El Rocio - cowboy town

Thur 11^th

Our target today was El Rocio. This is a town that is located on the edge of the Donana National Park, a huge wetland area surrounded by dunes and umbrella pine forests.

It is famous for it’s annual romerio, or pilgrimage the biggest in Spain. Every May around a million people descend upon the town. Many arrive on horseback or in horse drawn wagons. The town’s streets are sand and every house has a rail for tying up your horse!

We found the campsite and once installed we went for a mini explore. First impressions were that it was a weird, sandy and grubby place. More exploration required tomorrow.

El Rocio - on edge of wetlands

Fri 12 th

After breakfast we walked into El Rocio, definitely a strange place. The streets around the main square were actually quite big but very dirty along the edges. The amount of discarded cigarette butts was horrible. Thankfully they diminished the further away from the centre you walked. it was deserted but is seemingly busy at weekends and mobbed in May.

one of the many small chapels

The church, Ermita de Neustra Senora was very pristine and the interior was rather elegant with the usual OTT gold altar. Here rests the Virgin Del Rocio who is the focus of all the pomp and ceremony in May. I would like to be able to dip in and see some of it, but not to actually stop over, as the crowds are huge.

Each Hermandade (brotherhood) has its own chapel and place to display their own Virgin. There are over 100 Hermandades.

Ermita - couple posing for pics

El Virgin surrounded by gold

Research has told us that during the festivities the Guardia Civil have a huge job to keep the peace, protect the national park from fires as there is a huge amount of outdoor cooking and smoking! After the event there is a huge team of volunteers who clean up the tons of rubbish left behind by the revellers.

wide, sand streets

Afterwards we had tea with Simon & Julia from the caravan opposite us. They have sold up in the UK and have just started their own adventure. Good on you! Their list of countries to visit is 49 I think, might take a few years J



Below are pics from the Visitors centre - Palicio Arcebon in the Donana National Park. Built in 1960 it is beautifully decorated with lots of stunning marble features.

marble fireplace

how many for dinner?