Hidden Sanctuary

Jenny Southan retreats to the rolling foothills of Alicante to enjoy some sun and solitude.

- Jenny Southan

A crescendo of hollow-sounding bells woke me from my late afternoon post-Cava nap. The sun was streaming through the open door of my wooden cabin, and outside I could see the rocking chair on my porch moving slightly in the warm summer breeze.

Getting up to investigate the noise, I discovered that in the valley below was an enormous flock of sheep moving across the fields. There was no shepherd or sheep dog in sight, and yet they seemed to know exactly where they were going – hundreds of them all leaping over a ditch into an olive grove, and then running to catch up with their companions. Each was wearing a bell around its neck, the clanging and gentle bleating creating a special kind of music in the otherwise silent Spanish countryside.

More than 58 million tourists visit Spain every year – according to Spanish politician and former Industry, Energy and Tourism Minister, Jose Manuel Soria. While many head for the Costa del Sol or Costa Blanca, I sought out a more bucolic retreat away from the crowded beaches.

I landed at Alicante airport, and picked up a hire car from Sixt. In less than an hour, a network of empty, winding roads took me through sunbaked pastures and sleepy villages to La Escondida, my home for the next few days.