Barbate Hideaway

Battling the sand incursion

Barbate is a small beach resort on the southwestern coast of Spain. During the high season, it is packed with Spanish families. But now is the shoulder season, the calm before the tourist storm. I love a beach resort in the off-season. There is a sleepy quality, a quiet waiting. More cafes and bars are closed than are open. Locals hang out at the few businesses that brave the off-season. This is the time that the town belongs to them.

Spanish Prickly Pear along the trail

Barbate sits below a spur of the coastal mountains. There are ancient villages perched on the hills above the sea. Hiking trails lead directly from the town into the hills. One can wander the winding trails to the headlands that form the bay. On a sunny day it is a great place for a long, lonesome walk.

Barbate, nestled into its small bay on the coast of the Atlantic.

The trails wander along the cliffs, high above the beach. Below us, surfers try to catch a ride on the moderate surf. We can hear their laughter as it echoes off the water. There are a few other hikers about, but for most of the day we have the trails to ourselves. Above us, a few kilometers behind the cliffs, are scattered villages that make up the Frontera de Vejer.

My One on a lonely trail above the Atlantic.

The sun shines on the surf below us, the birds put on a show along the trail. Swallows cruise the cliff face, hunting for tasty bugs. There are black-winged ibis, their long necks and bills tucked into a streamline as they fly past. The sky is a deep, brilliant blue, the sun etching everything in a crystalline glow.

Barbate, far behind us now. And the trail just keeps going, a pathway that will lure one far from home. "Just a bit further, just around that next bend..."

At the end of long walk, if is a great thing to find a family cafe just waiting for a pair of footsore walkers. Barbate is famous for Atun. Tuna fishing is a big part of the local economy and history. We chowed down on grilled tuna, frites, and something called a Russian salad. Cross up a good potato salad with an even better tuna salad and you get close to the thing.

We have three days to enjoy the quiet of Barbate, three nights in our beach apartment with a glorious balcony. There is not much to do here aside from walking, eating, hanging out, and relaxing. Tough duty, but someone has to do it.

There will be more from here, but there are beaches to walk and tuna to eat. From Barbate, Spain, it's time to say Ciao for Now!