Multi-activity: Sea To Sea
Overland from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean

A multi-activity journey from Spains’ southern Atlantic coast to the Mediterranean via the rugged interior & forests of the Alcornocales Nature Reserve. A multi-activity tour by mountain bike, foot & kayak.

Option of Seville visit, Ronda tour & Horse riding

Fact File:

Trip outline:
A 6 day activity tour from Cape Traflgar on the Atlantic ocean to Sotogrande on the Mediterranean. We enjoy a series of activities designed with novices in mind however we expect a reasonable degree of fitness to be able to enjoy this itinerary fully. This itinerary is designed to take in some of the best of the areas scenery; Cape Trafalgar, Vejer de la Frontera, the Barbate Reservoir, Alcornocales Forest, Vultures Gorge, Jimenea de la Frontera & the Guadiaro as it flows into the Meditierranean are all a pleasure to see & visit. The activities allow us to see the interior from a fresh perspective in this refreshing & original tour.

Ronda, Seville & Horse riding options:
This tour can be started in Ronda or enjoy a day in Ronda with Horse riding option. Seville can be fitted in either at the beginning or the end. Equally any of the activities can be increased or removed. It is quite feasible to do this trip without kayaking or cycling if desired.

Example Accomodation:
Vejer de la Frontera - 2 nights Hotel Casa de Califa (2*)
Alcala de los Gazules – 1 night Hotel S. Jorge (2*)
Picacho Forest Lodge – 1 night
Jimena de la Frontera – 2 nights Hotel Anon (2*)
Torreguadiaro – 1 night Hotel Patricia (2*)

Example Itinerary:

Day 1 Arrival Seville Airport & transfer to Vejer de la Frontera (120mins.) Described by the writer Jan Morris as ‘perhaps Spains’ most spectacular village’ Vejer is also considered as one of the best preserved of Andalucías old Arab towns. Just 10km.s from the Atlantic coastline there are many vantage points with views across to the North African coastline. Enjoy an evening walk exploring the narrow white washed streets & peering into flower filled courtyards. We spend 2 nights at the lovely Hotel la casa del Califa built around four traditional courtyards. We will enjoy dinner in the hotels Arab garden or in the 15th.C. cellars. Night Vejer.

Day 2 Walk. After breakfast we start out across the ‘Dragons Back’ by means of an ancient public bridleway. This winding trail leads across rolling terrain and offers fine vistas of the beaches along the Atlantic coast to the Straits of Gibraltar and Zahara bay. We continue into Las Breñas Natural Park, a 5,000 hectare reserve of dense Mediterranean Pine planted in the 1920’s to halt the encroaching sand dunes. After an optional coffee stop in the farming village of San Ambrosio we walk on to the Acantilado cliffs with views hundreds of feet down into sandy bays & shattered rocks. A forest track leads us into to the seaside village of Los Caños from where we continue to Cape Trafalgar walking along the wide Atlantic beaches. A clear day offers stupendous views of the North African coast. You may want to enjoy a refreshing swim here too. It’ll be a few fdays before we arrive at the next beach on the mediterranean coast. Return transfer to Vejer. Dinner in Vejer. Night in Vejer.

Day 3 After breakfast & an important safety briefing we set off downhill on small country roads towards Benalup. Cycle along the Barbate river where we may see storks, herons & plenty of snowy egrtes sitting on the cattles backs. Through orange groves & past fields of sugar beet we ride into Benalup. After a coffee stop we cycle the last few km.s on easy roads to the Barbate resevoir. The reevoir is within the Alcornocales forest & ringed by hills & with the white town of Alcalá at its far end. Enjoy a picnic by the lake & after instructions we paddle out towards Alcalá. Visit a small island & visit the remains of a fabulous cortijo (farmhouse). Disembark near Alcalá & cycle the last few to the village.

Alcalá is a white washed hill town with a castle & church crowning it & surrounded by high hills. Check into our family run hotel & tour the town (if you have the energy!) or just enjoy a cool beer & tapas watching the locals having their afternoon ‘paseo’. Dinner in Alcalá. Night in Alcalá.

Day 4 After breakfast we make a short mini bus transfer up to the Picacho Lodge situated just below the 1,091m. peak of the Algibe mountain. Our walk takes us up on easy trails to the Algibe from where we can see into the Straits & the Rock of Gibraltar, Morocco, the sierras of Ronda & the Atlantic & Mediterranean coastlines. Truly a unique spot. The two tone stripes of the predominant cork oaks are interspersed with walnut, holm oak, strawbeery trees & meditteranean pine. On our return walk we walk above the ‘Garganta Montero’ a narrow gorge cut into the limestones & sandstone rock where vines hang jungle like across the pathways. We spend the afternoon relaxing in our forest lodge & enjoying the views across to the Bay of Cádiz. Dinner in the lodge. Night Forest Lodge (dormitory type accomodation).

Day 5 Today we ride from the lodge on tiny country roads through the forest & along the banks of the Hozgarganta river. Absolute silence reigns in the forest other than the chatter of birds & the rush of the Hozgarganta. Late morning we arrive in the white hilltown of Jimena famous for a superb Arab castle built from the remains of a Roman fortification on the site. We check into our hotel & enjoy some free time in the village when you can find your own lunch in the many tapas bars & cafeterias in the town. In the afternoon we enjoy a relaxing walk up to the castle & into the forest along the river. We follow the mills along a roman causeway repaired by the moors (see the different styles of working the stone) & see orchards & millers houses some abandoned others still used by goatherders & the muleteers who still use the mules for collecting the cork from the forest. Dinner & Night Jimena.

Day 6 After breakfast we take the train from the nearby station up to El Colmenar, a tiny country station on the edge of the Alcornocales. We head off on easy trails above the Guadiaro river and as we walk up the river we see how the water has chewed its way into the limestone. The river here flows all year even at the height of the summer. The Vultures Gorge canyon is a deep chasm about 400feet high so narrow in places it is only arms width apart. We will walk up to the tail of the gorge & for those with an adventurous spirit (who don’t mind getting their feet wet) we can walk a short way through the canyon. For those that prefer a swim in the crystal clear waters we will also enjoy a picnic here before returning to Colmenar. There is time for exploring the small village before we head off back to Jimena. Dinner & night in Jimena.

Day 7 We use our bikes once again to cycle south heading ever closer to the Med. A ride along country lanes takes us into San Martin del Tesorrillo & through vast orchards of millions of orange trees. Where we exactly meet up with the canoes will depend on the height of the water. We have a picnic before embarking on the last leg of our voyage, a few hours paddling along the calm waters of the Guadiaro river with views across orchards & farmland interspersed with high banks of reeds. This is a fitting end to our journey as we paddle into Sotogrande & the white sandy beaches of the westernmost end of the Mediterranean sea. We’ve done it! Celebrate the journeys end with a cool beer on the beach. After relaxing in Sotogrande (a smart marina of wide lawns & expensive yachts) we make a short transfer to Torreguadiaro where we spend the night in a local hotel near the beach. Dinner. Night Torreguadiaro.

Day 8 Saturday Breakfast & transfer to airport. End of itinerary.