Our new campsite tucked under the hills on the outskirts of the village.

I shirked my run this morning, wanted to wake up with everyone else and play with the dog on the big double bed instead. Either that or I was feeling lazy. Anyway, first time all trip I've done that so I won't feel too guilty.

We hoovered up what we could find for breakfast (which wasn't much as I hadn't been to the shop yesterday due to it being Sunday) and got out of there by midday, the kids having one last swim in the pool. What a great site.

First stop Lidl in Ciudad Real - there was no decent supermarket for miles, then Lidl, Aldi, Mercadona and a big local one all in one street! After the shop, we drove a few miles back into the countryside, and parked in an olive grove for our lunch. We had stuffed baguettes, crisps and salad, all sat at the table-for-four in our air-conditioned van with the temperature 38C outside. Genius.

As soon as we crossed into Andalucia the scenery changed, into huge mountains and valleys, the road almost impossibly jumping from one to the next with big sweeps and massive viaducts. We were searching for fuel, as all Castile-La Mancha had offered us was two small (and closed) provincial petrol stations in 80km - and then as soon as we hit Andalucia, there were nine or ten stations within about five minutes' drive!

We dipped down into Jaen (where Skye is from) and out the other side. Again it was mountains, but this time we were climbing into them, through stunning rock formations, their steep, grassy sides improbably colonised by neat olive groves. Eventually we began to dip down, and on the outskirts of Valdepeñas de Jaén we arrived at Camping Las Verderas.

Skye cannot help herself whenever we set the hammock up - she's in it like a shot.

It's a small site, with nice, big (but dirt-floored) pitches separated by hedges, and pretty empty. It is alongside the municipal swimming pool which looks pretty cool, €1 to get in from 2pm to 8pm. They played ridiculously loud and distorted music for an hour or so late afternoon, accompanying some kind of aerobics class I think, which drowned out the loud music being played by a group of 9 or 10 girls camping here, who look like they've chosen the most boring place in history for a hen party. Let's hope it quietens down before bed (it usually does to be fair).

As I write this I'm about to serve everyone my "camping chilli", the sun has just set over the mountains, the crickets are starting up, and all is well with the world.