No matter how much research one, well Anne really, does, finding the right accommodation both for us and Streak and Storm can be a challenge. Anne had identified a couple of places to see south of Cuenca and while looking for somewhere to stay Anne found this gem “La Hospedería – El Provencio” but I am getting ahead of myself.

Leaving Cuenca we are well wrapped up, the temperature is barely in single digits celsius. We are heading for the Claridge Hotel, no not the London one but a now abandoned hotel, one of the best forms of “brutalist” architecture in Spain. Built entirely of concrete this hotel was a favourite of travellers heading from Madrid to the coast on the N-3 highway. The construction of the Autovia del Este, one of many roads to receive EU funding, bypassed this location. The Claridge Hotel and many another similar establishments and the adjacent petrol stations closed as new roads removed their traffic and therefore customers. We pass many such forlorn establishments every day as we ride on the older roads. The unintended changes that progress brings…

Next we visit the Castillo de Belmonte built in 15th Century for Don Juan Pacheco, the first Marquis de Villena. This is a well preserved castle with beautiful interiors and worth the €10 entry fee. We rode up from the south which gives great views of the castle from distance rather than through the town. Lunch in Belmonte in a local cafe, could not be better, local people local food.

Just outside Mota del Cuervo stand seven windmills in an area known as “La Sierra” stand seven windmills made famous in the book “Don Quixote”, or to give it its full title “ The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha” by Miguel de Cervantes over 400 years ago and was considered one of the first novels in western literature and one of the most published and admired.

We get to see the location without any other visitors although the size of the parking area makes me think that as the weather improves the visitors will flock to this site so we were very lucky.

Back to where I started, our night’s accommodation is at a converted winery in El Provencio. When a new winery was constructed in the 1990’s this building was abandoned but locals wanted to see a future for the old winery building. A retirement home was considered and the room fittings and wide doors installed before the decision to open a hotel. It does make it easier to get helmets and gear into the rooms. Great and helpful staff but the big revelation was the restaurant. After one night we decided to stay for four nights and use “La Hospedería” as a base rather than keep moving. It was a good choice as our comfortable bed and frequent bookings at the restaurant can attest to. With lunchtime stretching till 4pm and later we can get a day’s ride in and be back for lunch on one day. On the flip side of the coin they had to turn the restaurant lights on around 8pm for our arrival for dinner.

Our first excursion takes us to Laguna del Rey, outside Ruidera, a series for lakes connected by waterfalls, the cloudy day does not do the location justice so we move on to Motilla del Azuer where we plan to see a 3,500 year old bronze age fortification. When we arrive, we are greeted by a locked gate. The fine print says you must book at the museum and travel in their minibus in the morning. Oh well, lets nip round the back for a close view. Down a dirt farm road and we are as close as we can get. Time for lunch. It does not get much better than this: out in the middle of nowhere enjoying nature’s beauty.

The roads we have taken have been mostly clear of traffic and we can cruise along enjoying the scenery. Yes I have taken some video and will eventually assemble an armchair ride, however bugs do keep affecting the camera’s view.

While the crops we see vary from wheat to almond, olive and fruit trees interspersed with vineyards, a nature strip down each side of the road is at times a riot of colour. The red of Anne’s favourite, the poppy, is interspersed with yellow, white and purple. Sometimes the flowers spill out across the adjacent fields making for a glorious spectacle. I also love the contrasting green and brown between crops and fallow fields.

Well, all dusted off and back to our hotel to plan our next day out and what is for dinner tonight?

Today’s destination is Alcalá del Júcar – a town seemingly clinging to the side of a cliff. As we get closer riding across a flat plain, I am expecting the town to rise up as we have seen before on a defendable hilltop, but no, this place is carved into the side of a river canyon explaining why it cannot be seen as we approach. Quite spectacular but I would be nervous about inhabiting some of the houses.

We must farewell our home for the last four nights, great service from the friendly staff, comfortable beds, an excellent restaurant. This was a five star location for us, but onward we must go.

Valencia, our next destination, gives us the opportunity to both see a little of the city, fine tune our packing, get the blog up to date and adjust the motorcycle chains etc. Anne found a nice apartment on the 27 bus route to the town centre.

From Valencia we will board our second ferry of this trip. For those who know our destination, please do not give it away in comments for those who do not.

So see you on the other side.

– Anthony