Alcala del Jucar

May 11, 2022 to May 14, 2022

The Jucar Gorge is a spectacular valley that is reminiscent of the Alberta Badlands, Zion Canyon, even the Grand Canyon, but also very different. It's hard to describe such scenery so you will have to generate your own impressions from the pictures, or better still, come to see it yourself. Surprisingly, there are very few cyclists, even mountain bikers are scarce despite glimpses of some lovely looking single track trails along the sides, but then there are very few people here at all. This place is a weekend resort and is very quiet midweek. (More on this later).

Thursday we rode down the valley on a winding, narrow but paved road past Tolosa. With no luggage, nowhere particular to go, and virtually no traffic, we meandered slowly, barely pedalling and craning our necks up and down taking in the scenery. After a couple of hours, we turned around and slowly made our way home. Friday we did the same, but upstream past Joquera, which was a bit further, more uphill and busier (Ann counted 12 cars), but almost as relaxing. Ann kept saying she felt like we were on holiday. Delightful.

One of the pleasures of travel is never knowing when you will be surprised, confused, baffled... After almost a month in Spain we thought we had restaurant opening hours all figured out and expected most places in Alcala del Jucar to be closed on Sunday and Monday. Arriving on Wednesday, we had eaten a very light lunch planning to treat ourselves to dinner at the fancy spa hotel and restaurant just down the street. We put on our elegant outfits and headed over just after 9pm, expecting to possibly be unfashionably early and maybe having to wait a while to get anything to eat. Entering the gates, the place was eerily empty as we strolled past the pools and gardens. Eventually we met a young man near the reception desk who said the restaurant opened at 10. He seemed keen to practice his English and told us he was not an employee but a teacher from one of the many school groups in town. (Steven was jealous thinking of the dingy camps and hostels where he stayed with teachers and students on school trips). By then the lights were on at the restaurant, only to have the waiter tell us they were not open to the public but were only serving the teacher group staying there. OK, there are a few other restaurants showing as open on Google Maps and Trip Advisor. But no, one by one we got there to see stacked patio tables and shuttered doors. It was almost 11pm when we ended up back in the plaza, loud with all the high school age students, eating patatas bravas and mussels at the one bar that was serving some food. Lesson 1: Restaurants are open for dinner only on weekends in this town. The next nights we bought salads at the grocery store which we ate on our balcony with a view of the castle.

Thursday morning breakfast at the hotel was toast and coffee, so by noon we were hungry. Disappointed but not surprised we were told the only restaurant in Tolosa was preparing to serve a large group of students and not open to the public. Back in Alcala, our first choice restaurant had a lovely patio and posted a menu del dia, but would be open for lunch starting at 3pm. 2nd choice said they opened at 1:30, in 20 minutes. Back to the plaza where we ordered agua con gaz and reminded ourselves to be grateful that our biggest problem was having to wait for our lunch restaurant to open. Wheeling into the patio at 1:45 we were greeted by the hubub from a long table of kids, about grade 5-6 age, and no apparent teachers to keep order. We sat on the other side of the patio, ordered and ate a huge and delicious lunch with a bottle of wine and Steven was particularly glad to be retired.

Lesson 2: during the week Alcala del Jucar is full of school groups staying in hostels and camps, kayaking, hiking, seeing the history and having fun. The roads are quiet but for the occasional bus or support vehicle. Tonight is Friday, the kids are gone, the streets are full of cars and adults, the restaurants are opening up and getting ready for a busy weekend. And that's why the hotel was so reasonable midweek (we were the only guests).

Tomorrow is forecast to be the hottest day yet and we have miles of plain to cross so we are planning an early departure. Too bad to miss the atmosphere of Alcala with grown ups and restaurant dinners, but we sure liked the quiet roads.

Interesting erosion "hole" at the top of the cliff

Alcala del Jucar castle and town as seen from our balcony. Why go out to dinner when this is the view at home?

Castle from the other side of the ridge showing windows on the backs of dwellings carved right through the ridge.

Looks like the sheep are eating their way down the field.

Houses built right into the cliffs. The lady there told us she had lived there all her life and that the hose was cool in the summer and warm in winter.

Yes, these are all fresh flowers placed for the special week of the virgin at the church in Jorquera

Rooms carved into the limestone, but no indication of how long ago?

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Today's ride: 78 km (48 miles)
Total: 1,565 km (972 miles)

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Scott AndersonWhat a surreal spot! I’ve never heard of it. Wonderful discovery.
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2 years ago

Rachael AndersonBeautiful! We’ve had similar experiences in the past with finding food so now I’m compulsive about carrying some food with me and checking ahead about restaurants. You guys are really tough!
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2 years ago

ann and steve maher-wearyTo Rachael AndersonHi Rachel
Yes we have to be better about a snack bag, especially here in Spain where we have been foiled. Enjoying reading your blog always. I am looking forward to reading about your group tour coming up. Talk about stamina, the continuous cycling and hiking that you and Scott do is amazing!
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2 years ago

ann and steve maher-wearyTo Scott AndersonYou will have to check it out on your next southern Spain tour.
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2 years ago