Tabernas Desert Trip 2016 (The Good, Bad & Ugly Tour 2016)

[froggy Steve]

OK, I will get the ball rolling with our latest trip as the title suggests, back to the Desert in Tabernas, Spain. I hope everyone who went on the trip chip in with there comments and photos where they want I will split it into 3 parts - trip down, the desert and trip back.

Mon Oct 3rd
Were Off!
Pete in his Hilux came to us and we both traveled to Bergerac 1.5 hrs away to meet Mark & Mel with their 80.

After a few hours we had a rest stop (Pete had a Ghilli Kettle going!)

Another hour or so and we had the camp up at the 1st campsite, just short of the Pyrenees

(no pics sorry)

Tues 4th

First view of the Mountains before the Somport Tunnel

Through the tunnel and Spain

Lunch stop......very important!

We pushed on to the first Spanish camp site, ready to hit the first trail on Wednesday morning. When we got to the camp site it was abandoned! No showers, toilets or anything!

We ended up staying there anyway as the pitches were good and we had our first wild (ish) camp

Wed 5th Oct
1st Trail in (I think) Serrania de Cuenca

Over the hills to an abandoned village

Cracking views all round with the trees changing for Autumn, simply brilliant

Life on the edge!

lunch (again)

- video!

new paint job.......some tight trails today!

Our Silly Cow!

Just waiting for some more video's to load up and I will be back!

 

[clivehorridge]

Great Steve, been following you guys, thanks for posting

 

[Rodger]

Just watched 8 (I think) of the videos! Great Steve.

Regards

 

[Pumpy]

Great pics "The good the Bad and the Ugly tour" that's what I've called our Pyrenees trip next year Inspired because we're going to visit the film sets North of Madrid

My mrs would be moaning all day if there was that much rattling in the truck, we'd be repacking at the first brew stop

 

[froggy Steve]

Great pics "The good the Bad and the Ugly tour" that's what I've called our Pyrenees trip next year Inspired because we're going to visit the film sets North of Madrid

My mrs would be moaning all day if there was that much rattling in the truck, we'd be repacking at the first brew stop

tis the high lift jack on the spare rear wheel - you get used to it!

 

[MarkW]

Looking forward to watching the vids when I get a decent wifi connection.

One thing any Overland trip reveals is no matter how well you pack something will rattle somewhere

 

[Dave2000]

I ratchet strapped everything down tight and still found a rattle on top. But confess I do have to stop and sort it, drives me nuts otherwise.

Those are some great videos, and I am really looking forward to some more. I have not had the time to train the dog to hold the camera yet so very little to contribute, keep up the good work.

regards

Dave

 

[froggy Steve]

Here are another couple of vids for the Wednesday trails

the 2nd one was just after we turned round and re - routed after the narrowest of tracks had a massive wash out blocking our way the trailer collected some of those boulders btw......

off to Bordeaux Airport to pick up the yanks of the family, will post more later

 

[AndyCook]

Good to see some more pics and videos
Spain is really under utilised by overlanders.
So many miles of trails, not all tricky but nice and remote.
Most seem to focus on pyrennes and Portugal , but there is loads to do all over Spain, gets a bit hot for me though, above 30 degC is too much for me

 

[Bert]

Cheers for the story so far Steve. Looks as though you had a great time. Perhaps I should put Spain on our list. Simon

 

[froggy Steve]

Thurs 6th

Up into the best canyon this side of the water Spotted by Mel hal f way up a tree....what the heck is this? A Drop Bear Nest?

Nope its an old ball of Misteltoe (sp)!

We need to get over there, the long way round rather than the short way!

At the bottom of the canyon was a pretty village

Thursday Camp

No dogs allowed....too late !

 

[froggy Steve]

Well worth a visit tbh

 

[froggy Steve]

Friday 7th
Good morning of Trails, including a washed out hill, thankfully Mark spotted extremely well again

We finished with a road section that left us at a campsite just 2.5 hrs from Tabernas - easy day ahead

 

[Gary820]

Great pics and vids

 

[Dave2000]

Just going to post up a couple of pictures I managed to get, not quite 'bathe it daily' but the best my cell could manage.

Windy video above Mini Hollywood.

I have put some thoughts on a separate thread, as this one is running perfect for comments and pictures and I do not want to interfere with it's pace.

https://www.landcruiserclub.net/com...rt-some-personal-musings.146593/#post-1424918



regards

Dave

 

[Charlie]

Love the photos, keep them coming....

 

[clivehorridge]

Great stuff Steve, thanks for all the posting!

Y'know, when someone's spotting, you don't need to wave back...

 

[Mblinko]

Here are some videos we took along the way.

Day 1 at Tabernas Desert - 10th

Monday was our first day out as a group. Off we trundled into the desert....heading along a canyon trail ....

Driving up the canyon was tight, but not picture worthy until it was blocked by massive boulders which we couldn't pass. we turned round and wrongly assumed it was as easy to return. It wasn't. the short wheelbase trucks found it very difficult, the long wheelbase hi-lux found it impossible and we had to use the hi-lift to jack the rear and bump it round a couple of times. The 80s took a different route !! ....

The 80s went up a steep slope to a small shelf and via a steep but short descent on loose shale. They are taken from different angles to show the scale better. Dave takes the other route first in his 80 ...

I take the other route as well ....

Steve goes back the way we came, quite a tight fit ...

Once we had all got through safely, we had some lunch in the canyon. Great team work from everyone made this a great experience.

After lunch on the first day, we undertook a trail which was decidedly more tricky. The main difficulty was the severity of the washouts and the ever present fact that underneath us were large holes and tunnels in the dried mud which could have collapsed at any point. Our camera had filled up at this point so this video was taken on the iPad mini ...

The difficulty continued but with good spotting from Rodger and Dave we got around some pretty big holes, however, it got so bad we had to turn round eventually because a major wash away several feet deep made it impassable. 6 cars turning round was a hoot. Fortunately, 3 could reverse in one spot while the other 3 had to shuffle around and up 30-40 degree slope to pass each other.

 

[Mblinko]

Day 2 Tabernas - 11th

Day 2 was more of a recce. It was very hard to find tracks that were accessible because they either disappeared or were closed, often when they should not have been!! We did have a very nice climb at one point. All in all it felt like proper exploring.

 

[froggy Steve]

Sat 8th
Late start, easy drive on Tarmac, down to the campsite in Tabernas!

Awnings out, plenty of shade in the hot dry conditions

Easy afternoon and evening eating and drinking and preparing for the week ahead

Sunday 9th
Rodger & Corinne, Ian and Dave all arrived in quick order about lunch time, camp was set (like in the old west, all bunched together to keep us safe from the Injuns (German Geology Students!)

Once everyone was comfortable (air beds blown up. tents blown up etc) We set about making a Paella (well 2, one with sea food, one without) after all, half of us were locals

It went down well (and stayed there) as did the Sangria
All ready for a not too early Start on Monday !