Cabo Cope
Amusing story about a trip to Cabo Cope, Spain.
A Story - Cabo Cope Crazy Drivers Stay at Home
Cabo Cope - In the early summer of 2006 myself and my wife Angela decided to take a break away from our busy Costa Blanca life (my 40th birthday was approaching and to be honest I didn't fancy working). A few days away was just what we needed to recharge our batteries.
We took out a road map of Spain and looked down the coast a little from our current location in Cabo Roig. Angela spotted a place called Cabo Cope on the Costa Calida, "that looks nice" she said, though quite how a tiny dot on a map can "look nice" is beyond my powers of comprehension but to her it was already paradise.
An hour or so on the internet looking for places to stay in Cabo Cope proved fruitless but we did find a hotel or two in a place called Puerto Mazarron not too far away. As it turned out we chose to start our break some distance inland in a place called Hotel Cenajo (but that's another story!).
After a few days rest in the quiet and peaceful Hotel Cenajo (north of Murcia), we decided to head for the coast for the remainder of our trip. The estimated one hour journey actually took over two hours - I cannot get into my head that the map of Europe I have in my car is a totally different scale to my old UK road map!
Eventually we made it to our previously chosen resort of Puerto Mazarron and after looking at a couple of very busy hotels finally chose to stay in a self-catering apartment overlooking the beach which we spotted whilst having a drink in the imaginatively named "Tel's Bar 2".
A couple of days lazing on the beach and our thoughts turned once again to adventure, "what about a trip to Cabo Cope?" says Angela, "why not?" says I "we'll set off early in the morning". Early in the morning turned into eleven o'clock and map ready, we set off for the elusive Cabo Cope. It was only a short drive back the way we had previously come to a turning signposted "Cabo Cope 10km", about a mile down the road and we seemed to be in the middle of a building site, they appeared to building a huge new road which crossed our road with no regard whatsoever for the existing highway, "where to now?" says I "don't ask me" replies Angela helpfully. At that moment a 4x4 shot past us with a definate sense of purpose, so I followed him, sure enough he knew the territory and we were soon back on track.
At this point the 'road' started to climb and climb and climb.....now Angela doesn't like heights at the best of times, so this was a little disturbing for her. A little disturbing turned into "STOP I'm getting out!", quite how that helps I'm not sure, but get out she did, after a couple of tantrums and with a little coaxing she did finally get back into the car, eyes fixed firmly on the floor and sobbing. The road climbed and climbed, "are we at the top yet?" asked Angela "nope" says I, and climbed and climbed, "that's it I'm walking" says Angela as she jumps out of the car once more. I spotted a radio mast a 'little' further ahead and confidentally announced "look a radio mast, that must be the top". 10 minutes of consoling and Angela was finally persuaded to get back in the car again, head in hands. On we went again with me growing increasingly nervous as I went around sharp bends with flowers and crosses on the side of the road and no barriers whatsoever to contain the careless driver. It was beyond belief when you consider that during our drive to the top of this mountain several cars overtook us at considerable speed and I can only think that they were either very familiar with this particular route or very stupid indeed (or both). The drops were sheer and the road very narrow and I cannot see how anything but extreme caution was called for when negotiating this road..
Having reached the top, the descent was not much better, in fact I seemed a little less in control, "well I'm not coming back this way" says Angela confidently, "what if it's the only way back" suggests I, "then I'm not going back". Down and down we went, the coastline stretching away to our left, the sea glistening in the distance, until finally we reached flat ground once more and I for one certainly breathed a sigh of relief.
We never did see another sign for Cabo Cope and finally ended up on a lovely beach in a place called Calabardina, the sea was warm as a bath and the beach was covered in multi-coloured stones sparkling in the sun - it was a beautiful place, spoiled only by a huge number of jellyfish floating threateningly in the water. The rest of the day was perfect, we lazed in the sun, collected some beautiful stones to take back for our garden (we will build that rockery one day!) and generally chilled out - the beach was deserted. At the end of the afternoon we decided to pop into town for a ice-cream and right next to the shop was a signpost 'Cabo Cope 2km', well we couldn't resist the challenge - back to the car and off we go once more. Cabo Cope turned out to be no more than a lump of rock jutting out into the sea, nothing else, no wonder we couldn't find a hotel!
I hasten to add I'm not letting Angela anywhere near the map again.... oh and by the way we did find a different route back, not exactly flat but at least there were no flowers and crosses on the bends!
Nearby Places: Mazarron - Aguilas - Lorca
Related: Murcia - Cartagena - Los Alcazares - Mar Menor - San Javier - La Manga - Murcia Airport Transfers - Builders
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