. So instead, a trip to Lorca Castle, known as the Fortress of the Sun - as Kevin said to Jemima, a second best ruin, mum needs some culture. And that, plus a sunny morning, a surprisingly good night's sleep (hurrah for ear plugs), and some family dancing to Paolo Nutini somewhat mitigated the disappointment.
Driving inland was definitely different to our recent coastal voyaging. Fields of plumbline-straight rows of cabbages, lettuces and spinach; big industrial plants and farm machinery stores; and huge areas of something (tomatoes?) swathed in white plastic. And you can tell we're further south: the main green is from the cultivation; otherwise the landscape is a dry ochre with some scrubby bushes. After an hour of amusing Jemima with different verses of "three little monkeys" (replacing the monkeys with rotating friends and family), we arrived in Lorca - and Jemima was the first to spot the castle, very, very, very high up. But we got there, Kevin taking Beatrix slowly up the precipitous hairpin bends.
The castle was great. Jemima fought Kevin with a large plastic sword, climbed the playpark castle, and splashed in the demonstration irrigation system. Kevin and I gave up trying to listen to the audio guide and he enjoyed the views and the sunshine while I read the helpful information boards and imagined bygone times. So fun was had by all in their own way. Then lunch in Beatrix in the shadow of the castle, and back to the coast road.
It was one of the best yet. Craggy rocks to the right, unspoiled rocky coastline to the left with endless uninterrupted views of the sea. A great driving road, said Kevin. And a wild camping mecca - we could see clusters of motorhomes on headlands and beaches from the road. After a fairly tight (stressful) detour through a tiny seafront village, we found our own spot - right on the beach, walking distance to a restaurant, where we (eventually, once they opened 30 mins after we first turned up) had a good dinner. The best wild camping spot we've found yet, and the final instalment in our day of things eventually turning out well.
Lorca Castle - Jemima's spot
Our overnight stop (views from the motorhome):
Dinner:
Tonight's friend:
Los Belones to Lorca:
Lorca to Villaricosa:
No comments:
Post a Comment