The wild side

We stayed with Keycamp at the Cypsella site, close to the medieval town of Pals and one of four sites on the Costa Brava in the Catalonia region of Spain.

This area is easily reached with direct flights from Durham Tees Valley to Girona, which is about one hour's drive from the coast. Alternatively, a Dover to Calais ferry crossing is included in the price of all Keycamp holidays.

Any bad memories of our previous camping experience were dispelled when we arrived at the Cypsela site. This was camping on another level and is considered one of the best sites in Spain (the numerous star-covered certificates outside the reception would seem to back this up).

The huge, pine-wooded site has over 1,000 pitches (to use camping jargon) with various styles and sizes of mobile homes and supertents available. We stayed in a middle-of-the-range Villanova Midi, with two bedrooms and separate toilet and shower room. Outside, the raised wooden decking area was useful as an extra 'outside room', ideal for eating and relaxing.

In theory, the Midi can sleep up to seven, but for myself, my partner, Alex, and our four-year-old son, Louis, it was about right. Personally, I think much more than four would put family relations to the test.

Numerous washing facilities and play areas are dotted around the site, but most of the facilities and entertainment, including two swimming pools, restaurant, sports areas and supermarket, are around the main reception area, all kept spotless by a discreet army of cleaners and maintenance people. There is also a free shuttle bus to take you to the local beach, about a mile away.

For some people, I suspect, any holiday destination with the prefix 'Costa' will summon up images of English pubs, sunburnt binge drinkers and high-rise apartments. But the northern Costa Brava proved to be anything but. The name translates as "wild coast" which is a description of the landscape rather than the nightlife.

Pals is conveniently located where the large sandy bays to the north give way to small craggy coves to the south. This gives you plenty of beach options, from the quiet sophistication of Llafranc, to the charming bustle of Callela, and the long stretch of sand at Playa de Pals.

Those of a nervous disposition may want to be on their guard when visiting the beach at Pals. It is a lovely sandy beach, but just a short walk brings you to a nudist area. There are no signs to tell you this, but it is obviously a recognised spot, colonised by middle-aged Germans with an aversion to beachware.

The town of Pals itself is a fascinating little place with a thriving artistic community. Perched on a hilltop, its distinctive church and clock tower are visible for miles around. The neighbouring walled town of Peratallada is also worth a visit. The deep rock moat around the town has separated it from the outside world for centuries, so walking around the quiet, cobbled streets is like stepping back in time. And for such a small place, it has an excellent choice of restaurants.

On the subject of food, this area is also famous for its rice crop, used for a regional variation of paella. Heading north, we passed fields where the rice is grown, as well as acres of grapevines, apples, olives and stunning sunflowers.

Should you need a break from visiting ancient towns and glorious beaches (it could happen), there are plenty of options. We particularly enjoyed the boat trip around Les Illes Medes, a collection of islands about one mile out to sea. They are a haven for all kinds of marine life, which can be seen up close from the glass viewing areas in the bowels of the boat. And the spectacle doesn't finish when you come back up on deck as the islands themselves are home to a wide variety of birds. The trips leave from the busy, but attractive harbour at L'Estartit, a resort which has succumbed to the tourism boom but, like most of this area, in a relatively low key way, compared to other parts of Spain.

Another popular destination is Figueres, birthplace of arguably the region's most famous son, Salvador Dali. The suitably eccentric Teatre-Museu Dali is an arresting visual bombardment, with the emphasis on surrealist objects and drawings.

On the way back from Figueres, we took a detour to the coast at L'Escala, following the signs for the impressive Greek and Roman ruins at Empuries. But as we approached we decided we'd had enough culture for one day and turned down a gravel path to the beach below. The three horseshoe, sandy bays are popular with families and groups of young locals. The afternoon spent playing in the lively waves was made even more enjoyable by the fact it was a spur of the moment decision.

As our holiday came to an end, the lure of a relaxing final day on Pals beach was too much to resist and we decided to postpone our planned day trip to Barcelona. But only one of us followed the Germans' lead and went "nuddy". Mind you, he is only four years old.