1. COTSWOLD STYLE JULY 2015 67
O
ur trip took us by RV
(recreational vehicle) from
San Francisco through the
National Parks down to Los
Angeles and back up the Pacific Coast
Highway.
Los Angeles is a feast for the senses:
high energy, brilliant for eating, shopping,
people watching and much more! Being
famed as ‘main-stage’, I “totally” expected
its drama. However, for me California’s
true drama is away from the excitement
of ‘centre-stage’ and into the wilds of her
magnificent natural theatre where you
become part of the scene.
The giant wilderness areas of
California are extreme. Death Valley is an
unfathomable place with vast salt-pans,
deep, fiery-tinted canyons full of solitude
and a desert drama of mountain-size sand
dunes, vertical cliff drops and singing
rocks.
In my mind it is forever summer in the
Golden State of California and
everything and everyone glows with a
coating of sunshine.
As we flew into San Francisco, our first
view was the glorious Golden Gate
Bridge in all its splendour, shining in a
vivid blue cloudless sky. The sensational
San Fran experience, (fascinating boat trip
to Alcatraz Island, tram rides, al fresco
eating) paled in comparison to our first
wilderness wonder experience.
We motored east, through the hillsides
of the north, carpeted with vineyards and
dotted with ancient oaks and into
Yosemite National Park’s mountainous
scenery. B&B on wheels is the perfect
way to explore this area and pretty soon
we ‘parked up’ prepared for the night.
After a cuppa we walked through ancient
giant sequoias and into the tranquillity of
Yosemite’s deep valley, feeling the power
of the glaciers and waterfalls plunging
from massive granite faces. I felt so small
- humbled and yet highly energised and
invigorated by my surroundings. There is
so much to reminisce: such as our climb
up to Sentinel Dome and our daring trek
above the snowline tracking a brown bear
(and getting lost – it’s not an adventure
unless you do!) … but I would need
several more pages to cover this!
We then rolled onto the southern Sierra
Nevada to Sequoia and King Canyon
National park to see the world’s largest
trees. The rugged splendour of the area
was jaw-droppingly dramatic as too was
Sequoia gazing. Surrounding us were
huge sky-scraper high Giant Forests,
mountains and deep canyons full of
frothing serpentine rivers.
The sublime experiences snowballed
with the next destination taking us out of
the wilds; towards two worlds colliding
and the opposite end of the spectrum -
into the very heart of civilisation at its
most beautiful. Known as the American
Riviera, in my opinion Santa Barbara is
(apart from the Cotswolds), the perfect
place on the planet to live. It is the
essence of California condensed into one
small ‘village’, a yachting, ‘Beach Bum’,
shopping and fine dining mecca wafting
with the heavenly scents of jasmine and
orange blossom and beautiful people.
Santa Barbara’s ‘must do’ options are
infinite such as a vineyard and wine-
tasting tour in the Santa Ynez Valley and
wine-country feast at Solvang. We tasted
new vintages straight from the barrel!
There are little known hidden gems such
as the unforgettably romantic Montecito
with its tree-shaded lanes and charming
village.
Top of my list, however, were the
beach related activities; paddle-surfing the
warm, crystalline waves with playful
dolphins while soaking up views of the
distant Santa Ynez mountain range
plunging to the coastline was a particular
highlight. Sea-swimming triathlon
training with newfound ‘friends’
(complete strangers), on the beach was
amazing. My imagination morphed
myself into the ‘all-Californian girl’ there
and then. I loved running, sun-soaked on
the beach and hiking the winding
mountain trails, festooned with vibrant
palettes of wildflower blooms, enlivened
by the breath taking views of the blue
Pacific and then plunging under a
waterfall in a gin-clear rock pool to
cool down.
One of my life’s most exhilarating
driving experiences is from Santa Barbara
on the Pacific Coast Highway to
Monterey. The route provides a transient,
twisting, granite, cliff-hugging natural
theatre with sound-effects of the roaring
surf. We discovered such wonders as ‘Big
Sur’, with swathes of sunshine sand surf
beaches and picturesque Monterey with
its renowned aquarium.
There is still so much to explore and
write about … Rafting, hiking, camping,
birdwatching, biking, water sports,
fishing, rock climbing, skiing, whale
watching –
… ‘I’ll be back’!
If you would
like California
to astound you
too, a journey
can be tailor-
made by World
Odyssey –
for more
information on anything to do with
America or anywhere else on the planet,
please visit www.world-odyssey.com –
follow us @World_Odyssey, become a fan
on Facebook and/or call one of our travel
specialists for advice on: 01905 731373
Travel
Self-professed
adventuress and Travel
Writer, Lucy Garbutt
explores the outdoor
lifestyle of California
with spectacular
scenery, sublime
sunrises, scrumptious
seafood and sun-
kissed serenity
66 JULY 2015 COTSWOLD STYLE
Ilove
Above: McVay Falls, Big Sur
Below: San Francisco Tram with view of
San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz Island
Santa Barbara Beach
Yosemite Falls,
Yosemite National Park
The Giant Forest in
Sequoia National Park’
Pacific Coast Highway
Yosemite Valley
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