Matilda on Tour: Sabiote → Atez (sunshine, windmills… and snow!)

Monday 24 February — Sabiote

Day 36 — Mountain roads, olive groves, and tapas with every drink.
Andalusia, Spain 🇪🇸

Moving day is always a bit of a wrench — especially when the sun’s shining and everything looks tempting. But we’re heading north now, with a loose plan to reach Caen and then ferry over to Portsmouth in a few weeks, so it was time to get going.

The drive was absolutely spectacular — proper mountain scenery where photos never quite do it justice. I can’t pretend I loved the road though. The twists, climbs and drops had me feeling on edge, and sitting on the “wrong” side of the road didn’t help… even though Richard drove carefully, as always.

Once we dropped down towards the olive groves it all felt calmer — mile after mile of soft green landscape, and a much easier stretch of road. We stopped to refuel and grab a quick bite (yes, McDonald’s 🙈), but it was just what we needed before the final run in.

We’ve parked up tonight in a motorhome area with water, electric and Wi-Fi for €13 — loads of space, and a cracking view. After settling in, we walked into the old town and immediately loved it — charming streets and photo opportunities everywhere.

Google Maps led us to a local pub where every round comes with tapas — prawns, a little veg dish with olives, and toast topped with peppers and onions. Proper end-of-day treat.

We’re going to stay a day or two — Sabiote feels like the sort of place that’s made for wandering (and hopefully a bit of cycling too).

Tuesday 25 February — Sabiote

Day 37 — Breakfast bargain, a brilliant downhill, and an early rain rescue.
Andalusia, Spain 🇪🇸

We woke to grey skies and a forecast that promised rain later. Still, there were a few cafés nearby, so we went out for breakfast. The place we chose was buzzing but we squeezed in — and for £7 we had cheese, ham and tomato toasties on baguettes plus two coffees. Bargain. I even used Google Translate to say, “We’ll have what those four guys are eating,” which worked perfectly.

Back at the van we got the bikes out. The ride started brilliantly — a proper swoopy downhill on curvy roads — but of course that meant the return was… less joyful. The climb back up was a real test.

We took a gravel track up through olive groves — miles and miles of silvery trees, absolutely beautiful — and ended up in a little hill town of cobbled streets and character.

But the rain arrived earlier than anyone promised, and we suddenly felt freezing. Richard spotted a petrol station, so we pulled in for coffee and a couple of snacks — and the woman behind the counter was so kind. She brought out a little fan heater and aimed it right at us. I’m fairly sure she clocked the goosebumps on my legs… it might be time to dig the long trousers out again.

We headed back to Sabiote, turned the heating up full blast, and I made a beeline for a hot shower. Bliss.

Wednesday 26 February — Sabiote

Day 38 — Fog, sunshine, a better-than-planned walk, and tapas again.
Andalusia, Spain 🇪🇸

We woke up to thick fog this morning — you could barely see 20 yards ahead. But by about nine it had lifted, the sun came out, and suddenly it felt like a completely different day.

It was the perfect chance to catch up on the boring but necessary stuff — laundry, changing the bed, all that normal-life admin — and then just sit outside for a bit and enjoy the warmth. I loved doing absolutely nothing for a while in the sunshine.

Our planned walk was a bit of a let-down, so we ditched it and followed our noses instead. We wandered through the olive groves, took the quieter tracks, and eventually looped back into town — much better.

Naturally, we ended up back at our favourite place, Pub Leila. A couple of beers… and the tapas appeared again as if by magic. (We could get used to this.)

We did pop into the bar next door afterwards because it looked promising, but it didn’t have the same friendly feel — so I think Pub Leila has officially claimed us.

I’ve really liked Sabiote. It’s been calm, easy, and friendly — and we’ve both said we’d happily come back.

Thursday 27 February — Puerto Lápice

Day 39 — Windmills, sunshine, and a stopover that filled up fast.
Castilla–La Mancha, Spain 🇪🇸

As we continue edging our way home, we stumbled on a little gem just off the autopista — and I’m finally starting to get my head around the quirks of Spanish roads!

