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Day 28 Sunday April 24
Camping on the coast…… again!
My last real hope of visiting Cadiz was blown away quite literally. No ferry for me today! I set off with a route similar to yesterday's that I hoped would give me the opportunity to find a way to Cadiz but would get me back to the coast anyways. Once on the coast I could double back to Cadiz if I was feeling it by following the last of EV 8.
It was another late departure, partly from waiting to see what way the wind was blowing, literally, and partly because I'm the laziest bike tourist!
I passed through the familiar wetlands and the happy chickens and had lunch sitting on the wall of Puerto Real accompanied by some rich sea aromas!
I went on, stopping now and then to get my bearings and checking for alternative routes into Cadiz. I thought I may have found a bike path but when push came to shove I just wasn't trusting it. I was feeling conflicted. An ancient port city - I was imagining Toledo with the ocean and boats - would be right up my alley but yesterday had flummoxed me and I had visions of getting stuck or having to wildcamp within range of big motorways. Perhaps on the far side I can double back on the EV 8 route. If not, there'll be another time.
I continued on heading inland and away from the sea, pleasant scenery if not spectacular and away from the worst of the wind. It was rural, agricultural and very, very quiet.
I passed through Chiclana de la Frontera and paused for another bite to eat on a bench doing my best to avoid the worst of the sun. At 5 pm it was waking up and getting busy but has a large road on stilts running through it. I found it hard to settle. This is where I met EV 8 but Cadiz barely featured in my thoughts. Perhaps it was the "busyness" after a day of rural solitude but I gave no thoughts to turning back and following the EV route in. There'll be another time.
I should add that for anyone considering Cadiz on a bike not to be put off by my experience. My understanding is that heading in on the EV8 is straightforward and that there are good cyclable routes from the bigger places around. My "mistake" - and I don't see it as that - was to use CT in the "all surfaces" option. I am blessed with the gift of time and my objective is more to explore and less to arrive.
I rejoined the coast at Roche early in the evening, skimming through the town to reconnect with the sea and kept my eyes open for wildcamping options. Invariably where there are campervans there are specific no camping signs using a tent symbol. These are annoying me. I can understand a campervan being ignored on the basis that it has inbuilt toilet facilities but a lot of vans are very basic converts and don't seem to have much more than a wooden frame supporting a mattress in the back - in other words about as well equipped with a bathroom as myself. They appear to be unmolested by the authorities but I wasn't feeling confident that I would receive the same lack of attention.
In more isolated spots It's difficult to pick out where people might be wandering later - the locals do like to exercise late in the evening, often with dogs. I know that other bike tourists have camped on beaches but I also know that wildcamping is illegal in Spain and I can't help but feel that in tourist areas like this enforcement will be stricter.
Situations like this are where I feel the lack of a companion. There's a security in numbers and we could talk ourselves into it.
Passing a campground I pulled in. It was friendly, had a decent shop so I pitched up, cooked dinner then went for a wander on the beach as the sun sank once again into the ocean. There's just something about that scene that is magical to me. If I lived here would it become "normal", taken for granted?
There's a whole lot to be said for falling asleep to the sound of the ocean.
Day 28 Sunday April 24
El Puerto de Santa Maria to near Roche 55 km Total KM 1244
Min Meters -12 Max Meters 36
Total Climb 254, Total Descent 248
Min Temp 16 Max Temp 35 Ave Temp 27
CycleTravel Here:
Strava Here
The Towns Along the Way
Puerto Real
Chiclana de la Frontera
Camping on the coast…… again!
Oh! I nearly forgot! Puerto de Santa Maria has a beach! 
It's a bit cool, especially with the wind, to be enjoyed in the traditional ways but it still works like a happy pill on me
It's a bit cool, especially with the wind, to be enjoyed in the traditional ways but it still works like a happy pill on meMy last real hope of visiting Cadiz was blown away quite literally. No ferry for me today! I set off with a route similar to yesterday's that I hoped would give me the opportunity to find a way to Cadiz but would get me back to the coast anyways. Once on the coast I could double back to Cadiz if I was feeling it by following the last of EV 8.
