Bit late getting this blog published, main reason is the weather being absolutely outstanding in Scotland when we returned at the beginning of May…anyway better late than never…here’s what we got up to in Spain.  Best of our photos can be found here.

One Night in Seville

Our Spanish adventure began in the incredible city of Seville after a 5 hour bus journey from Lagos.  We only stayed for one night, breaking up the journey to Valencia, but we absolutely loved the city's vibrant atmosphere, and we managed to cram a lot into our brief stay. We marvelled at the stunning architecture of the Plaza De Espana, the grandeur of the Seville Cathedral, and the uniqueness of the Seta de Sevilla. And found an excellent lunch spot, called Vuela Tapas & Cocktails, just off the main drag, offering more than the ubiquitous tapas and paella, away from the busy crowds.

We tried to get into Atico rooftop bar for some sundowners but they wouldn’t let us in in our ‘sports wear’.  Bit rude considering I had my good trainers on…blaming the Berghaus fleece & hiking bag.

Valencia: culture, Turia, & Little Venice

Next, we headed to Valencia to meet up with my parents.  We opted for a direct train which bizarrely in Spain isn’t always the quickest route.  We settled ourselves in for a 7 hour journey but ended up going via Madrid and then having to change trains anyway!

Valencia is a city that effortlessly balances its rich historical heritage with modern attractions. We explored the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, wandered through the charming old town, and relaxed by the lake in the Jardin del Turia. We sampled the local delicacies, my particular favourite being the Hortacha and accompanying fartons (no contest for a pastel de nata though).

We dosed up on some culture by visiting the Centre del Carme Cultural Centre (CCCC). An impressive space offering an eclectic mix of art exhibitions.  Our favourite one told the ‘behind the scenes’ story of the Fallas festival.

We visited Port Saplaya, known as “Valencia’s Little Venice”, offering a great half day trip from the city centre.  We walked the 10km from our accommodation (not the most picturesque walk) and got a taxi back after lunch.

Our “live like the locals” moment involved exercising in the Jardin del Turia, trying out the designated trail for runners and the plethora of outdoor gym equipment. We found a peaceful spot a little further along the Turia where we soaked up the sun, read our books, and did some yoga.

Alicante: castles, mushrooms & cinnamon buns

Our journey continued to Alicante, where we spent a couple of nights exploring this picturesque coastal city. We were very pleasantly surprised – I’d pictured something a bit like Benidorm, but bar a couple of high-rises it was nothing like it.  Alicante's Castle of Santa Bárbara offered breath taking views of the city and the Mediterranean Sea – the perfect place to watch the sunset and admire Spain’s distant mountains. I’d like to say we indulged in the local restaurants, savouring fresh seafood and traditional dishes, and we actually ended up having delicious cinnamon buns from a cool bakery we stumbled upon for dinner one night. We did get the obligatory photo take on The Mushroom Street though.

Lee Ann’s dad joined us from Glasgow, meaning we had to stay up later than our usual 9pm.  Still got it in us – managed some al fresco beers in one of the main squares until it got too cold.

Calpe: Big rocks & ocean views

Next we headed to Calpe, one of my parents’ favourite places in Spain.  Our Airbnb was perfectly situated, offering stunning views of the sea, marina and the iconic Peñón de Ifach (Calpe Rock). We spent a lot of time on the balcony just soaking it all in and it was FINALLY hot enough to have our shorts and t-shirts on. We loved Calpe’s small old town where we found a quiet little restaurant and we enjoyed beers under the orange trees. 

We were captivated by the massive limestone rock that towers over the coastline so obviously we had to climb it. Took us a couple of hours to reach the summit and were rewarded with panoramic views over the ocean and the town below. It’s a small rock in comparison to the mountains we like to climb, but the slippery surfaces, massively uneven, rocky & narrow paths, & hordes of tourists make it quite a challenging walk.  Not for the feint of heart.

We did a 5km coastal walk along to the next town, Benissa. It is a gorgeous trail, away from the high rises, restaurants, and bars, offering incredible views of the ocean.  We stopped for a wee refreshment at Oceana on the way.

Calpe is very multi-cultural place with a lot of Dutch, German & French people.  It’s got a nice, friendly, relaxed vibe, but for us the ever-growing high-rises have somewhat tainted a beautiful spot on the Costa Blanca.

Javier / Xabia: Montgo & oranges

We stopped over in Xabia for 3 nights on our way back up to Valencia.  Another seamless bus journey from Calpe (been very impressed with the Spanish bus network), laden with all our usual luggage, plus enough food to keep us going for the duration of the stay.  We chose accommodation close to the only mountain in the area, Montgo, which meant we were a little too far from the nearest supermarket.  

The weather prevented us from climbing Montgo on the first day so we opted for a walk through the Natural Park, along the coast and down into the main town.  On our return we could see the top on Montgo for the first time and were excited to climb it the next day.  It was a cracking hike, through the forest, with stunning 360 views for the whole ascent. From the top we could just about make out Ibiza on the horizon.  The swimming pool back at the accommodation offered some blissful relief for our hot, tired feet and the huge oranges gifted to us from our host made THE BEST orange juice to quench our thirst. 

Hiking in the Valencia Region

One of the most memorable parts of the European leg of our trip was an epic week of hiking in the Valencia Region with the Valencia Mountain Enthusiasts. The diverse landscapes, from lush forests to rugged mountains and sweeping canyons, made every hike a unique experience. We traversed challenging trails, summitted 1,800m peaks, met a bunch of mountain goats, swam in a canyon, and enjoyed the camaraderie of fellow hikers.

