Matilda on Tour - From Peñíscola to Valencia
Sunday 9 February - Valencia
Day 22 - Rolling into Valencia (and a quick bike recce)
Valencian Community, Spain 🇪🇸
An early start and a good run brought us to our new site by lunchtime — a small, van-only place near the village with excellent facilities. It’s on the edge of an industrial estate, but it’s quiet, well laid out, and our pitch is nicely sheltered.
Cycle paths are right on the doorstep (including one straight into the centre of Valencia) and there’s a metro station close by too.
After lunch I took the bike out for a quick recce — a ride towards Valencia, then a detour through a nearby town on the way back. Everything was shut, so it felt calm and almost empty. Not the prettiest stop… but we’ve been spoilt lately.
Tomorrow we’re heading into Valencia to explore the city.
Nomadic Valencia Camping Car — €21 (electric + Wi-Fi)
Camping Contact: 979858
Monday 10 February — Valencia
Day 23 - A bike ride into the city (with a happy wrong turn)
Valencian Community, Spain 🇪🇸
We enjoyed a relaxing morning, then set off for Valencia by bike. We’d been told, “Just follow the cycle path and you’ll end up right in the centre.”
Well… we followed the cycle path, but it didn’t take us into the centre at all. Instead we eventually arrived at the City of Arts and Sciences — which, luckily, was already on my itinerary.
It’s an impressive place. The buildings make the Sydney Opera House look very tired. And the park it sits in stretches for miles through Valencia — once a riverbed, now a truly lovely green space running right through the city. Well worth a visit.
Cycling around the city was an adventure in itself, dodging scooters zipping past constantly. After a good afternoon exploring, we meandered back through the busy streets, eventually found the cycle path again, and made it back to camp.
It was a really fun day out.
Tuesday 11 February - Valencia
Day 24 - A slow Valencia day: wandering, resting, and plenty of sunshine
Valencian Community, Spain 🇪🇸
Today in Valencia was one of those days where everything worked out… eventually 😅
We started with the metro and quickly discovered you can’t buy tickets on the train. Off at the next stop, a battle with the ticket machine, and a very kind French girl saved the day. Back on board — sorted.
Then came the navigation comedy: we reached the right station, dropped a pin… and somehow still ended up in the right park but five miles from where we actually needed to be 🤦♀️ The walk was lovely though, lunch was good, and we finally arrived at 3:15pm — so much for an early start.
The science museum was brilliant (especially the evolution and space exhibits). Getting back was the final test: right train, right platform… but no internet, low battery, and it was dark, so we weren’t entirely sure where to get off 😱
Luckily I found the campsite payment confirmation in my email and an official pointed us to the correct stop. Lesson learned: a paper backup might be a wise idea.
Big cities: 1. Us: just about 😂
Wednesday 12 February - Sax
Day 25 — Moving day to the hills
Valencian Community, Spain 🇪🇸
Today was moving day. We’ve traded the hustle and bustle of Valencia for a campsite up in the hills — and it instantly feels calmer up here.
The site was nearly full when we arrived, but the pitches are spacious and everything feels well looked after.
We’re close to the town of Sax, which we’re hoping to explore on our bikes tomorrow. Like so many towns around here, it has a castle perched above it — you can’t miss it.
We did the usual settling-in jobs: a big Carrefour shop (too much choice, as always 🙈), cupboards and fridge stocked, gas topped up - it’s going to be a chilly night this high up. Still, it’s peaceful, quiet, and feels like a great spot to stay for a few nights.
Site 50507 — Asociación Amigos de Acampada Campo Alegre — €14 + electricity (pay by use). Free Wi-Fi. Clean showers/facilities, washing machine, swimming pool.
Thursday 13 February — Sax
Day 26 — A sunny start, a map fail, and a menu we didn’t understand
Valencian Community, Spain
We woke to clear blue skies. Still chilly, but much warmer than our last hill stop. I even managed a little yoga in the sun — lovely and warm out of the wind.
We set off on the bikes… and promptly went the wrong way. Note to self: orient the map in the direction you’re actually heading 🙈. The upside was arriving in Sax earlier than planned, so lunch came before the ride instead of after.
We found a local bar (we never seem to spot cafés) and once again ordered without really knowing what we were getting. Richard’s starter was a hot soup with chicken and snails — and he somehow ate the lot. I had aubergine topped with cheese. For mains, Richard got pork and chips, while I ended up with a mystery meat dish with a massive bone and, yes, chips.
After lunch we did the ride we’d meant to do — through olive groves and vineyards, with bigger views as we climbed into the hills. Best bit? For the first time, it was actually warm while riding.
Friday 14 February — María Day 27 - From Sax to the hills: woodland pitches and stunning mountain views
Almería, Andalusia, Spain 🇪🇸
Today we left Sax and headed about 150 miles south, arriving at a beautiful mountain campsite near the town of María.
We’re properly up in the hills and the scenery is stunning. Best of all, we’ve finally got hot, sunny weather — such a treat after the cooler days.
The campsite is set in woodland and it feels really natural. It’s a big site, but the pitches are generous and tucked among the trees — no straight lines of vans here.
We also met up with friends, Len and Doris. They spend every winter travelling around Spain and they know all the best places. They’ve been a huge help to us, sharing campsite recommendations from their own trips.
We’re looking forward to exploring this area tomorrow.
Camping Sierra Maria
Saturday 15 February — María
Day 28 — A mountain walk, a bike ride that grew legs, and a wrong turn into desert scenery.
Almería, Andalusia, Spain 🇪🇸
Today was a fantastic day. This morning I went for a walk with Doris straight from the campsite and into the National Park. The views were stunning and it was so peaceful — I really do love being up in the mountains.
This afternoon Richard and I headed out on the bikes. I thought we were in for an 18-mile ride… which somehow turned into 28 miles.
We took a wrong turn coming down from the mountains and ended up going left instead of right. I didn’t even clock it at first — we’d pedalled a few miles along the road before I realised. Safe to say my navigation skills weren’t winning any awards, and I wasn’t terribly popular for a while 🙈
Still, it turned out to be a brilliant detour: incredible, almost desert-like scenery, and hardly any traffic at all.
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