Camping Sierra Maria – A great overland stop to re-charge, organise and unplug for a day or two.
A 2 day camping trip
Camping Sierra Maria is pretty much on the doorstep for us, we had a new tent to test out, a somewhat stressful month to put behind us and that urge you get when you just need to unplug for a while to sort out. A quick two day camping trip was just the ticket without spending a small fortune on fuel which has just crept over the €2,00 euro a litre mark here in Spain [for diesel].
Location
Carretera. María Orce Km 7, AL-9101, 04838 María, Almería / 37.7190336, -2.4802032
The location of the campsite is superb, access is easy and it is clearly sign posted, while being close to the main road [which is not really that busy anyway] the site is set back in the woodland so you get the feeling of being in natural surroundings.
Campsite facilities
- Wooden cabins to rent x6
- 106 plots
- Tent [and car] camping
- Bar & restaurant
- Swimming pool
- Toilets/shower block
- Car park
Things we liked
The location is the main positive of this campsite, it is tucked away from the main road far enough so that you could be in the middle of nowhere, only in the early morning did we hear the odd car in the distance.
Pitch sizes are very generous and unlike most of the terrain in Andalucia you can actually drive your pegs into the ground both for the tent and the awning, our pitch was more than large enough for a 4 person tent, the Mitsubishi and extended awning with a ton of room to spare.
The pool, very clean and having a 12 year old with a love of water a swimming pool never comes in wrong. Open at certain times of the day the pool never got that busy during our stay although the site was very quiet anyway.
Artwork could be found in places you would least expect and was interesting to seek out, arms hugging the trees, sign posts for cities in other countries as well as old antique farm machinery and iron work welded into creatures, all good stuff which adds a touch of originality to the place.
Things we didn’t like
There is only one aspect of this campsite that we didn’t like and that is the fact that almost all of the pitches were occupied with caravans, nothing wrong with that until you realize that these pitches are long term/all year round, kind of like a seasonal pitch set up.
From a business standpoint if it makes financial sense then it makes sense, unfortunately the majority of the plots brought the rest of the site down with them, too frequent were the neglected, weather beaten caravans with overgrown garden and patio areas. Pallet wood seemed to be the building material of choice for decking and cladding, great when done right, unsightly when hammered together on a whim.
Pricing
Okay, if you’re stopping at Camping Sierra Maria for the night or a couple of days to relax a bit and you’re doing the overland thing then here’s what you can expect to pay [per night / 2022 prices]:
- Adults: €4.80
- Kids 3-12 years: €3.50
- Dogs: €2.80
- Tent: €5.00
- EHU: €5.50
- Car camping: €6.50
Other points to note
Website: Camping Sierra de Maria
Being from the local area we have an understanding of the seasonal temperatures, summer can see temperatures climb well into the 40’s and in winter well below zero so be prepared, this campsite is in the mountains.
We rang to book a pitch just in case but it was quiet given the time of year, there didn’t appear to be that many vacant pitches available for tent camping so it may be worth booking in advance especially during July and August.
Conclusion
Camping Sierra Maria is in a great situation nestled in the woodland, it is a site with generous sizes pitches at a reasonable price. For the kids there is plenty to do from horse riding, exploring the site discovering it’s animals and of course the pool which is welcoming to kids and adults alike in the heat of the midday sun.
The site did not come across as ‘touristy’ and while we did hear some karaoke one night it was not loud nor did it finish late. The facilities are clean and well maintained, toilet blocks are clean although the gents was locked at 5.00am one morning.
The atmosphere is relaxed, our stay was an enjoyable one and we will be back camping at this site again in the future. Recommended.
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