Crossing Borders and Slowing Down — Matilda on Tour

Friday 24 January — Amélie-les-Bains-Palalda

Day 6 — A slow, easy day in the foothills to rest and reset after a busy week on the road

Pyrénées-Orientales, France

After a restless night, I woke with a flicker of doubt — that brief thought that maybe we’d taken on a bit too much with such a long trip. It caught me by surprise, as I’ve loved every mile so far. I think it was simply waking up without a plan that allowed those thoughts in 🤍

A slow morning soon put things right. Once the water was sorted and I’d had a long, hot shower 🚿, everything felt more settled and we decided to stay put for the day.

The milder weather helped too. We wandered into town for a short walk, enjoying the quiet streets and the mountains wrapped around the valley ⛰️. Most of the shops were closed for the season, which only added to the stillness. Even with a faint chill in the air, it felt peaceful — and just what we needed 🍃.

Saturday 25 January — Mas La Riba, Vilanova de San

Day 7 - A day of small adjustments — new roads, new systems, and finding our feet again in a new place.

Osona, Catalonia, Spain

We headed about a hundred miles south today, with no fixed plan other than finding somewhere good to stop for the night. Mas La Riba popped up on the sat nav — quiet, well reviewed, and up in the hills.

The road climbed steadily once we left the autoroute, winding through pine forests and valleys. The views were lovely, but it needed full concentration — I was glad not to be driving 😅

Mas La Riba sits high in the hills, surrounded by forest and open meadows. Simple facilities, plenty of space, and a real sense of calm.

Big skies, fresh mountain air, and walking trails stretching out in all directions. I couldn’t resist taking my bike out for a short spin 🚴‍♀️ — Strava once again proving useful for uncovering local routes.

The site itself is basic but well kept — fresh water, drainage, no sewage facilities, and metered electric hook-up. Water is supplied by container due to local shortages.

And the toilet… well, that’s one for the memory bank. Ordinary enough from the outside, but inside it’s perched right on the edge of a small cliff. No flush, lots of fresh air — and quite the view 😅

A simple, peaceful stop, and exactly what we’d hoped for after a long day on the road 🚐💚

A simple, peaceful stop, and a lovely place to settle in for the night 🚐💚

Sunday 26 January — Mas La Riba, Vilanova de San

Day 8 🌙 From frozen mornings to sunshine and mountain views — the kind of day that sums up why we love life on the road

Osona, Catalonia, Spain

The night was cold. Our leisure battery had run flat, and without electric hook-up the temperature dropped close to 0°C. With a few extra layers we stayed warm enough, but it was still a shock climbing out of bed into the chill ❄️

As soon as daylight came, we moved to a pitch with power, turned the heating up, and slowly thawed out as the morning sun began to warm the valley. Half an hour later, hot drinks in hand ☕, the van felt cosy again — and the day was already looking better..

We spent the late morning exploring some of the nearby trails, then took the bikes out for a short ride to the local pub 🚴‍♀️. A couple of cold beers in the sunshine felt especially good after such a frosty start 🍺

Tomorrow we’ll move on again to stock up on supplies. With the nearest shop around 20 kilometres away — along winding, hilly roads — it’s not somewhere you just nip back from.

We’ve really loved this campsite. Peaceful, scenic, and surrounded by mountains ⛰️. A proper stop-and-breathe place

From a frozen start to a sun-soaked finish, today felt like a proper road-life day — a reminder that things don’t have to be perfect to be good 🌿

Monday 27 January — Area Bellvei, near Tarragona

Day 9 — Leaving the mountains

Catalonia, Tarragona Province, Spain

We left the mountains this morning and crossed into Spain. It was a small moment, but it marked a clear change.

We took the scenic non-toll route, which in hindsight probably wasn’t our best call. It turned into slow traffic, roadworks, and constant changes of direction. Even refuelling had its moments thanks to unfamiliar gas connectors, but a helpful assistant soon had us sorted 🔧

The campsite was a lovely surprise. Small, comfortable, and well set up — hot showers, laundry facilities, and even a little covered pool. A really easy place to settle in.

A quick stop at Aldi meant we’re fully stocked again 🛒. The fresh produce here is brilliant — giant onions, sweet peppers, and more than we could realistically carry back to the van.

Finding our way back later turned into its own mini-adventure, so note to self: drop a pin next time 📍 We’ll stay a couple of nights and hopefully get out on the bikes tomorrow 🚴‍♀️. Plenty of places to eat nearby, and the sea a good bike ride away — it feels like a good place to stop for a bit.

By evening, we felt settled. The sun was still out, everything was set up, and it felt like a good place to stop for a bit

Campsite notes:
€16 pitch · €5 electric · €1 shower (not great 😅) · Wi-Fi · water and waste free

Tuesday 28 January — Area Bellvei, near Tarragona

Day 10 One of those days that didn’t go quite to plan, but worked out anyway.

Catalonia, Tarragona Province, Spain

A fierce storm rolled in as night fell, bringing heavy rain and strong winds that made the van rock. By morning we were greeted by clear blue skies, although the icy wind was back again.

The leisure battery ran out during the night, but we were warm enough, snuggled into our cosy Duvalay sleeping bags with extra throws over the top.

I’d been looking forward to a nice shower, but it was a bit disappointing — barely warm water and very poor pressure. Still, at least I managed to get clean.

We set out for what was meant to be a 14-mile bike ride, but it somehow turned into 22 miles. We had a few problems finding our way out of town, but once we did it turned into a fantastic ride with great views. We even squeezed in a bit of sightseeing in Castellet, a beautiful village where the only locals we saw were busy fixing the road. .

A few rough tracks and a wrong turn added to the adventure, ending in a dead end. Turning back, I managed to lose my balance and come off the bike (not again!). Thankfully there was no real damage — just a sore elbow and a reminder to be a bit more careful.

With Richard’s battery running low, we switched to Google Maps for a more direct route home. We eventually made it back to the campsite mid-afternoon, lunch plans abandoned but spirits still intact.

A chilly but refreshing outdoor yoga session followed, then an easy dinner of steak, new potatoes and a really good salad.

Learning point: plan and plot my own Strava routes — fewer surprises, better riding.

Ten days in, and life on the road feels settled again. We’ve crossed borders, found our rhythm, and eased into a slower pace. There’s still a long way to go on this winter journey, but this feels like a good place to pause the story for now.