Just when the first light starts to peer through our window, Tim leaves for the city walls just next to our apartment to get a view of the surrounding area. The view is surprising and stunning as last night it was completly covered in clouds and darkness. There are still patches of clouds as the moisture of yesterday is evaporating and the sun hits the surrounding mountains and clouds to give a perfect backdrop for the city.
Just ten minutes by car lies Ubeda, another baroque town. Since everybody is awake before 7, we leave before 9 and are one of the first in the town. Everything is closed and an icy hard wind dampens our spirit. The sky is clear blue but the sun isn’t high enough yet to give us some respite from the cold.
Luckily the archeological museum opened at 9 so we can go inside warm ourselves and get some more information on the town and the surrounding area. After the museum we notice that the church has also opened so we do a quick tour, and visit a playground that catches some early morning sun before we head back to the comfort of our car.
We drive to the mountain town of Cazorla for a hike along a mountain stream. As always we try to park as close as we can get, ignoring the local traffic only sign and the constant beeping of the car as the road narrows further and further. But when the street seems to be too small for our car we are left with no other choice than to turn the car around which requires some harrowing steering.
It’s more relaxing to walk and we visit the ruins of an old cathedral and start our walk along the mountain stream. Cleo enjoys walking in front guiding us as she jumps from rock to rock. It’s a nice walk but not exactly what we imagined, even though there isn’t that much waste in the stream the vibe is more of an open sewer than of an idyllic mountain stream. It’s probably not helped by the construction work going on and the constant sawing noises. As we walk back we have a great view of the Castillo de la Yedra which makes it all worth the trip. Tim does some flyby’s and Olga and the children find a table in the sun on the square with some refreshing drinks.
On the other side of the town lies another ruined cathedral next to a castle, they sure love their castles and cathedrals here. We have limited time so we’ll send up the drone to take some nice shots and enter the sierra the Cazorla National Park. Here is another mountain stream which should lead to a waterfall, Tim and the children explore it through the air as there should be a spectaclur waterfall from the cliffs into the valley up high. Olga takes the time to go for a walk and searches for the less spectacular but still flowing waterfall. Tim’s exploration only finds vultures flying high and some great shots of the canyon.
As we continue our drive through the national park Tim spots a deer next to the road, then there are deer every turn staring at us as we drive through the deserted park. There should have been a reservoir here but as is the case often here in Spain, there is just an hint of a wetland. At the end lies Hornos a pretty little clifftop town with a castle. And just a little further the last town of the long day, Segura de la Sierra we quickly take a look before we head back to the highway as the sun sets in front of us as we head back to Baeza.
