Matilda on Tour - Our Final Days Among the Lakes of Ruidera

Day 11 Waterfalls, Wildlife & a Couple of Beers 🍻

Wednesday 14 October 2026 |

Lagunas de Ruidera, Spain

Another beautiful day exploring the Lagunas de Ruidera, and another reminder that sometimes the best thing about travelling is having the time to slow down and simply enjoy where you are.

Today we managed a full circular walk, finding the path that connects the lagoons. I wasn’t particularly looking forward to the section along the road, thinking it might be rather boring, but there was actually plenty to see along the way.

There was birdsong everywhere, fig trees at every turn, butterflies fluttering about and quite a few fish swimming in the clear water. The views were fabulous and so different from yesterday’s walk.

We spotted a terebinth tree, known locally as cornicabra (goat’s horn), with little pink berries and curious red horn-shaped growths caused by tiny insects. Another fascinating discovery!

We eventually reached a beautiful bathing area, with waterfalls tumbling into the lagoon and gorgeous scenery all around us.

We had planned to stop for a coffee, but somehow a couple of cold beers seemed a much better idea!

And what a place to stop. We lingered far longer than intended, simply enjoying the surroundings and taking it all in.

In Prestatyn, it’s seagulls and pigeons waiting for scraps. Here, it’s sparrows and dunnocks. A rather nicer class of opportunist! They were quite happy to hang around our table hoping for a little something.

Towards the end of our walk came another wonderful surprise — deer! We spotted a stag, complete with antlers, along with a female. There were youngsters too, although we didn’t manage to photograph them.

For a few incredible moments, we stood watching them while they stood watching us. What a privilege to see them in their natural surroundings.

Another fabulous day exploring this beautiful area, with the deer sighting making it extra special. So glad we decided to stay longer!

Day 12 – Finding Our Rhythm in La Mancha

🇪🇸 Thursday 15 October 2026

Lagunas de Ruidera, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

What a fabulous day we've had!

We headed out on the bikes today to explore more of the beautiful Ruidera lagoons, crossing over the walkway to follow the lagoons along the gravel tracks. It was wonderful! A little scary in places, but last year's practice has certainly paid off. I found myself relaxing and really enjoying the ride.

The tracks wound through woodland, with beautiful views across the lagoons and no traffic. Just our sort of cycling!

We came across the Puente de la Esclusa, an old stone bridge over a narrow channel where the water was rushing through. Another interesting little discovery in this lovely landscape.

After rejoining the road we stopped at a traditional restaurant and ordered three small plates to share. Well, the portions weren't quite as small as we'd imagined!

The fried Manchego cheese was absolutely delicious, served with a lovely red pepper accompaniment. The pisto, a traditional vegetable dish with peppers and tomatoes, was equally tasty. And then there was the pork. An enormous plate of it!

A few beers to wash it all down and we certainly weren't going hungry. No pot-luck supper needed in Matilda tonight!

The restaurant itself was lovely, with wooden tables and chairs, exposed beams and a traditional Spanish feel. A really enjoyable stop.

On our way back we stopped at the little lakeside bar we'd discovered yesterday, and what a lovely place it is to sit and watch the world go by.

The birdlife kept us thoroughly entertained. First, a tiny flash of brilliant turquoise-blue flying dead straight, just above the water. Almost certainly a kingfisher! Then a little yellow bird with a black bib, flying in a curious dipping, up-and-down motion close to the water. Possibly a wagtail, although we're still not entirely sure.

The beautiful blue-winged Spanish magpies we'd spotted yesterday were out again today too.

But the star performers were undoubtedly the sparrows!

They were absolutely everywhere. Perched along the backs of chairs, hopping across tables and keeping a very close eye on our snacks. At one point we had quite an audience gathered around us.

They were so cheeky and confident, completely unfazed by our presence. We could have watched them for ages

With the lagoon stretching out behind us and the autumn colours beginning to appear in the trees, it was a lovely place to finish our ride.

It's hard to believe this is our last day in this wonderful place. We've enjoyed some fabulous walking and cycling, discovered lovely little places to stop and seen more wildlife than we could ever have imagined.

Tomorrow we're back on the road in Matilda, heading for the next chapter of our Spanish adventure.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring?