We awake at sunrise to the clamour and twittering of a thousand birds overhead… they are awake, and now so are we. We get up and breakfast and plan our route towards Córdoba for the day. As I look out of the window I see a pine cone on the ground and Mr C. sees another, he goes outside and collects them. They are huge and well formed, not damaged despite their fall from the tall trees, the grandchildren will get their pine cones after all.

We leave about 11.00am and as we service the Hymer, I find another three large pine cones on the ground! I collect those too and have a fine collection of five pine cones to take back.

We take the A-318 towards Jaén. We drive through mile after mile of olive groves and olive oil processing places. It is easy to see how Spain is the largest producer of olive oil in the world. We turn north east into the Sierra Subbéticas mountains, it is a wild and rocky place. At Zuheros we take the road down into the village, a massive fortification towers high above us on a rocky outcrop. As we get to the road for parking, it is closed and we are redirected down the hill. We see many coaches parked and thousands of people tramping like a pilgrimage up the track to the fortress and possibly to the caves which we know are here. We also see many marquees up near the castle and realise it is a festival, that’s enough for us to know that we do not want to be in Zuheros today.

We turn back along a loop in the road and find a place to park for lunch. Again, in the exposed mountainous region the heat is intense. We try and keep out of the sun as it is about 32°C. Back on the road we stop about five or six kilometres further on at Luque, another fortification on top of a very high hill. We park at the bottom of the village and walk up very steep winding streets to Plaza Espana, it is hot work. Here, about half way up the climb we pause to rest and take photos. The final climb is a steep scramble up a concrete path to the castle.

The castle gate is locked so we cannot go in, but the views over the town of Luque and the olive groves running into the distance are amazing. We enjoy this spot and take lots of photos. Back on the A318 we turn north on the N-432 and drive through mile after mile of olive groves, via Baena, and then A-309 through Bujalance and A-306 towards Villafranca. We cross the Guadalquivar river and find the Albolafia Autocaravanas site, about 20km east of Córdoba.

This is a real campsite, divided by hedges into pitches (about 100) and having a toilet and shower block. It is quiet and we easily find a wide pitch under the trees. Having parked up and settled, we decide to move! As we sit outside drinking cava, there are four English people in the camper opposite who seem to only talk in very loud voices. Why do some people have to talk so loudly, do they not know that nobody wants to hear about their trivial lives. We decide it will annoy… so drive several spaces down to the other side of the toilet and shower block. We are parked with Spanish, French and German campers who are all quietly getting on with things. Not like the group of Brits who embarrassingly broadcast that they drink instant coffee because someone’s father does! We cringe… and move to the other end of the pitches and camp with the Spanish, French and Germans.

We enjoy potatoes, green runner beans and cauliflower with the pressed chicken (not as good as the pressed ham from Poland) and finish the rest of the raspberries and strawberries with yoghurt. The heat is intense, it is still about 34°C outside under the trees which is pleasant but inside the camper it is too hot. Finally, after dark, we succumb as we need to go to bed. We lie, roasting, without covers until we finally fall asleep..