Inland beaches

[Lavanda]

Andalucia has quite a few lovely beaches and swimming places with blue flags that are away from the coast (and the crowds).

Extremadura has nine blue flag beaches which is pretty impressive when one considers that Extremadura is land-locked. However, there are fewer tourists and therefore less pollution and mess. There is something lovely about swimming in open countryside, especially when surrounded by peace and quiet rather than noise and crowds. Enjoy.

https://www.thinkspain.com/news-spain/3 ... blue-flags

[Wicksey]

That's interesting Lavanda. We visited similar inland beaches when we lived in France. The water was lovely and warm, and calm too. I never go to the beach here and don't like swimming in the open sea.

[Lavanda]

I found the article by accident this morning and thought I would share it.

When I had my house in Coín we would often go up to Ardales for the day and swim and then eat lunch in the restaurant. (In the Autumn we would love to go through the tunnel and out the other side to walk in the woods in the direction of the Camino del Rey. It's a lovely area.)

[Wicksey]

Found this guide too.
https://issuu.com/extremadura_tur/docs/guia_del_agua
It looks lovely although is there plenty of water in these lakes? I did go kayaking 3 years back on the El Chorro lake which I think is near Ardales, but it was extremely low even then. I do miss rivers and lakes. Viñuela is not much more than a puddle these days.

[chrissiehope]

What about the lake at Iznajar ? I haven't visited there myself, tho' have seen it when passing. I know it has a smallish beach...

[Lavanda]

The lakes and reservoirs are around 90% full, Wicksey. We had rain in six consecutive months last winter and spring!!!

Nice link, thanks. Extremadura is said to have more kilometres of ‘coastline’ than anywhere else in Europe - though I can’t believe that when compared with Norway or Greece - but that’s the statistic.

[olive]

Nice beach at Iznajar pantano. Huge now as the lake is only 24% full.

I can attest that the reservoirs in Extramadura are indeed healthy. Does anyone know how much water is actually being transferred ,under the agreement, from Extramadura to Andalucia ?

[Lavanda]

I don't know anything about that. Is it coming from the Guadiana, which forms a border between Spain and Portugal? The Guadiana is one of the five 'big' Spanish rivers and it is pretty enormous. I would have thought that as one side of the river is in Andalucia, in Huelva province, the region has access to it anyway? Maybe that is why Huelva grows so much fruit, especially strawberries and raspberries?

Tell us more, Olive.

[olive]

I have done a trawl of the internet in Spanish to no effect.

I suspect I read about the agreement in an item ( in English) last year about measures to alleviate the drought. I would have thought if they are using the transfer agreement it would be running at capacity day and night unless the cost to Andalucia is prohibitive!