Hi I am a first time sweidish tourer who currently struggles with wild camping here in Spain. As a swede im used to lots of wild nature and a constitutional righ ("allemansrätten" all mens right)to camp almost anywhere I want to for a night. Here in south spain I only seem to be surrounded by farmland, olive plants, cattle, super steep terrein and houses, ive only camped out for three nigts but i feel like an refugee seeking shelter under the cover of darknes. Hoping that I wont be woken up by an angry farmer or police giving me an huge fine. Even when i think im out of sight of housed I alwayd seems to be surrounded. Also evey house have dogs and I know they can hear me because they bark at evey sound i make.
What is your tips and recomendations for camping free in sout spain.? I planed to go trough Baza, Sierra, take the a348 west to Granada and then Jaen, Baena Cordoba, Sevilla Ronda, and Gibraltar. But my feelings and problens with freecamping have made me considering taking a train to Malaga and leave spain. Also the temperature has changed from 28 to 9 degrees and I miss the warm weather witch also make me reconsider going over the Sierras with temps around freezing. Any help and suggestions? Should I change route or maybe just toughen up?
On a side note: I also had the missfortune of suffering from a knee injury and getting camping gear stolen before leaving witch delayed me for2.5 momths. When in spain I got sick twice before starting cycling and then on my third night hidden in and olive field i got foodpoisonig. So my feeling for spain are not great at the moment.
Thanks /Jimmy
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yes spain is not sweden !!
I think you can find some free spots in the deep contryside
for ex this (sorry it is in french )
http://mytrip.expemag.com/carnet/una-semana-de-bicicleta-de-madrid-a-sevilla-1/0
another ideas try portugal
http://travellingtwo.com/resources/portugal
but for the weather summer is finish so it 's cold and maybe rainy
go to Portugal Algarve coast where it is kind of warm enough to pass the winter. There are some cheaper campsites there. If you go into the mountains you have to expect to be cold, so stay on the Andalucia coast. You could try asking local people if they wold land you camp for 1 night on their land or garden if you speak Spanish. Or go take the ferry to Morocco and head South for nice war, winter on coast ( again cold in mountains ). 5 years ago we were still getting basic double rooms in cheap places for € 4 - 6 a night. Can be cheaper in single rooms.
Alternatively search the internet for some cheap rentals in Spain or cheaper Portugal by the month. You might be able to base yourself somewhere for maybe € 300 a month ( or less maybe ? ) and then have lots of nice day rides and a warm place to come back to. Check around the Albefuira area of Portugal for some cheap prices. We got a one bedroom apt right by ocean for € 11 a night 5 years ago.
Good luck and be happy you are not a man who loves cycling in 45 celcius and now bloody well lives in Finland. It's only October and I am already wearing 6 layers of clothes !
Going trough Andalucia there have hardly been any "wild" nature ecxept from the really step hills of some national parks (where you would need a hammock). The first nights I sleept hiding in olive fields, feeking like a refugee. After some nights of bad sleep surrounded by the sound of hunting parties on the mountains around me I started asking people for a place to camp. This worked well in the small villages in the Alpujarras where I normally went in to the first bar/ restaurant that looked okey and sked the person behind the bar if he knew somewhere I could camp for the night, usually I was pointed to a small piece of land I could rest for the night. There were never any superb camping grounds but It was nice knowing that no angry farmer or police was going to wake you up in the middle of the night.
good you have started asking and finding help.
Which way are you heading now ?
Looking for better weather ?
Im heading towards Jean to do the greenway to Baena. Then Cordoba, Sevilla and south towards Gibraltar and maybye Marrocko.