Eastern trip (with Antoine) to Eastern Spain (April 2019)

For our traditional Easter trip, we invited our French nephew Antoine to visit a corner of the globe with us, two years after a similar experience with his elder brother Georges (in England). For Antoine, we opted for wild parts of Spain: the Serranía de Cuenca, el Albaracin, the delta del Ebro and the coast. This was also our second campervan trip, and a time where Julia was able to exchange in French. We have witnessed several birth places of important rivers, went to some of the most beautiful places of Spain, visited pueblos built by romans and muslims, discussed of the holy week and video games, slept in outstanding places and overall got to know the world and ourselves a bit better.

Day 1: Tarancón & Ucles

On 13 April (2019).

We took the van at 10h30. We spent 1h30 in a nearby supermarket (Rivas-Vaciamadrid) to get our stock of provisions and another 1h30 a few minutes later in the nearby parking of the Parque Regional del Sudeste, which we knew from our visit of the meeting point of the Manzanares and Jarama. There we had to dry the cooker which the silly woman had inundated. Then we drove to our first important destination, Tarancón, where we stayed for about 1h20, mainly walking around, visiting the church (under the guidance of a local). Our next stop was Ucles. A portion of the road to get there was more difficult, but it was worth it as Ucles was the highlight of this first day. We stayed 1h40 there and another 25 minutes in a nearby viewpoint of the city, where we captured excellent shots with the sunset.

Tarancón

The highlight of Tarancón is the church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción.

Ready to start the trip (with "petit Renne").
First stop in Tarancón.
The door to El Castillejo, the oldest part of the city.
The retablo (reredos), the masterpiece of the church.
Detail of the reredos: Judas betraying Christ with a kiss.
The church from the lower part of the city.

Ucles

An Ucles house.
A glimpse into a patio.
The monastery shadowing the Plaza Mayor.
Door to the monastery.
Gigantic walls.
Statues cast in the columns.
Little windows.
Going round.
The main facade.
The tower in front.
Medieval shortcut.
Decoration of fortress walls.
Julia pensative.
View from a mirador nearby.
At sunset.

Day 2: Ventano del Diablo, Callejones de Las Majadas, Mirador del Tío Cogote, Huelamo and Tragacete, Nacimiento del rio Cuervo

On 14 April (2019).

We spent half an hour at the Ventano del Diablo, then three hours at the Callejones de las Majadas (12:00-15:00) and one hour at the nearby Mirador del Tio Cogote. We initially thought of spending the night in the area, maybe going back to the Callejones, but as this was going forward (even though a short ride), we decided to push our luck forward and carried on till the Embalse de la Toba (20min) and a longer pause in El Huelamo (50min), visiting in particular the ruins of its castle that dominates the local scenery, as well as the Jùcar, where Fabrice and Julia bathed (1h10min). We refilled everything at Tragacete and visited the place (40min).

Ventano del Diablo, Callejones de Las Majadas, Mirador del Tío Cogote

El Mirador del Tío Cogote also known as Los Miradores de Las Majadas

Antoine overlooking the cañón del río Júcar.
The Ventano del Diablo.
The view without us in front.
Devilish vantage point.
The Callejones de las Majadas.
Impressive rock formations.
Which you can climb...
Or walk on.
Or walk from below.
Feelings of giants.
They are karst formations made of limestone and dolomite.
Dating back from the Cretaceous period.
Rain falling on the original limestone plateau wore down the porous limestone.
Releasing the more resistant dolomite, that was not distributed evenly in the original rock.
Leaving behind irregularly eroded shapes.
Which are for us to admire.
Antoine's reaction expressed emotions that I could not decipher.
Our group broke in two.
Everybody back on the top part.
When the mountain becomes the sidewalk.
Looking down.
A so-called mushroom.
Little Julia trodding a giant rocky mushroom.
Antoine jumping (while Julia takes a picture with her imaginary camera).
Mirador del Tío Cogote.
Antoine, with same, from closer.
Rim of a canyon.
Antoine.
Back to safety, playing with Julia.
At the Embalse de la Toba.

Huelamo and Tragacete

Climbing towards Huelamo's castle, with Huelamo in background.
View from the top.
The village's church, by the plaza de toros.
City center with the rock of the castle in background.
Bathing in the Jucar before leaving Huelamo.
The church of Tragacete capturing the moon.

Nacimiento del rio Cuervo

The walk towards the rio is an easy one.
Cascades and pools.
A perfect background for family pictures.
The rio Cuervo, shortly after birth.
Walking upstream.
Fabrice pointing at the point where it all starts.

Day 3: Nacimiento del Rio Jùcar, Cascada del Molino de la Chorrera, Nacimiento del Tajo, Cañon de los Arcos

On 15 April (2019).

We spent 2h50 chasing the nacimiento del rio Jùcar, and another 2h40 exploring the Cascada del Molino de la Chorrera from various viewpoints (above, side, below). Then half an hour at the Nacimiento del Tajo (which we stumbled upon on our way). The highlight was the Cañon de los Arcos, to which we devoted 2 hours.

Nacimiento del Rio Jùcar

The mountains accompanying the Jùcar's first flow.
Still a baby.
Birth-place... bubbles indicate something is starting here!
The Jùcar has several birth-places, we hunted for more.
Here it dried again, which discouraged Antoine who stayed there.
Carrying on with Julia and Elena only.
Estrecho del Infierno.
By now, with Julia only.
As far as we could go, looking for the manantiales.
Back to the post-birth area.
Which is the most beautiful one.
Leaving the beautiful mountains behind.

Cascada del Molino de la Chorrera

The cascade from above.
From the side.
From below.
Antoine getting daring.
Fabrice joining in.
Julia at a distance.
A bit downstream, when the cascade turned back into the Jucar;
Antoine on a mountain. From far.
And from close...

Day 4: Albarracín and Teruel

On 16 April (2019).

We spent 3h20 walking Albarracín up and down and 4h15 in Teruel. More time in this less interesting place, as we spent time at some nearby attractions and to buy shoes for Antoine. The rest of the days was spent trying to buy something in the outskirts of Teruel to recharge the battery in the campervan (vain attempt), or recharge it in a gas station (where we also refilled the water and disposed of the used one). We then drove to our next destination to spend the night there, at the foot of the castle of Mora de Rubielos.

Albarracín

Teruel

Day 5: Mora de Rubielos & Rubielos de Mora, la Iglesuela del Cid, Canjavieja, Mirambel, Morella and Vallivana

On 17 April (2019).

2h25 in Mora de Rubielos and 1h55 in Rubielos de Mora, then in other notable villages on our way: 34min in la Iglesuela del Cid, 1h25 in Cantavieja, 1h15 in Mirambel, 1h in Morella and 1h20 in Vallivana.