Rolling through the marshlands......
It was another late departure, partly from waiting to see what way the wind was blowing, literally, and partly because I'm the laziest bike tourist!
I passed through the familiar wetlands and the happy chickens and had lunch sitting on the wall of Puerto Real accompanied by some rich sea aromas!
Not bad cycling at all!
I went on, stopping now and then to get my bearings and checking for alternative routes into Cadiz. I thought I may have found a bike path but when push came to shove I just wasn't trusting it. I was feeling conflicted. An ancient port city - I was imagining Toledo with the ocean and boats - would be right up my alley but yesterday had flummoxed me and I had visions of getting stuck or having to wildcamp within range of big motorways. Perhaps on the far side I can double back on the EV 8 route. If not, there'll be another time.
Heading inland and even though I'm losing the sea I really don't have any cause to complain....
I continued on heading inland and away from the sea, pleasant scenery if not spectacular and away from the worst of the wind. It was rural, agricultural and very, very quiet.
I passed through Chiclana de la Frontera and paused for another bite to eat on a bench doing my best to avoid the worst of the sun. At 5 pm it was waking up and getting busy but has a large road on stilts running through it. I found it hard to settle. This is where I met EV 8 but Cadiz barely featured in my thoughts. Perhaps it was the "busyness" after a day of rural solitude but I gave no thoughts to turning back and following the EV route in. There'll be another time.
I should add that for anyone considering Cadiz on a bike not to be put off by my experience. My understanding is that heading in on the EV8 is straightforward and that there are good cyclable routes from the bigger places around. My "mistake" - and I don't see it as that - was to use CT in the "all surfaces" option. I am blessed with the gift of time and my objective is more to explore and less to arrive.
Not fantastic ..... but perfectly adequate! Ha! How spoilt am I? The idea that I'd be meeting up with the sea later had me grinning like a loon
The idea that I'd be meeting up with the sea later had me grinning like a loonI rejoined the coast at Roche early in the evening, skimming through the town to reconnect with the sea and kept my eyes open for wildcamping options. Invariably where there are campervans there are specific no camping signs using a tent symbol. These are annoying me. I can understand a campervan being ignored on the basis that it has inbuilt toilet facilities but a lot of vans are very basic converts and don't seem to have much more than a wooden frame supporting a mattress in the back - in other words about as well equipped with a bathroom as myself. They appear to be unmolested by the authorities but I wasn't feeling confident that I would receive the same lack of attention.
In more isolated spots It's difficult to pick out where people might be wandering later - the locals do like to exercise late in the evening, often with dogs. I know that other bike tourists have camped on beaches but I also know that wildcamping is illegal in Spain and I can't help but feel that in tourist areas like this enforcement will be stricter.
Situations like this are where I feel the lack of a companion. There's a security in numbers and we could talk ourselves into it.
There's a fair whack of diversity and colour around......
And sometimes a glimpse of the Atlantic
Spain is really good for supplying information boards! I learned that I was right under the flightpath of some birds I do not know. Have a read of the text. It's interesting
And sometimes a glimpse of the Atlantic
Spain is really good for supplying information boards! I learned that I was right under the flightpath of some birds I do not know. Have a read of the text. It's interesting
Passing a campground I pulled in. It was friendly, had a decent shop so I pitched up, cooked dinner then went for a wander on the beach as the sun sank once again into the ocean. There's just something about that scene that is magical to me. If I lived here would it become "normal", taken for granted?
Not the sexiest or architecturally impressive building ...... but it's a lighthouse!
There's a whole lot to be said for falling asleep to the sound of the ocean.
I "lost" a load of time here. Something about the waves bashing the wall and all the boats calmly sitting, protected behind.
Day 28 Sunday April 24
El Puerto de Santa Maria to near Roche 55 km Total KM 1244
Min Meters -12 Max Meters 36
Total Climb 254, Total Descent 248
Min Temp 16 Max Temp 35 Ave Temp 27
CycleTravel Here:
Strava Here
The Towns Along the Way
Puerto Real
Chiclana de la Frontera
