Benicassim - Bonterra Park - 09/03/2020

Monday, 9th March 2020

Not a promising start to the day, dull, cool at 10C, but, by lunch time, blue sky, sun and 21C.

Kathleen enjoys cycling (I think?), but, I am always a little suspicious when she appears over eager to be out cycling.

Accordingly, today, a suggestion that we should cycle "the long way round", to Castelon de la Plan, made me think "so, what is going on here?".

Off we go, there is not much wind, but, what little there is, is blowing in our faces, not a word of complaint. 

Eventually, all becomes clear, following this route, we pass a large Commercial Centre, shops!, naturally, we have to stop, "just to look", we emerge with new items of clothing, surprise, surprise.

Just over 20 miles cycling, a good start to the week.

Tuesday, 10th March 2020

A disappointingly chilly day, only 17C.

Shopping for essential supplies (Wine), and reading our books, fills the day.

Wednesday, 11th March 2020

A gloriously sunny day, from first thing in the morning to late evening, and 21C.

After yesterday's "lazy day", we go cycling.

Both of us recall, or, at least, think we recall, a route we took on a previous visit here, we cycled to a small church/Chapel, in the direction of Castellon, then, followed an small road, alongside an irrigation canal, to the coast.

It starts well, following the cycle track from Benicassim, towards Castellon, a minor disagreement about which way we go at the end of the first section of cycle track.

But, Kathleen chose correctly, as she reminds me several times, as we pedal along and arrive at the small Chapel St

Francisco de la Font.

Unfortunately the chapel is locked, so, no exploring, although we are able to enter the grounds, and take photographs.

The next phase of our ride does not go according to plan.

We are now in an area of orange groves, with unsignposted small roads running through them.

Try as we might, we cannot find the road

running along the irrigation canal, or, indeed, the irrigation canal.

Eventually, we emerge from the maze of small roads, onto a slightly more substantial road, and, we can see the tall buildings of Castellon in the distance, to give us some idea of which way we should be going.

You may have gathered from this, we do not have a map, but, are operating on logic, ie, if the hills are at your back, you are heading for the coast!

Eventually, Kathleen recognises a landmark, which she recognises ( a church, naturally), so, we head for that.

It is indeed a rather grand church, on the outskirts of Castellon, it is called Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Lledo.

It presumably has some significance, because it has well laid out grounds, with seats, a drinking water fountain, toilets, and of course, the church itself.

There are several parties of school children, presumably on a school trip.

We linger long enough to eat our picnic lunch, and, look around the rather magnificent interior of the Church.

Refreshed, we head on, Kathleen was right (again, she reminds me), we emerge on the route we followed on Monday, a short distance from the Carrefour Hypermarket.

We return, via the Pinguin (a sort of Spanish McDonalds, with beer), where we stop for refreshments.

19.25 miles, covered, by the time we return to Bonterra Park.