Greetings from across the Atlantic!!
June 10, 2025
We have all arrived in Spain and after overcoming some jetlag we are having a great time! After landing in Madrid we headed straight for the mountainous north of the country to the Picos de Europa, a small but spectacular mountain range that straddles three Spanish provinces. Our first full day we spent some time exploring the limestone cliffs of the Picos walking through the Cares Gorge, one of the most famous hikes in Spain. Making 11 new friends is a big task but everyone is doing great! Even though everyone was adjusting to a new continent, new time zone, and new food everyone jumped right in and we can tell this is going to be an awesome group.
We woke up ready for our first day of Trekking! A Big shoutout goes to Laura and Fritz, our first LODS (Leader of the day). They did an incredible job working together to come up with ideas to bring the group together. A highlight of the day was our lodging which was a mountain refuge with a great view where we got the chance to hang out all afternoon. Activities included lounging, a group game of Mafia captivatingly led by App, and a communal family style meal where we got to try some traditional Asturian dishes. New cuisines can be hard but Molly had a positive attitude about trying new foods! Laura and Fritz led us through our first student led Moonup which was fun, light hearted, and set the tone for future moonups ahead of us. We ended our moon-up with a wolf howl and just before we let out our howls the clouds parted so we could see the full moon.
On day 2 of trekking we tackled a peak with a great view. Leaving from our idyllic mountain refuge where we slept in triple-decker bunk beds, the group hiked thousands of feet up to a summit where we had 360 degree views of mountains around us. We passed through dense beech forests, open fields with the sound of cowbells all around, and even saw a sea of clouds beneath us off the the north and the Cantabrian Sea. Mac did a great job of motivating everyone to the top on an extremely hard hike for just our second day. Good practice for Mt. Toubkal! We returned to our refuge for a picnic lunch and some hackeysack where William got our group to practice their Spanish skills with each other and our guides! (Hopefully this helps them pass AP Spanish this upcoming school year!!)
After our hike we drove on some beautiful mountain roads to our hostel for the evening in the town visited by the King of Spain this past year for being an exemplary Spanish Pueblo. We played some group spikeball before going to a restaurant to try some local foods. Cachopo- cheese sandwiched between two meats, Fried- and potatoes with local blue cheese sauce. Shoutout to Addie for trying it and loving it! A nod to our LODs today, Henry and McLean, who kicked moonup up a notch tonight by having the group ponder some hard hitting questions. As we talked the sun set over the main massif of the Picos and we went to bed, ready for our final day of trekking in Spain!
Last day of trekking! We woke up well rested and ready to conquer the day. Claire and Rhys were our LODS for the day and did a great job managing the hottest day we have had yet. With only a little longer to the top of the pass but straight up hill, Rhys took charge and gave an impromptu motivational speech. After that everyone was pumped up and ready to rumble. Once again, we ate our lunch looking over a spectacular view. Laura and Caroline made some beautiful rock towers. Everyone took magical photos and admired the view. After our long hike, we had a relaxing afternoon. Slowly but Shirley we’re improving our hacky skills and this afternoon Fritz and App led the charge. The kids made their hype playlist and chill playlist to play on our drives. Chase has some good additions which included the one and only Bob Marley. Overall our trekking sections has been filled with bonding conversations, exciting foods, and breathtaking views!
Tomorrow we’re headed into our next activities which include surfing and canyoneering! We’re excited to continue to know these awesome kids!
Peace and love! And as the man likes to say, “Don’t worry about a thing”
– Scarlet & Matthew
The Journey Begins!
June 7, 2025
Hello Spain + Morocco Families!
We received word from our trip leaders that the group landed safely in Spain and made their way up north. They are excited to begin trekking tomorrow!
Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
