The scenic route home

As many of our chums know we've taken to migrating to the Algarve for two of the coldest months of the year. We take our car so we can make the Algarve a real home from home, just the same but a few degrees warmer.

Two months have whistled by this year but we've still got one treat left the scenic way home. Our thought process is that it's a long way to Santander, 1,050 Km, and we're retired, so we've got time to enjoy the journey and have a bit of a road trip to get there.

There's lots and lots of choices, some of which we've already visited, but one place we've wanted to go for a while is Ronda. So first stop Ronda it is. Next a place that's conveniently north and looked very impressive on Michael Portillo's travel series in Andalucia (highly recommended) is Cordoba. After that, North again and about half way to Santander is Segovia, which also looks pretty impressive.

So that's it, Gale (our Algarve home), Ronda, Cordoba, Segovia and Santander.

As I write this we're in Ronda in a Hotel which isn't the one I meant to book In fact it turns out there are 3 'Hotel Ronda's', two almost next to each other, ours is a 1 star and 55 Euro's. A second Hotel Ronda, no more than 20 metres away looks a tad better. That being said ours is a great location, clean and functional.

The journey here was no bother, 363Km, all motorway and fairly empty roads other than the Seville bypass. Our destination on google maps was a viewing point at the bottom of the gorge at Ronda, which we mistakenly approached from Ronda town at the top of the gorge. Turns out this route down is via a very steep single track path. At one point Ellison want keen not to go any further. I agreed but was less keen on going back. Anyhow we made it and the view is worth the 363Km to get here!

You'll notice the picture quality could be better, unfortunately we're blighted by Sahara dust clouds which blot the sun and make everything a tad sepia. Sahara dust or not Ronda is spectacular.

So this morning is just for breakfast and a mooch around Ronda before moving on to Cordoba. Breakfast is worth mentioning, a brilliant experience in a Spanish cafe. Piccies tell the story, this morning the best coffee since we've been here, toast, tomato paste and serano ham. Coffee was 2 euro and 11 euro total, and in the square next to the bridge.

A couple more pictures of Ronda, which is way to high for my liking, but you you have to visit if you can.

Cordoba here we come!