An Autumn Adventure
OCTOBER 22nd - 26th, SIERRA NEVADA, Spain
WATER
Sierra Nevada is home to several spring water points and there are plenty of water fountains, from modern to historical, particularly around Guejar Sierra. Although most fountains use non treated water (no chemicals added and possibly no analysis), you can see locals helping themselves to it frequently and, in our own experience of the last year, we have not had problems with drinking from fountains here. A local once told us that she sent untreated spring water from her garden in Guejar for analysis, as this was part of the purchasing process for a filtering system, and the staff at the filter company lab could not believe that water had not been already filtered at least twice… and recommended she did not pursue the purchase!
IMPORTANT NOTE: please, don’t drink from the “Fuente de los 16 caños”! (easy to recognise as it has 16 taps that look like canons!) Although the water there should be good and the fountain an interesting one to see, there’s a huge herd of goats that walks past it nearly every day and avidly help themselves to it by suckling all the taps!!!
PHONES
Remember, as most communication during the event will be done through WhatsApp, we highly recommend having a functional data enabled phone while with us! Since Brexit, most British phone operators eliminated free EU roaming, so make sure you know what you will be charged on your specific plan to use your phone in Spain! Some British operators offer roaming bundles which turn out cheaper than “pay per use”, so we advise you to browse around for options. If you prefer, you can also buy a Spanish SIM or ESIM online or in-store in multiple places (from airport stores to local shops in Malaga, Granada or Cenes de la Vega as well as one store in Guejar Sierra but not in Pradollano). As an example, Symio (one of the cheapest Spanish providers) offers packages starting at 2€ for 4GB of data up to 18.50€ for 200MB. In Guejar Sierra, you can buy a physical SIM card at the local stationary shop from the network provider Gigi which offers data packages from as low as 3€ for 3GB, including calls to spanish numbers. To buy the SIM card you need to pay 10€ which is automatically converted into credit of the same value for you to choose your bundle from and if you don’t use it all, you can leave the rest of the credit in your SIM card for your next visit to the EU.
There is good phone coverage in both villages of Guejar Sierra and Pradollano for most networks, however, if you venture away from the villages, you may find yourself in “dead spots”. Some “dead spots” to note are:
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In Guejar Sierra: half way through the Transvia and into and around Maitena restaurant. Maitena restaurant also does not have wifi so if you go there there, be prepared to be “off coms”.
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If you go for a walk or meal in Barranco S. Juan, the whole area around that spectacular canyon is mainly off most network’s coverage. Equally, if you do the walk from Barranco S Juan to Vereda de la Estrella, you won’t have a signal for most.
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When driving from Pradollano/Hoya de la Mora towards theJardim Botanico or Colado de las Sabinas, there is a long stretch of road without phone coverage
WEATHER
The weather in Sierra Nevada in Autumn is generally very pleasant, especially compared to England! It is much warmer and drier than nordic countries or the north of Spain, but being in the mountains, combined with the effects of climate change, can be unpredictable. At night, temperatures can quickly drop to as low as 2°C in October, so make sure to pack warm clothes, but the average maximum daytime temperature in Guejar Sierra, for instance, is around 21°Cs. There has been snow in October but also it can reach 30°C so try to pack clothes for all weather and bring a swimming costume! It is possible to swim in lakes and rivers if it's warm enough. It is also possible to have a bit of rain with a 14% chance of it on an average day and an average of 10mm per day when it does - but let’s cross our fingers for some sunny skies that week!
COSTS
Spain, in general, is much cheaper than the UK, particularly since recent inflation. The region of Andalusia is particularly cheap in comparison to more touristy destinations and October is low season in the Sierra Nevada mountains. As a guideline, in a bar, expect a caña (250ml-330ml of beer) to be between 2€ and 3€, a sandwich between 2.5€ and 5€, a pizza around 10€. Many restaurants have a “menu del dia” where you can eat a two or three meal course anywhere between 9€ and 25€, sometimes with drinks and coffee included.
THE TAPA CULTURE
Most people don’t know that the birth of the “tapa culture” is actually in Andalusia! What the majority around the world see as a form of cuisine, has, in reality, a very practical use in its origin. As a place with a warm climate, drinking a cold beer as a refreshment is part of the local culture. However, the warm air also attracts more insects and flies, so, the habit of serving a “tapa” (in english “lid”) with a beer emerged from the practice of serving a small piece of bread on a small cup saucer for customers to cover their glasses with. Fast forward in time, nowadays every time you order a beer or glass of wine in any bar, your drink will be served with a tapa on the side which may range from a portion of olives to large portions of cooked food. Best advice: indulge in the local hospitality and plan your meals accordingly!!!
HEALTH INSURANCE
The British GHIC (Global Health Insurance Card) covers you for emergencies and necessary treatment in state-run health facilities, so you should definitely bring yours with you! It doesn’t make health treatment completely free but it does provide a massive discount at public facilities, so it is highly recommended. Private health treatment is not covered by the GHIC, so if you need to see a doctor or go to an emergency ward and you’re doing so with your GHIC, make sure to attend a public facility. Also, keep in mind that the GHIC does not substitute private, additional travel or health insurance as it does not provide cover for things such as changes to travel plans, additional costs for treatment, non-urgent treatment or repatriation. It is up to you whether you want to subscribe to a separate private health insurance but we do advise you to consider the types of activities you will be doing and risks associated, particularly if you intend on practising adventure sports, when making your decision.
