Windsurfing on the Costa del Sol, Spain.

The history of windsurfing is short. Apparently, in 1967 a Californian called Hoyle Schwritzer placed a sail on top of his surf-board so he could keep moving when there weren't any waves. Today there are national and international championships, including several regularly held in Tarifa in Cadiz province like the Ballentines Championship and the Toro Andaluz race which takes place during Semana Santa (Easter Week) which is when the windsurfing season really takes off.

Tarifa is for the serious amateur for the simple reason that it is often too perilously windy for the beginners. Eric Lubbe arrived from Germany in 1983 and opened the first fun-board school in Tarifa. Today there is a choice of four surf schools. Fluent in five languages, Eric has seen some fundamental changes in the sport over the past fifteen years. "The sails used to be very big with heavy boards," he explains. "Now they are smaller and lighter using the same carbon technology as spaceships. The level of ability of the average windsurfer is also much higher. People can be seen sailing with 40 knot winds and doing amazing jumps." he does point out, however, that if there is insufficient wind, the disadvantage of the short boards is that they tend to sink instead of riding the tide.

At the height of the season, the atmosphere on the beach is highly competitive when enthusiasts race, speed-sail, wave sail and produce world champions such as the Dane, Björn Dunferbeck, who lives in the Canary islands and has long been known as "El Chico de Las Canarias". For holiday makers, the major attraction of windsurfing is the exhilarating fun - they say it's the most fun you can have with your shorts on and more people are interested in having fun than winning races. It is not necessary to be superbly fit to cope just able-bodied. Similarly, the sport does not demand much physical strength, although this might depend on just how many times your sail flops into the sea and the need to haul it back up again. Overall though, a good sense of balance is more important and apparently women are often better than men because of their natural grace.

For the more tentative beginner, it is worth remembering that you do not have to travel to Tarifa to try the sport. On the contrary, you may be well advised to take a lesson or two on less windy Andalusian beaches such as Roquetas del Mar where you can build up your confidence gradually in a gentle breeze.

One of the first lessons to learn is how to turn you board around, as probably the greatest humiliation for the windsurfing novice is to be seen stylishly sailing away from the shore into the sunset, only to discover that one cannot get back without the aid of a rescue boat. But most windsurfers agree that there is no serious danger. Avoid windsurfing in the evenings, and if the wind is too strong have someone keep an eye on you from a boat or the shoreline. Don't venture more than half a kilometre from the beach and wear a life jacket. Finally, even if you feel that the wind and surf is not for you, it is a marvellous spectator sport.

Freshwater Fishing on the Costa del Sol, Spain.

Fishing in rivers and dams in Andalucía is also a popular sport, where trout, pike and black bass are found, as well as ciprinidae family, barbel and carp. Trout fishing is the most attractive to anglers, owing to its difficulty, no doubt.

There are 64 fishing preserves in the Nature Parks of Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas and of Sierra Nevada.

Rio Frio merits a special mention. It is a small town between Malaga and Granada, just off the motorway. It is in the foothills of the Sierra de Loja. Trout fishing here is recorded back to 1664 and in recent times there have been record catches, eg. a brown trout weighing 5.2 kg. There is an all year round season here.

Information an permits from: Alberge de Pescadores de Rio Frio, Riviera de Rio Frio s/n, 18300 Loja, (Granada) Tel: +34 958 32 31 77. Rio Frio is also a popular tourist destination, barbecued trout is served at the many roadside restaurants.

An angling licence is required for fishing in reservoirs, rivers and estuaries in Andalucia. They are obtainable from an office of the 'Delegación Agencia Medio Ambiente' (AMA). There is one office in each of the provincial capital cities. An angling licence is also obtainable from branches of the 'Caja Mar' bank.

'Turismo Andaluz' publish an excellent guide booklet called 'Sports Fishing' available from Tourist Offices.

Saltwater Fishing on the Costa del Sol, Spain.

The Atlantic and Mediterranean shorelines are ideal for fishing. many of the marinas provide everything required for a day of open sea fishing. Swordfish fishing is most spectacular, it is immortalised in several feature films. From July to September swordfish are found off the coasts of Almería, Granada and Málaga, as well as in the Bay of Cádiz.

There is also tunny fishing in the open sea. the tunny swim so near the surface in the summer, that they become visible. The tunny fishing grounds are Barbate, Zahara or Conil in Cádiz, and Isla Cristina in Huelva. Likewise frigate mackerel, big toothed pampano, blue fish, sea bass and spotted bass on the Atlantic coast and bogue - a kind of bream, corvina, gilthead, grouper and leer fish, as well as some 150 types of shark provide good entertainment.

