I’d forgotten just how quiet, even busy motorhome aires can be, and it was a good night’s stop. We took our time in the morning whilst most others headed off.

The aire is actually located adjacent to some troglodyte caves, which were inhabited as recently as the early 1960s, until social housing arrived in these parts. So before leaving we had a mooch around them. Some were actually quite pleasant, whilst some had caved in. Very interesting. On our way back we read the sign that said that going inside the caves was prohibited. Whoops.

After using the usual motorhome facilities, our next stop was Lidl. This shop visit was long overdue, and our first Lidl trip in Spain this time. We made the fatal mistake of shopping before having eaten anything that day, and when you arrive in this shop you are presented with an array of pastries and breads. Not a good start, as we each tried to justify to each other why we were buying all these cakes. The fruit and veg is opposite in the same aisle, so Sophie pretended to be looking studiously at those, but I knew she was also slyly checking out the pastries.

I next located the cava, which is €1.95 and excellent, and part of my staple diet when in Spain. They even do a vintage version for €2.49, so I bought one of those to keep for a special occasion, like when I’m feeling thirsty 😉. I only recently found out from a wine expert that Cava has the closest comparison with Champagne by method and taste, whereas Prosecco is much more inferior. Excellent. It’s also known that the Spanish could do more to promote it as a premium drink. For the moment, I’m pleased they haven’t.

So pastries, Cava, and of course ice cream were the essentials sorted out. I left the sensible stuff to Sophie. Having had a miraculously working fridge freezer now for quite a number of days, we have been desperate for ice cream. I’m not saying Sophie is becoming decadent, but when I told her they only had salted caramel flavour, she said that it wasn’t her favourite, but she supposed it would do. I bought two tubs though.

We then began a bit of a push Southwards. Lovely quiet roads like you’d never believe. Non-stop sun and we’re still in the first half of March. Chilly outside though in the wind, but we’re not fans of the heat, so loving the weather.

Today we headed for the very attractive hilltop town of Medinaceli. We stayed here a couple of years ago and as I saw it en route on my handy map of previous stops, it made sense to pop in again. On arrival though, we could see no other motorhomes, and the space previously dedicated to our types was completely dug up. This likely indicates that a fancy new motorhome facility is being built, which will no doubt cost money. Imagine that. Totally out of character, Sophie said that we’d probably pay for it wouldn’t we? After I picked myself up off the floor I did actually agree. Whilst we are fully “paid-up” members of the Free Camping group, we have recently decided that we won’t “cut off our nose to spite our face”, if not paying meant missing out on visiting somewhere worthwhile, but within reason of course.

So we were slightly confused as to where, if anywhere, we could park. Between the town and the edge of the cliff upon which it sits, is a large green area with nothing on it but opposing goal posts. Bizarrely, we then saw a signpost indicating that this was the provisional area for motorhomes. Other than a caravan on the far edge of the cliff, we then had the daunting job of deciding where exactly on this football pitch do we park. After “doing the dance”, where Sophie lounges on her sofa in the back checking out each and every angle to optimise her view, whilst I come and go for quite a while, she chose a spot at a diagonal, sufficiently away from one of the goalposts, just in case the Medinaceli 11 are playing a home fixture later on.

As I write this, another motorhome has turned up. Sophie told me off for waving at them, because she’s worried that it’ll encourage them to park close to us. Honestly, this is a football pitch, so the chances of close neighbours is slim

Lovely spot. Looking forward to a stroll round this very nice town before too long. The Cava’s going down well by the way.