On the road from Jerez to Alicante, stunning Spain.

Having left the Donana late in the day we head South to Chipiona, on the Costa de Luz (the windy coast). Here we know a small beach where we can stop for the night. The wind blows in true form, and in the morning we have sand drifts up our wheels.
We leave the sands behind, heading inland for Jerez, and onwards towards Granada.

After passing Arcos de la Frontera, rows of olive trees and rich red soil.

We had no wish to hurry, as the scenery was so beautiful.

The hill top town of Olvera.

From a high point on the road we see the illuminated white hill town of Archidona and beyond the snow falling around Granada.

We decide to to stop the night at Antequera, and see how the weather is tomorrow.

The morning is cold and clear as we continue our journey.

Granada behind us the Sierra Nevada dominates, the snow continues until we pass Guadix.

We pass through Almeria and into Murcia and the Mar Menor. On the horizon beyond the small Islands you catch sight of the high rise apartments of La Manga, the thin strip of land that stretches out between the open sea and the Mar Menor.
  

A derelict church, salad crops growing all around and beyond the concrete La Manga stretches out into the sea and Mar Menor.

The old the new.

Calblanque, a parque regional. Coastal scrub is separated from the sea by fossil and mobile dunes in this wild and beautiful park.

Calblanque parque regional, Palm trees in the breeze.

In the fields of fleece cloches, workers take their lunch, their vista the Mar Menor and  La Manga beyond.

Around the Mar Menor agriculture is huge, sadly most windmills are now derelict. This one has been renovated and stands proud, on the flat fertile plain of the Mar Menor.

Our journey continues by car!

The castle and town at Castalla close to Ibi.

High above Alcoy is the Font Roja. Quite a climb on foot!

The road from Alcoy leads South through Almond blossoms.

The historic hilltop town of El Castell de Guadalest.

Getting close to the remote area of Monnegre.

The landscape in this area of Alicante province is stunning.

A little church dwarfed by it's surrounding landscape.

Nearly out of the mountains.

Our journey nears it's end as we pass through the palm forests close to Elche.

The palm trees were originally planted here by the Moors. Today they are the main industry of the area, dates are taken from the female trees whilst the fronds from the males are used all over Spain in Palm Sunday processions.
The rising sun catches the foot hills beyond.

We shall stay awhile to enjoy some birdwatching, in the many important wetlands here.