Sarah
Rural Andalucia at its finest
I have been to Andalucia many times - over the last 10 years I have probably taken a holiday there 8 times.
People often ask me why I always choose to go there as I don’t feel Spain, particularly southern Spain, has quite managed to shrug off its sun and sangria image. Of course there are pockets of Andalucia that I avoid but the vast majority is simply stunning. If you then also consider the short flight from the UK – or train journey – and pretty-much guaranteed good weather between March and October then for me personally it is hard to beat.
Firstly there is the walking – our walking holiday in western Andalucia covers a quiet and beautiful corner of the region. Walk through meadows, forests, olive groves, and untouched villages that have not changed in centuries. You are unlikley to come across other walkers on the route – the area is still very much untouched. Unusually for the mediterranean there are four definite seasons here too . If you go in the spring (March – May) the area is awash with colour from wild flowers in bloom. In autumn everything changes again and the hillsides are dazzling in reds and golden colours. The summer months are hot but I have to admit I quite enjoy going during these months as it gives me the perfect excuse to do nothing but sleep and eat.
That brings me nicely on to the food … another highlight. I am a fan of locally produced food as it simply has more taste. In Andalucia I am absolutely spoilt for choice – olives, fish, salads, oils, honey, nuts and a huge vairety of fruit that I simply don’t bother with at home. Most food is just served as it is, on its own without the need for sauces to add flavour. You can stop in the simplest-looking tapas bar and enjoy the most delicious food. And I still stand by the fact that I have never had a bad coffee in Spain – OK I know coffee is not exactly local to Spain, they just know how to make it .
Then there are the villages. There are literally hundreds of white villages or pueblo blanco scattered around Andalucia. Most of them are perched high up on hilltops as they were built as fortresses to defend the ever-changing frontier between the Moorish and Christian lands. Today the villages are mostly still as they were back in the 12th century – narrow winding cobbled streets of white-washed houses with traditional tiled porches lead to the main village square where you usually have a Moorish castle and a Christian church – an insight into the history of the region. Between the afternoon siesta hours of 2 – 5 these villages are like ghost towns but in the morning and evenings they are bustling with locals shopping , chatting, eating and drinking. These villages have an incredible number of local fiestas – there are over 3,000 each year in Andalucia alone – so it shouldn’t be too difficult to time your visit to tie in with one of them.
Andalucia also has great variety. You can easily combine a walking holiday with time in the cities of Seville, Cordoba or Granada where you can really soak up the Moorish history and achitecture. You can add on beach time and enjoy the wild, mostly empty beaches of Costa de la Luz – the least developed of the Spanish costas. Or you can explore Jerez – home of flamenco and sherry – try not to think of Harvey’s Bristol Cream at this stage – vino de Jerez is delicious and a perfect accompaniment to the local jamon. If you want to explore the other side of Andalucia, the Alpujarra mountains near Granada and the remote desert of Almeria province are both easily accessible. All in all the possibilities for combining different experiences is endless.
Lastly, and for me possibly the main reason I love Andalucia, is the way of life. I find it impossible not to relax in Andalucia. The trick is to follow the locals and live as they do. When I first arrive I am usually irritated the first day by the complete lack of urgency applied to everything and the fact that all the shops bars and restaurants are closed when I want them to be open. But switch off your UK clock and you soon realise that the locals have it right. Then you just need to sit back and enjoy everything the area has to offer.
Find out more about our inn to inn walking holiday in Andalucia or any of our walking holidays in Spain or just call us on +44 (0)1273 676 712 to talk to one of our experts.
The Drake Passage: keeping Antarctica pristine
To get to Antarctica by boat, you have to cross some of the roughest seas in the world and that’s the way it should be.
On September 6th 1577 Sir Francis Drake had just cleared the Strait of Magellan on his second circumnavigation of the globe.
He was blown south of Cape Horn by a storm into the area where the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans met.
This turbulent stretch of sea was a new discovery and proved that Tierra del Fuego was not connected to the southern landmass as previously thought.
The passage was named after Drake and has since earned a reputation among travellers and explorers as being one of the world’s toughest stretches of water.
We often get asked about seasickness. Even if it is a very calm crossing, the roll of the boat will be an unfamiliar feeling at first.
You are likely to feel nauseous for a couple of hours but you should then get your sea legs and be fine for the rest of the trip.
There is no particular time of year when the sea is calmer. It is widely thought that the end of the season in March is the roughest time as winds are typically stronger.
But March 2009 saw the calmest crossing the crew had experienced in years and they temporarily renamed it Drake Lake.
Either way crossing the Drake Passage is part of the adventure of visiting Antarctica.
At Pura we are strongly of the opinion that flying to Antarctica is not acceptable as it will quickly lead to unsustainable increases in visitor numbers.
The boat crossing maintains the White Continent for those dedicated enough to make the crossing.
You can see the current sea conditions by looking at this wave map of the southern oceans.
Or you can read about our Antarctic cruises.
The beautiful Soraypampa Lodge looking down at Mt Salkantay
The Lodges
There are four lodges built along the trek and it took over 10,000 mule journeys to complete them. The first lodge has 12 room and the others just 6.
Each one was designed by a local architect using local stone, wood and straw in the traditional adobe Inca style. Construction was supervised and approved by the National Insitute of Natural Resources.
Electicity is provided using state-of-the art gas generators. Water is from local sources and there are ‘filling stations’ at each lodge. Water from plastic bottles is charged at a premium and profits are donated to the community.
The company has also set up an eco-team to maintain the trail, clean up any litter and advise and assist with wildlife conservation.