Benicassim to Navajas

5th November

47 miles

From Benicassim we headed south on the A7 towards Castelllon. In Castillan, the place is given the suffix 'La Plana'. The plain in question is covered in orange groves. Before you get too misty eyed, envisaging some sun-drenched bucolic scene with straw-hatted peasants prudently hoeing their ancestral plots, I feel I must point out that 'la plana' is also covered in a forest of pylons, a scattering of bland, faceless distribution centres, and the odd gigantic  PORCELANOSA   advert which must be the only product to promote itself directly to astronauts on the ISS. The coastal strip is highly developed. The  mix of urban sprawl and citrus farms ringed by a crescent of arid, purple coloured mountains reminded me of the area on the sea-ward side of the Jacinta mountains when we drove from the outskirts of LA to Palm Springs in 2010.

Near Sagunta we turned north on the main road which heads towards Teruel and eventually Zaragoza. Soon we were climbing steadily, Maisy changed herself down into 4th sounding even more like builders truck than usual. We've sat so long next to a grumbling diesel that we've ceased to notice it, but the van is noisy without a doubt.

After just a few kilometres the sprawl of the coast had vanished and we were climbing though an empty landscape of pine covered hills with bare peaks of ochre coloured rock. Although the campsite at Navajas is less than 20 kilometres from the sea, the village is situated over 1400 feet up in the mountains. The drop in temperature was spectacular. Whereas on the coast night temperatures had never dipped below about 17 degrees, here we were experiencing single figures when we woke up. Thankfully the shower block was heated.

Tourist brochures insist that all mountain villages 'nestle'' in their valley. Unusually, Navajas does.

It's a really nice small campsite here. When Gill checked-in, the lady in the office pointed out some interesting local walks. Even better, one of Spain's longer via verde - disused railways converted to bike trails - runs right past the back of the site. It may be be chilly, but it's time for fun in the great outdoors. We parked up and headed straight into the village to find the path to the famous waterfall the lady had mentioned.

Just below the village the Riu Palancia runs through a deep gorge.

After rain the waterfall must be really spectacular.

The rock formations are very unusual

like petrified mud.

The springs were developed as Spa during the 1920s

and quietly grandiose monuments constucted 

with Modernista swirls

and terrifying fawcets.

Navajas itself had picturesque narrow streets,

an unusually heartfelt fountain,

orange groves on the outskirts,

sun-drenched crumbling walls,

ancient,

and modern, appropriately adorned.... 

footsore we returned to the van as evening fell.