Postcard from Isla Plana 2014

We’re in the eighth week of our 2014 winter-into-spring tour, with another four to go. This year we decided not to press on to Portugal, but to mooch around Murcia, staying longer at sites and travelling less. And so, we’ve travelled up the coast a whole 38 miles from Aguilas back to Isla Plana, just outside Puerto Mazarrón, and to Camping Los Madriles.  The terraced camp site overlooks the bay between Isla and the next village of La Azohίa. The coastline is a mixture of sand and gravel beaches, and rocks.

This morning we’ve cycled along the path and promenade to Azohίa for coffee. The road to Puerto Mazarrón is just a bit too dangerous in parts for casual cycling, so a visit there means catching the Cartagena to Mazarrón bus or a drive off-site, which for us motorhomers is a bit of a fuss. The ‘Local Social’ is only a twenty minute walk along the beach and promenade at the Plaza del Mar. There you can rub shoulders with Spanish people and enjoy a drink in the sunshine.

What’s changed since we wrote our ‘Postcard from Isla Plana’ last year? There’s now a Coviran Supermercado in the main street, which will save the trip to Lidl; the campsite wifi has been reduced to 10€ for 7 days, but the ACSI rate has been held at 16€ a night. ( 4 kW-hour limit is metered; no dogs, and no units over 8 metres)

 However, it’s the campsite and its swimming pool which have brought us here. The outdoor pool (there is an indoor pool as well) is heated from a geothermal spring. The crystal- clear salt water pool is drained every evening and refilled the next morning. It’s open all year round! Cath’s managing two swims each day.

Spring is here with the trees in leaf, temperatures in the twenties, and the blackbirds singing. We may just stay here another week.