Matilda on Tour – From María to Freila

Week five arrived like someone finally flicked the “Spain” switch on — sunshine, shorts, and me remembering I actually own sunscreen. 😄 From gentle rides and easy walks in María to Freila’s hills, reservoir views and those brilliant cave houses… it was one of those stretches where even the ordinary bits felt pretty special.

Sunday 16 February — María

Day 29 — Sunshine, bikes, and an easy Sunday
Andalucía, Spain 🇪🇸

The start of week five on the road — and at last, a proper taste of summer. Out came the sunscreen for my snow-white arms and legs 😄

I had a gentle hour’s ride with Doris through the hills, and we hardly saw a soul — just four motorbikes and two cars the whole way. Bliss.

Sunday lunch was sausage, egg and chips (not quite a roast, but still very British!), then it was a lazy afternoon in the sun with a good book and an early evening walk to finish the day.

Simple days are often the best ones. ☀️🚲.

Monday 17 February — María

Day 30 — Breakfast, chaos in the lanes, and a hill for fun
Andalucía, Spain 🇪🇸

Breakfast with Doris and Len at the on-site restaurant — our last catch-up before they move on after a long stay here (both laid up with COVID). It was really good to see them, and especially lovely to be out riding and pottering about with Doris again.

The “quick” supermarket run turned into a full shopping misadventure. I lost the route Doris gave us, Google sent us in circles, and Richard ended up threading the van through some truly narrow streets. We even pulled off a U-turn in a school entrance and took a very steep downhill… all for groceries 😅

Plan B saved the day: we parked up and I walked 500 metres to the local SPAR.

Back at the van, the awning came out (only the second time we’ve used it!) and it was so hot out of the breeze. Then I finished the day with a bike ride — plus an extra loop with a wonderfully hideous, meandering hill. Exactly my kind of fun 🚲

Tuesday 18 February — María

Day 31 — Dust twisters, goats, and a final María walk
Andalucía, Spain 🇪🇸

Our last day in María, so we took a late morning walk. The route wound through bushland and then opened onto a huge plain — and I got completely fooled by what I thought was a tractor raising a dust storm. Nope… just the wind spinning dust into a tiny twister.

We passed a farm where the goats were being readied for market, then climbed up into the forest for the views — well worth the effort.

Late lunch outside the restaurant afterwards. I asked for a menu and got an English description of the set menu instead 😅 Not very helpful, but the food was good: salad, two soups and two pork dishes. I’ve now saved “Can we have the snack menu please?” in Spanish on my phone for next time.

Wednesday 19 February — Freila
Day 32 — A short hop into the mountains, and the views are already spectacular.
Andalucía, Spain 🇪🇸

Today was just a quick move, but we’re back in proper hill country again — rugged slopes, winding roads, and views that go on for miles. I went out for a short ride and it was uphill all the way out… but the downhill back more than made up for it.

The campsite is spacious and well-equipped, and there’s a reservoir just down the road that looks perfect for a walk. There’s also a restaurant on site (with English menus — result!), and we’re planning to stay here for at least three nights.

As the afternoon’s gone on, though, the sky has darkened and there’s been a low rumble of thunder in the distance… so we might be in for a storm tonight. ⛈️

Camping De Freila Site Code 63903 Euro 11 per night, electric and wifi, discount included as cheaper the longer you stay.

Thursday 20 February — Freila
Day 33 — The ride started easy… then turned into a proper little adventure.
Andalucía, Spain 🇪🇸

Today was a cracking day. We took it slow this morning and waited for the temperature to climb, then drove the three miles into Freila to start our ride. Straight away we passed the cave houses — such a quirky sight and they really give the village its character. The weather was perfect and before long I was in shorts and a T-shirt.

After leaving the village, we climbed steadily for about five miles before joining a long, straight road that rose gently for another six. It was hard work, but there was always something to look at.

We thought we were about to be rewarded with a long downhill. Instead, we joined a Via Verde (an old railway line turned cycle path) covered in big, loose stones. Character-building, apparently… with 12 miles still to go.

Thankfully it got better as we went on, changing into finer shingle that was much easier to ride. And because it was gently downhill, it felt like we were finally getting something back for all that climbing. We rejoined the road about three miles from Freila and finished with a brilliant descent straight into the village.

Back at the van, we spotted a pub nearby — perfect timing. Football on for Richard, and a few beers and tasty snacks for both of us. Then, because it stayed so warm, we sat outside the van until it went dark.

Friday 21 February 2025 — Freila
Day 34 — Fresh bread, a van reset, and the prettiest reservoir walk.
Andalucía, Spain 🇪🇸

It was one of those wonderfully easy days. I started with some yoga before breakfast, and it was just perfect outside — warm sunshine, birds singing, and so peaceful.

Even better, it was bread-delivery day, which meant fresh pastries too… so yes, pain au chocolat for breakfast! 😄

After that we gave the van a proper spring clean and a good re-organise. We’ve even stowed away some of the winter gear — hoping it stays packed for a while.

I had a nice chat with a couple from Fishguard (he was originally from Birmingham), and it made me realise how much I miss chatting to people. There aren’t many Brits on these inland sites, so it’s always a treat when you bump into someone.

After lunch we headed out for a walk along the reservoir. The views were gorgeous, with little hints of spring starting to show as the colours began to creep back in.

This area is a designated eco-site, and it’s easy to see why — the rock formations are really striking and gave the walk a completely different feel.

The sun disappeared in the early afternoon, but it stayed perfect for walking. The light on the water was beautiful — the reflections kept changing, absolutely stunning.

Saturday 22 February — Freila
Day 35 — Van yoga, a thermal soak, and sunset at the cave houses.
Andalucía, Spain 🇪🇸

We woke up to grey skies this morning — quite a shock after all that recent blue. Just as I was about to roll out my yoga mat, the rain started pouring, so it was straight to Plan B: van yoga. Amazing what you can still do in such a small space.

By afternoon the rain cleared, so we took a 25-minute drive to a thermal pool further along the reservoir, closer to its source. The setting was beautiful, all fresh grass and wide open views. We had a quick look around, then changed at the van and headed down to the water.

It was a real mix of people — some naturists, some in swimsuits — and the whole place was wonderfully relaxing: warm water, steam rising, and soft mud underfoot. It’s free to use too, although the restaurant nearby was closed for the off-season.

We detoured back through Freila to revisit that tapas bar… closed. Typical!
So we landed in a lively little disco bar instead — clearly Freila has a younger crowd than we’d clocked.
After a quick refreshment, we wandered down to the cave houses just before sunset. I couldn’t believe how many there are — and that people still live in them. The light was perfect, so I took loads of photos. 📷

Sunday 23 February — Freila
Day 36 — Blue skies again, a solo ride, and a lovely easy day.
Andalucía, Spain 🇪🇸

The sunshine came back today — such a lift after the grey. I had a slow morning with a bit of outdoor yoga and some camp admin, while Richard took it easy as he wasn’t feeling quite right.

After lunch I headed out on the bike on my own, over the dam and along the reservoir. The views were gorgeous, and the roads were quiet

The rest of the afternoon was for doing very little: sitting in the sun, pottering about, and enjoying how calm it all felt. Perfecte

Tomorrow is moving day, and I’m hopeful that Richard will be back to his usual fighting fit self by then!

That’s all for now, thanks for reading — onwards to the next stop.😊🚐