Check out our YouTube video to see exactly what we got up to.

This week allowed us to connect with nature and appreciate the region's natural beauty.  We were also forced to practice our Spanish in the tiny villages we stayed in as no-one spoke a word of English.  I was very impressed I managed to enquire about some empanada fillings then successfully order  and pay for the ones we wanted.  Lee Ann’s effort was a little more ‘understated’: putting the word ‘food’ into Google translate then showing it to a waiter in an attempt to find out if they were still serving! (opening hours are VERY variable in the Spanish mountain villages, with many places not opening for food until 8pm. EIGHT PEE EMM!!)

Relaxing in Cullera

Uncharacteristically, by the end of the hiking trip we still hadn’t made a plan for the following week to bridge us until we headed to the Sierra Nevada, booked for last week in April.  We toyed with the idea of heading to Cazorla and were even looking at flights to Ibiza & Majorca.  We were really struggling to find something that grabbed our attention but decided to aim for somewhere near to Valencia or close to Malaga.  In the end we asked Dmitry, our hiking guide, for somewhere close to Valencia to base ourselves for a week and his suggestion was Cullera.

Upon arrival we were a little disappointed (didn’t help that the sun wasn’t shining).  Our Airbnb has some ‘first guest teething issues’ ie no balcony furniture, pool closed, very limited kitchen utensils.  Whilst it offered amazing panoramic views of the ocean and mountains, this was somewhat spoiled by the masses of ugly buildings.  It also felt like we were the only people in Cullera…it was a ghost town…I could see why someone on Reddit had referred to it as Benidorm 2.0.

Accommodation issues rectified, coupled with some improvements in the weather, we settled into Cullera and ended up having a brilliantly relaxing yet productive time.  Turns out the views were insanely good when you didn't have your glasses on.  We focused on planning the Canadian leg of our trip whilst getting out for some short hikes along the nearby hills.  We devoted some time to researching more on the FIRE movement; reading blogs, joining Facebook groups, listening to podcasts, and playing around with the various calculators.  This is something that massively interests us and could be the key to giving us a permanently improved work:life balance beyond this sabbatical.

We didn’t eat out at all on this leg – we were partly scarred by the severe lack of vegetarian / healthy options in the Spanish mountain villages. It’s actually impossible to maintain even a modest plant based diet!  The supermarkets are decent though so we traipsed down the steep windy road from the apartment to the local Consum, armed with our backpacks in case we were unable to get a taxi to bring us back up, fully stocked up for the week.

Lee Ann put her big brave girl pants on and PHONED the local taxi company after having no success with WhatsApp messages.  So now we know the extremity of a situation required for Lee Ann to pick up the phone.  

A Final Week in the Sierra Nevada

Our Spanish sojourn concluded with a final week in the Sierra Nevada, where we embarked on more incredible hiking adventures.  The flight from Valencia to Malaga went very smoothly, as did the collection of the hire car, and onwards navigation to our accommodation.

Our perfect wee mountain cabin was situated just outside Guejar Sierra with the most incredible views over a turquoise reservoir with the Sierra Nevada mountains in the distance, complete with two hammocks in the garden. Heaven.

The majestic peaks and pristine landscapes provided a stunning backdrop for our explorations. We tackled challenging trails, marvelled at the breath taking vistas, and embraced the sense of accomplishment that comes with conquering nature's wonders.  We were spoilt for choice for hiking routes but in the end, we opted for these ones:

• Vereda de la Estrella
• Trevenque Peak
• Los Cahorros de Monachil

We tried to organise a day’s snow shoeing but everywhere was fully booked.  Save it for another time…we will definitely be back! This final week was a fitting end to an unforgettable journey. Spain’s hiking blew us away and we’re delighted to find a mountain location we can visit prior to the French Alps hiking season which starts in June.

We were impacted by the Spanish power outage but it was pretty minimal as we were out hiking when it happened.  Later in the day our Airbnb host provided us with some candles and spare batteries for our headtorches.  The only really scary part was having to navigate the drive home from the hike without Google maps….VERY glad it didn’t happen the day we have to return the hire car to Malaga airport.  Guaranteed there would’ve been tears and snotters.

As we prepare for our next adventure in Canada, we carry with us the memories of Spain's beautiful landscapes, rich culture, and warm sunny weather. Each city and region offered something unique, and our time in Spain was a perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and discovery. Until next time, Spain – adiós!

Sabbatical thoughts

Our time in Cullera felt like the first opportunity we’ve had to do some deep thinking.  Up until that point we’ve been too busy planning our imminent adventures, researching where to go next, socialising, and simply having fun on our hikes. 

1. Being away from work really does allow your brain to think deeply about other things. I’ve found myself questioning the meaning of life, internally debating the Supreme Court ruling regarding the Equalities Act, and how to become financially independent.
2. We are both looking forward to returning to Scotland for a while but can’t quite put our finger on what it is we are missing….we have everything we need to keep us happy…so it must be the people. And Lee Ann’s missing her food processor.
3. This phase was all about recovery & restoration (with a good chunk of adventure thrown in). We are feeling great, aided by the chance to recoup years of sleep deficit.   We’ve been fairly good with our yoga, I’ve been running a bit, plus we’ve started 15 mins calisthenics work out each day.  Health is wealth and all that.
4. Prior to this year out we were very time poor, with work taking up a huge proportion of my time. I thought taking work out the equation would mean all the time in the world to get everything done.  Turns out that’s not the case.  It’s a full time job looking after yourself, having current adventures, and planning for future ones!