True enthusiasts will compete for various trophies awarded by competitions organised throughout the summer. Amateurs can also try their luck as well, enquire at your local marina.

At Adra (Almería) the World Coast Fishing Championships are held.

A maritime recreational fishing licence (1st and 3rd Class) is required for fishing from the shore or from a boat near the coast. Once obtained it can also be used in other regions of Spain. It is obtainable form the offices of the 'Delegación Provincial de la Conserjeria de Agricultura y Pesca'. There is one office in each of the provincial capital cities.

Hiking on the Costa del Sol, Spain.

The countryside in much of Andalucía is breathtaking and, one of the best ways to appreciate the diversity and beauty of the natural scenery here, is via foot. However, unlike other parts of Europe, (in particularly the UK), it is sometimes hard to determine exactly where it is safe to just park your car and trek off into the rustic unknown. There are few designated footpaths, aside from within the national and natural parks and it can be a disquieting experience, to say the least, to find yourself suddenly surrounded by a field of bulls or wandering though an area which has apparently been designated for hunting purposes.

To avoid this, try contacting the local tourist office in the area you are hoping to explore. They may be able to provide you with a guide to local walks or, recommend a local publication containing surrounding trails. However most tourist office leaflets look exciting but lack enough detail to follow a trail confidently. The same applies to roadside sign boards and maps.

We recommend the books by Matt Butler, Jeremy Rabjohns and Guy Hunter Watts.
Suggested Walks

Suggested Walks by Guy Hunter-Watts offers us a selection of his favourite walks in Andalucia. They are taken from his book "Walking in Andalucia - The best walks in Spains natural parks". The following walks will take about 3 hours each, slightly longer if you take your time.

GR7
The GR7 is the footpath through Andalucia, which forms part of the European Route No. 4. The route is made up of itineraries, which are designed to avoid crossing or using tarmac roads or any roads used by traffic, wherever possible. The GR7 starts in Tarifa in on the furthest southwest tip of Spain, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. The route stretches across the provinces of Cadiz, Malaga, Granada, íAlmara, Cordoba and Ojan, covering approximately 1,250 kilometers of sign-posted footpaths.

Vias Verdes
Spain's vias verdes, green routes, are one of the lesser known attractions of its interior. Like Britain in the 1960s, Spain drastically reduced its regional railway routes during the twentieth century, and is now renovating them as hiking, cycling and horse-riding tracks. Possibly the most beautiful in Andalucia is the route between Puerto Serrano, west of Algodonales on the Ronda-Sevilla road, and the former bandit haven Olvera.

Horse Riding on the Costa del Sol, Spain.

The world's most aristocratic equine population owes its fame to the Andalusian horse, along with the Arab and, much later, the Thoroughbred.

Its history goes back long before the birth of Christ - to 200 BC, at the time of the Roman Conquests in and around Spain. Roman writers praised the native Spanish horses' qualities, which were recognised by Spain's Moorish conquerors, who naturally cross-bred them with their own Arab and Berber breeds.

After the Moors were driven from Spain in the 15th Century, these noble Spanish creatures enjoyed a period of great popularity, influencing almost all other American and European horse breeds.

Not only were they taken by the Spanish conquistadors to the New World in the Americas, but they laid the foundation of the Frederiksborg, the royal horse of Denmark; the Neapolitan horse, when Naples was under Spanish rule from 1504 to 1713; the Austrian Kladruber, and some of the British breeds, notably the Cleveland Bay, the Hackney, the Connemara pony of Ireland and possibly the Welsh Cob.

Direct descendants of the Andalusian horse are the Lippizaners of the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, established in 1572 as an adjunct to the Court in order to educate their nobility in the equitational arts. It was called the Spanish Riding School because right fromits formation only Spanish stallions were used there.

The Lippizaners take their name from the stud at Lippiza, near Trieste, then part of the Austrian empire. It was founded by Archduke Charles 11, in 1580, who had 9 stallions and 24 mares brought there from Spain.

This is the horse that became "The very cornerstone of classical riding." The features that made this caballo de pura raza española - horse of pure Spanish breed - so highly sought after, are its balletic elegance, high head carriage, short arched neck, silky flowing mane compact body and wonderful proportions.

The manes of mares are usually clipped in Spain; only the stallions are allowed to display the full splendour of theirs. About 50 per cent of Andalusians are usually grey or white, the rest being bay or black. Chestnuts or piebalds are excluded from the stud book.

