Sanlucar & Sierra Via Verde

Seville is left behind and we drive down to Sanlucar once again to spend a few days chilling (in the shade) at Alphonso's beachside camperpark

Its not long before we break out Fozz and visit the very nice local town and specifically the Fish Market

A tad too large for the BBQ me thinks!

Do you guys sell fish?

Back at the van head chef Pierre is on nourishment detail..

And soon we have created our take on Spanish fish & chips...

The next few days here are spent relaxing in the sun and strolling around Sanlucar. An obligatory lunchtime cycle ride locally is rounded off with some excellent tapas

We meet up early doors with Karolina & Shaun, previously met in Valencia last year, and spend an afternoon and a notable evening (4.00am finish) in their company

Its the weekend and the Spanish families arrive in numbers and the still quietness of the site is lost so we trundle off in search of a small car park at the end of the Sierra Via Verde at Puerto Serrano

We are lucky to park up at the end of the route with our Dutch neighbours and its all systems go next morning to get rigged up and out on the bikes before the heat of the day takes over

Not far down the track we have to give way to the locals...

Like Monsal Trail in Derbyshire really (but in freak hot weather) 

Its a lovely route and we decide to just do half of it and take refreshment at the conveniently location old station about 17 km along the route and then return

The thinking being to relocate the van to the other end then do the rest from the opposite direction

A plan Stan…..

Our 'relocation' theory brings a fresh drama

Having committed the rig to this 'tightish' road we soon discover the error of 'My' ways when we find ourselves at the top of a 20 per cent gradient right down to the Aire at the bottom

With no hope of reversing we have to descend amidst much groaning from ourselves and the van…

The realisation at the bottom was that there was no way we would be able to ascend the hill to get back. This was due to previous escapades (bet you are laughing Pat & Jane) and it being a dead end 

The Aire was lovely and quiet but so was the hill traffic as it was Siesta time

After 'active' discussions I went off to commandeer both a local guy in the bar and his more than suitable Suzuki Vitara parked outside. Well why not? Needs must…

With no English offered and certainly no Spanish given the very nice guy tows the trailer (minus Fozz who'd been used on a rekky mission earlier) up the nightmare hill to the top of the village

Result 1..

We bin the waste water and most of our onboard fresh water and simply, buttocks clenched, gun the van at the steep hill that ends in the worst accent and tightest bit and cross our sweaty fingers 

Result 2..

The van, in second gear, and roaring uphill around almost blind bends, tears through the narrow gap between parked cars at the top and just inches from the balcony overhangs and the steps of local houses

We couple up at the top then creep off to go have some medical emergency brought on by stress but thankfully this didn't happen….

The joys of motor homing!