Ecology Museum Despenaperros

Contributor details
Dave's picture
Contributed by:
Dave on 21 March, 2009
This post last updated:
21 March, 2009
Visited this camping spot:
Sep 2008
Essentials
Country: 
Spain
Category: 
Roadside
Owned By: 
Public property
Suitable for: 
Vehicles only
Overview: 
A parking area next to a little used visitors centre set in a mountainous Natural Park.
Contributor's Ratings
Tranquility Rating: 
3
Tranquility rating ( comment ): 
This site is next to a road but it only leads to one village so there is very little traffic. Sometimes in the summer a fire engine parks here waiting for any reports of forect fires. The fireman are bored stiff and happy to talk.
Scenic Rating: 
4
Scenic rating ( comment ): 
Stunning mountain views and cork oak woods.
Contributor's Overall Rating: 
3
Camping Spot Features
Access to Drinking Water: 
No drinking water source available
Walking trails or routes nearby: 
Yes
Mountain biking routes nearby: 
Don't know
Near lake, river or stream: 
No
Near a Beach: 
No
Near a forest or wood: 
Yes
Altitude ( meters ): 
1000meters
Shade: 
No
Mobile signal: 
Yes
Motorhome waste disposal point: 
No
Suitable for dogs: 
Suitable
Suitable for dogs ( comment ): 
but there is a little used road adjacent so be careful.
Camping Spot Description
This is a good one if you are on the long drive from central Spain down to Andalucia. Great in the summer as the altitude takes the edge of the blazing heat. Really it is just a parking area adjacent to a little ( never ? ) used visitors centre on a small windy road which goes nowhere. There are no facilities. The centre seems to open most days for a few hours but the staff have no objection to vehicles camped alongside.
Getting There
Directions: 
From the A4 when you drop into the gorge of Despenaperros take the sign for Aldeaquemada. There is a massive load of roadworks going on in the valley so take it slowly to avoid missing the turn. The turning is at approximately 38.371708,,-3.513479 and the visitors centre is a steep and windy climb for maybe 8 KMs ( don't try this in the heat of Summer if your vehicle is likely to overheat.
Access: 
No problem as long as steep and windy roads don't present a problem.

Location

38° 23' 23.9712" N, 3° 29' 42.0144" W
Camping Spot Map
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