These attributes are combined with a fiery intelligence, strangely at odds with it's affectionate and docile temperament. It is considered to be the ideal haute école parade and carriage horse. It is perhaps somewhat surprising, therefore, that its presence outside Spain is not more widespread today.

"It can only be the whims of changing fashion that, for the moment, deny him his place in competitive dressage - that and perhaps the extraordinarily extravagant and high action of his forelegs," suggests Elwyn Hartley Edwards in his engaging book, Horses, their Role in the History of Man. The Andalusian does, in fact, "dish" - throw his forelegs in an outward arc before putting his feet to the ground. In Spain, the action is highly esteemed but in countries like England, it is not appreciated at all.

Rock Climbing on the Costa del Sol, Spain

Those who find hiking not quite exciting enough, may like to try mountaineering, rock climbing or caving, all of which are popular in this part of Spain with a wealth of challenges and some of the best areas in Europe outside the Alps.

The most popular and spectacular mountain range for climbers is the Sierra Nevada. Its peak, Mulhacén is the highest peak in the Iberian peninsular. ( 3.482m) There are many possible locations for climbing in this area.

There are several mountaineering clubs and some challenging rock faces, particularly around the area of El Chorro, near Alora. Sierra de las Nieves, between Ronda and Malaga or Sierra Almijara are also popular with climbers. Other suggested areas for climbing are; Subética Cordobés, Sierra de Grazalema, Sierra Magina in Jaén, Sierra Filambres and Sierra Maria in Almería.

Information about mountaineering clubs may be obtained from the Spanish Mountaineering Federation, (Federación Español de Montanísmo) Calle Alberto Aguilar, 3-4 iz, Madrid 28015. This society will also provide maps for mountain areas.

It is obviously important to employ a qualified and experienced guide when climbing in an unfamiliar area, available through climbing schools and clubs. Also note that Spain does not have a sophisticated mountain rescue service, such as you find in Alpine countries and if you get into trouble you will need to rely on your own resources and those of your companions.

Information can be obtained locally from the Federacion Andaluza de Montañismo, in Malaga, at Ant. Raiz 10 (Tel: 952 39 90 04).

Or from the Spanish Mountaineering Federation
(Federacion Española de Montanismo), calle Alberto Aguilar 3-4 iz, Madrid 28015.

Waterskiing on the Costa del Sol, Spain.

Waterskiing is a water-sport that suits all ages. Some other sports, such as wakeboarding and surfing can sometimes seem a little intimidating to the uninitiated, whereas waterskiing has many facets and can be enjoyed by the whole family. In Andalucia along the many different stretches of coastline and inland on lakes, waterskiing is a very popular sport that can be practiced during 12 months of the year.

Although children tend to learn more quickly than adults, people of all ages have been known to get their skis on for the first time and discover how exhilarating it is to skim along the top of the water. Once you've got your 'sea legs' and have fallen over countless times, you realize that as long as you keep your lifejacket on and follow the basic rules of safety, falling into the water is not such a bad thing.

Most skiers will tell you that snow skiing can be much more painful, especially when the snow is impacted. The luxury of Andalucia is that you can literally snow ski and water ski on the same day. When the Sierra Nevada ski station is open in the winter months, an early morning down hill slalom can be followed by a 2 hours drive to the coast and an afternoon glide round the bay. This is surely, the recipe for the perfect lifestyle.

In waterskiing, as with all sports, its worth booking professional classes to begin with, as you will learn the essentials, beginning with how to stand up on the skis in the water as the boat pulls off. Its also a good idea to do some sort of basic warm up exercises, or you might feel the effects in your muscles the next day and be put off going back for more. Once you've mastered the basics, your confidence grows and you're bound to become hooked. The feeling of cutting through the water with the wind and spray in your face is second only to flying through the air.

This healthy, invigorating sport is an excellent way to really enjoy the great outdoors and brings the whole family together for a fun day out or holiday. From young children with their parents and friends, to grandparents who either join in or simply watch, a picnic and a days waterskiing is excellent value for money.

Boats are available for hire in many ports, beaches and inland lakes. Maybe one member of the group can drive the boat, while anther can sit in with them and look out for the skier. Others can stay on the shore, watching the action and taking memorable photos for the album! Most water sports centres, will offer boats plus and experienced driver and instructor. If you haven't been on a waterskiing outing yet, check it out. Since this is a sport for all ages, it's never too early and it's certainly never too late.