We found a free campervan stopover. There’s a strict “no camping” rule, so I wasn’t totally sure yoga would count… but in that warm sunshine I couldn’t resist a gentle session anyway.

Afterwards we walked up to the windmills. Puerto Lápice has strong Don Quixote links and, with the sun blazing, it really did feel like one of those proper “Spain” afternoons.

On the way back we wandered through town and stopped for a few beers — with tapas, of course. Such a friendly atmosphere, and the place was really pretty.

And then the surprise: when we got back to the stopover it was packed. Completely full of vans. Clearly we’re not the only ones who’ve cottoned on to Puerto Lápice as a great little overnight.

Friday 28 February — Burgos

Day 40 — Big miles, a “not pretty but practical” stop, and a roast-ish dinner.
Castilla y León, Spain 🇪🇸

We hit the road at 9:30 and did 377 km on the autoroute. Richard was in full driving mode, the traffic was light, and we just rolled along with a few coffee stops to keep us going.

Finding somewhere for the night was harder than it should’ve been — so many places had reviews that put us right off. In the end we settled on a stop in Burgos, which turned out to be a big parking area surrounded by apartment blocks. Not exactly scenic… but it was handy.

Best bit? Aldi was close, so we picked up a roast chicken and had it with mash, veg and gravy — the closest we’ve come to a proper roast dinner since leaving home, and it was honestly delicious.

Now we’re hunting for a campsite for the next stop. If the weather plays nicely, we might take a couple of days off before we push north again. And judging by tonight, this car park is a popular choice — there are loads of vans here.

Stopover: Parking Autocaravanas (Burgos) — free (services: water + waste). Site code 100475.

Saturday 1 March — Atez

Day 41 — A shorter drive, hill views, and winter clothes back on.
Navarra, Spain 🇪🇸

Today’s drive was a refreshing change — much shorter, with lovely views, and a world away from yesterday’s flatter run. The last ten miles got a bit twisty with steep drops, but Richard took it all in his stride.

We arrived at our hillside campsite just in time for lunch, and first impressions were really good. We passed loads of cyclists on the way in, which tells you everything you need to know about this area. Another little gem, I think. There’s a busy restaurant, a mini supermarket, and even a pool… (not for me!).

After lunch I headed out for a walk. The trails are well-marked and it felt so good to be back in lush green scenery — such a contrast to a few days ago. The only shock was the temperature: 7°C with a biting wind that made it feel more like 1°C 🥶 Winter layers are definitely back out.

Still, it was a beautiful sunny day — and once I found a sheltered spot it was really pleasant, especially with the walk climbing straight up and rewarding me with cracking views.

We’ve booked two nights… but if the sun keeps showing up, we might just stay longer.

Camping: Izard Kanpina (Atez) — €23 incl. electric + Wi-Fi (Site code 89029)

Sunday 2 March — Atez

Day 42 — Snowflakes, muddy tracks, and the best carrot cake ever.
Navarra, Spain 🇪🇸

We woke up to a chilly 0°C this morning. We put the heating on, got cosy again… and ten minutes later it started snowing. That was a surprise! Luckily it didn’t last long before turning to rain.

We took it easy for most of the morning — reading, pottering, and a FaceTime with our daughter and grandchildren. By lunchtime the skies cleared and we headed out for another walk, choosing a different route from yesterday.

We went lower this time… and it quickly turned into a muddy bridle path. Proper slippery, squelchy stuff. We kept going anyway and eventually made it back to the road for the last stretch to camp, catching a few brief flashes of sunshine along the way.

Back at the campsite we went to the pub/restaurant for a couple of beers and, no exaggeration, the best carrot cake I’ve ever had. It was busy and cosy — a great place to warm up.

After that I headed back to the van, leaving Richard happily watching the football on the big screen. A perfect Sunday for him.

So that’s this instalment — sunshine, windmills, and a surprise bit of snow. We’re moving on again tomorrow.