Outdoor Adventures near Rota

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

            Southern Spain is sunny and beautiful for most of the year, so it is an ideal location for enjoying outdoor sports and activities. Here are some of the popular options for enjoying the outdoors around base.

BIKING: For recreational riding, check out the Costa Ballena park, or ride along the Puerto paseo (boardwalk) to the Valdegrana Parque natural. When biking in pedestrian areas, use the markers in the sidewalk to keep on the bike path. The roads around base are relatively flat, and commonly used for road bikes. There are some riding clubs and teams in the area. A publication of Mountain Bike trails is available through the Cádiz Office of Tourism website:

http://www.Cádizturismo.com/publicaciones/rutas-en-btt-por-la-provincia-de-Cádiz.

HORSEBACK RIDING: There are several stables and ranches in the area that offer horseback riding, whether it is lessons, birthday parties for children, or sunset rides on the beach for adults. Check out Las Marias Equestrian Center in Puerto (info on p. 144) or Los Caireeles in Rota.

HIKING: There are tons of beautiful nature trails and hiking opportunities not far from the base. There are several books written about hiking opportunities in this region. Look online or in the NEX bookstore. Driving 1 hour toward the mountains will bring you to Sierra de Grazelema Park, near Zahara de la Sierra. This natural park has a huge lake, and offers a variety of watersports, hiking trails, and even a ropes course. You can camp overnight, or just visit for a day. Detailed descriptions of routes and maps of hikes throughout the Sierra de Grazelema mountains are available in Spanish at:

https://sites.google.com/site/senderismotercertiempo/Home.

You can also download hiking guides for the region’s Natural Parks (in English) from the Cádiz Office of Tourism:

http://www.Cádizturismo.com/publicaciones/guia-de-ser.

You may also want to consider hiking the Caminito del Rey, formerly considered one of the most dangerous mountain paths ever built. It has been renovated and is newly opened for visits. Reserve a space online at:  www.caminitodelrey.info/en.

BIRD WATCHING: Spain is located on the migration route between Europe and Africa, so this is a birdwatcher’s paradise. Some of the best opportunities are in Doñana Natural Park, across the river from Sanlúcar de Barremeda. However, the park is protected and can only be visited with a guide. You can arrange to have a guided tour on foot, by bike, or on one of their river cruises. For more information, see their website:

http://www.discoveringdonana.com/index.htm.

WIND SURFING OR KITE SURFING: This water sport is most popular in Tarifa, which is possibly the wind surfing capital of the world because it is located on the point where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean, and it is constantly windy there. It is an exciting sport to watch, or you can take lessons locally in Rota or Costa Ballena.

SKIING: The only place in Southern Spain that has natural snow in winter is the mountains, particularly the Sierra Nevada range around Granada. There is a ski resort with beginner slopes and lessons, and a place nearby to rent sleds for children (sleds are not allowed on the ski slopes, but can be used in other areas). Cheaper accommodations are available in the small towns around Granada, but make sure you have a vehicle that can handle snowy roads! MWR usually arranges a ski trip in January, so contact them for updated info on the best locations.

The above info is an excerpt from the book, 'Welcome to Rota,' published in 2014 by Lizann Lightfoot.