Walking in the wonderful Cabo de Gata Natural Park in Almeria Province, Andalucia is paradise, especially in the times of the year that are dark, cold, and miserable elsewhere!
In our ‘silver years’ we have the ability to holiday in off season times, and finding a magical place with bright cloudless blue skies, warm temperatures, very few people, glorious walking tracks, excellent birdwatching and amazing scenery is here in Southern Spain! As a semi desert, raindrops even in winter are few and far between – this is the driest place in Europe after all!
So why choose here to enjoy a walking holiday if the above has not tempted you and why us?
Adventurascotland is a small partnership formed by two outdoor loving Scottish friends, who both happen to be ex head teachers/geography teacher. We hold summer, winter and international Mountain Leader qualifications as well as Outdoor First Aid and have led expeditions of young (and not so young) people throughout the world. We now have a base in Almeria province to enjoy the peace, quiet, blue skies, and sunny dry climate throughout the autumn, winter, spring. Our passion is the outdoors and ‘a journey with a difference, a journey of discovery’.
We will create a bespoke itinerary if you require or simply put a package together drawing on your interests and our experience of the area – enquire for a detailed example or check our website.
Firstly getting here couldn’t be easier or cheaper. Lots of airport options and low cost flights especially off season – easyJet, Jet2, Ryanair, Vueling to name a few from around £35 single.
Secondly Almeria is busy in July/August for around 6 weeks, but even then mainly on the beach strip and empty of people the rest of the year.
Thirdly and most importantly, geology, geography, history, birdwatching, villages, abandoned mills and mines, secluded ‘walk to only’ beaches and all on excellent easy walking paths and trails totally unspoilt in amazing weather.
If you enjoy great walking, but ‘off the beaten track’ in stunning scenery this is the place for you. However you still have the option of dipping into sleepy traditional villages, eating tapas with the locals, watching the world go by over a coffee or beer and staying in lovely local accommodations at great prices.
On days when you may not want to walk there are endless diversions to fill a day – Almeria City with the Alcazaba (a smaller Alhambra but equally impressive and usually deserted – and FREE!), great shopping/tapas/bars in leafy streets, long wide paseo along the seafront, Moorish old town, traditional ‘mercado’ with deli, cheeses, oils, olives, fruit, vegetables and seafood, the Civil War underground labyrinth and a very reasonably priced yet luxurious hammam.
Botanic gardens/ruined Gold mines of Rodaquillar in the middle of the Cabo de Gata and Cortijo del Fraile which true life historical event inspired Frederico Garcia Lorca to write ‘Blood Wedding’.
Winding, cobbled streets of the white village of Nijar where traditional handicrafts still abound – ceramics, rag rugs, olive oils and pottery at every turn.
Movie locations throughout the area, especially around tabernas where famous films were set – ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’, ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, ‘Indiania Jones’, ‘Exodus’ – take a cine tour and walk where the famous have!
Sorbas town clinging to a cliff edge in the richest Karst/Yesos area in Europe, with a great museum, ceramic workshops, narrow streets and walks around the cliff bottom. Nearby are the Sorbas caves which allow you to see at first hand the geology of the area, an easy exploration into cave culture!
Also the Rio Agua walk from Los Molinos, once more exploring the wonderful geology of the area.
Mojacar Pueblo – traditional hilltop white Moorish village filled with tiny shops, bars, cafes and wonderful vistas from its giddy heights.
All and more within easy access from the Cabo de Gata.
If more activities are your desire, sea kayaking, boat trips, snorkelling, mountain biking, bird watching of migratory birds and flamingos on the salt flats, and ‘pescatourism’ are all in the area and easy to organise.
We feel the Cabo de Gata has it all and more! Come and discover it and let us take you on a journey with a difference, a journey of discovery.
www.adventurascotland.co.uk
+44 7769701934 / +44 7720711453