Costa Del Whoa!

“We don’t get to do many water sports back home, so we make sure we come to Cable Ski Marbella every time we visit the Costa del Sol,” Sadie and Bo Fields from Liverpool tell me. “It’s much cheaper than skiing from a boat, you don’t have to worry about the conditions, and there’s a great vibe.”

Everyone from experienced wake-boarders perfecting their next trick, to first-time skiers simply learning to stand up come to Cable Ski Marbella, and the friendly staff are always on-hand with advice.

My instructor José explains how the system works and the best way to start, before I’m pulled out into the water at a pace that feels much faster than it looks from the lakeside. One lap later, and I’m having the time of my life! Due to the lack of waves or wake from a boat, this is the ideal way to learn – I dink in and out of buoys and admire the setting as I go.

Families lounge on the grass, younger children giggle and play in the on-site pool, while parents tuck into tasty tapas with ice-cold beers at the restaurant overlooking the lake. It’s a chilled, almost hippy-ish atmosphere, and my three laps pass way too quickly.

The following day, at 10am, I face my next adventure. Speeding along the main coastal highway between Puerto Banús and Mijas Costa in a convoy of some 40-odd heavily personalised Minis, I talk to Hans Möller, founder of the Mini Marbella Club. “A couple of years ago, I was on the lookout for a new set of wheels. I wanted something fun, stylish, comfortable and fast,” says Hans. “After one encounter with a Mini in Germany, I only had eyes for the little car with the big heart. It ticked all the boxes.”

Mini Marbella was born in March 2006, and club outings have included jaunts to Gibraltar, races around Spain’s largest karting track at Campillos and even a “meet on the beach”. But today we’re headed for Mijas Karting. Once there, owners line their steeds up on the grid and I hop behind the controls of a Cooper S model. It’s more parade laps than actual race, but it’s extraordinarily fun.

We once again head off in a convoy that attracts stares of childish wonderment from other motorists, and head for a surreal photo opportunity in the now-disused bullring in Nueva Andalucia. As micromachines swerve about in the dirt, it looks like a petrol-powered ballet and certainly evokes classic memories of The Italian Job.

But why do Minis inspire such devotion in owners and fans? I talk to Karl Newman of the local Guarnieri BMW/Mini dealership. “You can go anywhere in a new Mini – whether it’s the casino in Monte Carlo or Nikki Beach Marbella, you won’t feel out of place parked next to a Ferrari or Bentley,” he says.

And that proves to be the case, as we make the short trip downhill to Puerto Banús to finish the day with dinner at the aptly-titled Monza Bar. The parade of Minis draws miles of smiles from passers-by. Before staggering into the bar for some glorious grub, I look along the marina at the millionaires, playboys, celebrities and tourists whose visits to Marbella are limited to sea, sun, sangria and sand wedges. Shame, I think, when there’s a whole world of incredible action adventures to be enjoyed here, too.

Details:

Catch the action!

> SPHEREMANIA ESPAÑA is based at La Quinta Golf and Country Club, about 45 minutes’ drive from Malaga airport. It’s open every day, weather permitting, and costs €30 each per roll for adults, and €20 each for children. www.spheremania espana.com

> CABLE SKI MARBELLA is based in the town of San Pedro de Alcántara, about 40 minutes from Malaga airport. It’s open every day March–November, and costs from €10.50 for three laps of the lake. A full day of waterskiing is €35. www.cableski marbella.com

> MINI MARBELLA CLUB has events allyear round, from lunchtime meetings and small rallies to 50-car trips. Visit www.minimarbella. com, or head to Starz Café (76 El Naranjal, Central Plaza, Nueva Andalucia, www. starzmarbella.com), the starting point for events, and ask Hans for details. To join in one of the rallies, visit www.hertz.co.uk to pick up a Mini Cooper for hire when you arrive at the airport.

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