SUPERMARKETS
There are supermarkets in both villages we will be based on. Guejar Sierra has more affordable and wider options with two small supermarkets (Coviran and Cada Dia). There is a local butcher who sells Spanish grown meat, slaughtered and processed locally rather than mass produced and they make their own home-made sausages, chorizos and other “embutidos”. There are two bakeries, one of which is a traditional wood fired bakery, and a greengrocery. Pradollano had one small supermarket opened at this time of the year, more limited and expensive than Guejar Sierra.
PHARMACIES
There is a pharmacy in both villages of Guejar Sierra and Pradollano.
SAFETY
Andalusia is particularly safe in comparison to most other regions of Spain and even more so away from its biggest cities. The Sierra Nevada is a mountain range at altitudes up to 3,479m so it’s important you consider the environment you’ll be experiencing and prepare appropriately. Please, always wear appropriate clothing and shoes for the activities you’ll be doing, make sure to carry plenty of water and sunscreen and to have a means of locating yourself. Avoid going on hikes by yourself or make sure to let someone know if you do.
PLUG SOCKETS
Plug sockets are the same as in continental Europe (France) called Euro-plug or Type C. You will need a plug adaptor to use your British 3 pin plugs.
SERVICE & TIPS
The quality of service in the area of Sierra Nevada is usually quite good, with lots of family run businesses offering great, casual hospitality. Tipping is not mandatory but typically practised to reward very good or extraordinary service, so that is absolutely at your discretion. Note that bar staff usually free pour drinks rather than using set measures, so if you want a weaker drink (Not that it's likely!), make sure to mention it!
HOTELS
Hotel quality is usually higher for the same rating in Spain when compared to the UK so don't be necessarily put off by a 2 or 3 star rating on accommodation – these sometimes have more to do with the amenities and space characteristics (such as spa availability, 24h reception or size of foyer) than quality itself. We strongly advise reading plenty of reviews and looking at photos to have a good sense of the offers available. Sierra Nevada offers a range of accommodation types but at this time of the year, the most popular options are privately owned 2 star Hotels, Air BnBs, Casas Rurales or Camping facilities (glamping also available through Kampaoh!).
BARS AND RESTAURANTS
There are more than a handful of welcoming, family run bars and restaurants around Guejar Sierra and we strongly recommend you try them out! Most bars are located around the centre of the village, in and around the Ayuntamiento square, while restaurants are a little more scattered between the village and the surrounding road and Transvia walk.
Some of our personal favourite bars and highly recommended are: Sulayr, Carolina’s bar (Encapaco) and El Porton. Sulayr is located by the Duque de San Pedro square fountain, in a traditional local building, including street seating and it offers a great local vibe and gorgeous Mediterranean, Mexican and Latin fusion home-made, fresh dishes with a lovely welcoming attitude from the owners. Carolina’s bar (Encapaco), sits by the left side of the Ayuntamiento building, in the main square, and there you can experience a typical local bar, sipping away your drink “al fresco” in the centre of the village, enjoying Carolina and her family’s lovely hospitality and a great selection of local, traditional tapas worth drooling over! El Porton is located on the right side, at the bottom of the main square and their nice staff will welcome you to drinks and tapas.
If you’re looking for a restaurant meal in the village centre, Sulayr has a great selection of very affordable home-made mediterranean, mexican and latin influenced food as well as pizzas and burgers, while La Hacilla, just a few metres away, offers a great selection of traditional spanish mountain food, with a little higher prices, boasting great online reviews. If you go a little further and find it open, Las Olivillas, located along the main road, has amazing views from the dining room and terrace and presents a typical spanish menu. Las Lomas Abrasador is the restaurant located by the campsite and probably boasts the best dining views around the area! For that reason alone, we recommend stopping here at some point, if not for anything else, just for a beer and a go at the crazy golf with a view! The menu is also deliciously traditional Spanish and well priced, however, the service is “a little” slow and apathetic.
If you’re looking for a little walk or cycle (you can also drive), we highly recommend walking the Transvia (Via Verde - the path of the old, historic train line dating to the 1920’s, now off-service for over 40 years) and have a pit stop at La Fabriquilla or Restaurante Maitena, further ahead, where you can try a traditional menu or have a drink next to a beautiful stream, tucked in the valley of impressive rock walls! At restaurante Maitena, you can walk down to the stream and dip your toes on a sunny afternoon!
DRUGS
The use of marijuana for personal consumption is regulated in Spain. It is illegal to smoke marijuana in public spaces, so please respect the local law! The sale and importation of marijuana is a criminal offence punishable by jail time. With regards to all other drugs, although these have been decriminalised, it is an offence subject to confiscation and fines of 600€ - 30,000€ to carry other drugs for personal use.
ALCOHOL AND CIGARETTES
Alcohol and cigarettes are extraordinarily cheaper in Spain than in the UK so feel free to stock up on arrival and before leaving! There are limits on how much you can take back with you on each item so, please, make sure to check the laws governing your return destination!