Spring on the Alpujarra

Whilst walking this week it was a great surprise to see my first spring flower of the year. The actual species of this flower, a type of purple orchid was difficult to identify as it was only just emerging however it was a great sign of spring. The walk I was on was above Guajar Fondon in the Guajares valley which lies about 10 kilometres inland of Salobrena on Costa Tropical. Looking north from where I spotted the flower I could also see the high peaks of the Sierra Nevada still covered in snow where more alpine conditions were still in place. This early sign of spring is most pleasing as only the week before this sighting I was dealing with frozen pipes and snow on the ground at my finca above Lanjaron. We do get orchids on the hill side near us though I would not expect to see them until late May. This early sighting highlights the variation in the arrival of ‘’spring’’ here in southern Spain. Within our village it is easy to see by watching as the opening of the almond blossom advances up the mountainside. Lanjaron is at about 700m above sea level whilst my finca is 300m higher. Two weeks ago (early Feb,) the first blossom was opening in the village and it will take about another week to arrive at out height. Whilst it certainly doesn’t necessarily mean the total end of the cold none the less it’s a sign that warmer weather is on the way. As I write this we are once again in cloud and rain and I’m huddled over a gas fire. This variety in habitat and conditions is due in part to the relatively short distance from the sea to the summits of the mountain ranges. For example from Mulhacen, which at 3482 is the highest point in the Sierra Nevada and also the highest point in mainland Spain it is only 35km to the beaches of the Mediterranean. So you can travel from the Costa Tropical, were you can grow bananas, to an arctic tundra of ice and snow in a couple of hours drive (if you go to the ski village above Granada). The proximity of the mountains to the sea is perhaps most dramatic in the area around Nerja and Almunecar where the foothills rise almost from the waters edge. This variety, as well as giving us a massive range in habitats and conditions also means that for most of the year the choice for walking is equally vast, from dry desert valleys to alpine summits via pine forests, rolling pastoral hillsides and orchards, you can have it all.

Escarihuela of the Taha

Recently I was out with a large group and once again walked a favourite route of mine, the Ruta Medieval in the Taha area of the Alpujarra. Whilst I have done the walk many times it has to be said it is perhaps one of the best low level routes in the area. What makes the route special is a combination of stunning scenery and great walking with numerous things to stop and wonder at en route. The route does a circuit of the Rio Trevelez gorge as it runs from Trevelez south west toward Orgiva. Trevelez lies at 1,476m and claims the status as the highest village in Spain and is famous for its cured jamon. The gorge is steep sided and dramatic with high cliff faces above narrow ravines. The nature of the landscape means that there are no surfaced roads within the valley and the river only has three crossing places as it runs the 10km section within the Taha. At each of these crossings an ancient pack horse bridge spans the river where for centuries, mules and man have been able to safely cross. The bridge below the village of Fondales is known locally as the ‘’Roman bridge ‘‘ and whilst the current structure may not be from that period a crossing at this point must have existed for many years. The gorge here is only about ten meters across allowing a single arch to span the river about twenty meters below. Perhaps the most spectacular of the three crossings is the next one up stream which lies on the river between the villages of Ferreirola and Busquistar. Here the valley sides are particularly steep and paths on both sides of the valley take dramatic zig zags through near vertical terrain. On the south side in particular the path clings to the hill side as it climbs 250m vertically in about the same linear distance. So dramatic are these routes that they even have their own word in Spanish, ‘escarihuela’ like a ladder and their dramatic nature was commented on as far back as the Moorish period when the Arab poet Ibn-Aljathib described one example as a ‘’ path, of danger and martyrdom’’ whilst the Spanish writer Hurtado de Mendoza describes the area as ‘’harsh mountain: valleys leading to the abyss: mountains up to the sky: narrow paths: gullies and precipices with no escape’’. Even after all these years the drama of these routes is still there so if you only get chance to walk one route in the area this has to be the one.

Spring Dangers !

Hopefully, with the onset of Spring, we will begin to get some great walking days again. As I write this I’m sheltering from the fourth day of rain, having to run a generator to use the computer. Oh the joys of solar power! I know we need the rain and snow. How else would I fill my alberca, but after a couple of days we do get a bit stir crazy. For those who do get out in the next couple of weeks there is a potential danger to look out for, the Pine Processionary Moth caterpillars (Thaumetopoea pityocampa). The adult moths lay eggs inside a distinctive silky nest in pine trees where the eggs and later caterpillars will over-winter. Once hatched and outside the nest the caterpillars are fascinating to see as they often create a trail of up to a meter long as they follow each other nose to tail, crossing your path or descending a tree. The caterpillar is covered in fine hairs which can be a severe irritant if touched and in later stages of the caterpillar’s development can be released into the air. If breathed in, the hairs can cause severe allergic reaction in susceptible people. They are also a problem for dogs or cats. If they sniff or lick the trails of caterpillars they can have a severe reaction, problems with breathing and possibly be killed. As the name suggests they are predominantly found in pine woodlands so at this time of year beware if you walking in an area of pine trees. If, like me you have a pine tree on your land you may have more of a problem. Having cut out branches infested with nests for a few years, my pine tree was beginning to look a bit bald. I asked Manolo, my neighbour, how to deal with the nests and was told, quite seriously, to use a shotgun. Apparently the idea was to break open the nest before winter to expose the inside to frost and hence kill off the eggs and larvae. Not possessing a shotgun I initially used an air rifle borrowed from another neighbour. However, though we hit the nests, the pellet didn’t break them open. The answer was to get a fisherman’s catapult suitably equipped with a bait cup. This, when filled with gravel, did a great job of bursting the nests and hence allowing the frost do its job. We tried this the winter before last and had no nests at all this winter. Just beware, don’t do it once the caterpillars are hatched as they will rain down on you. Also if you or your neighbours have solar panels, greenhouses, expensive patio doors etc anywhere near, you might get a few complaints if you start firing stones around willy nilly!

River walks in the Sierra Nevada

As it August and as we know only mad dogs and ….. are the only ones to venture out I thought it might be worth mentioning a few of the better river walks for those, like me, foolish enough to still want to go walking. Most of these provide a chance to at least get your feet wet if not a full blown plunge Its worth remembering though that particularly at the end of summer there is a chance of thunders storms and torrential rain which can suddenly flood these rivers so look at the forecast and when out walking keep an eye out for storm clouds building. Inland there are a number of walks:- Monachil Gorge, perhaps the most famous inland route passes through a fairly narrow gorge with suspension bridges crossing the stream at the start of the walk. There are a number of plunge pools en route with the chance to take a quick dip to cool off. Rio Dilar. Just south of Granada this valley route start at a popular ‘’ area recreativa’’ which even has a chiringuita bar. There are loads of shallow pools at the start with river crossing higher upstream before the valley opens out into an area of dramatic rock scenery. Rio Cebollon, on the north of the Sierra de Tejeda this river feeds the Embalse de Bermejales a wonderful inland lake well worth a visit in its own right. The route along the river crosses and re crosses the river and there is a wonderful waterfall and pool for a cooling dip. The route has a reasonable amount of forest walking as well providing some shade. The coast also has a couple of very popular river walks the best known two are true river walks where you wade the river bed rather than simply ford the stream like the inland routes. Rio Chillar, perhaps the best known this runs from the N.W. corner of the village. You are soon in the water with the best section of ‘’cahorros’’ about an hour upstream. Here you pass though a very narrow section gorge where you can easily touch both rock walls either side of the stream. If you want a longer day’s walk the stream can be used as part of a circular route incorporating a section of the Linman Trail. Rio Higueron. Start from the centre of Frigiliana from where the route is signed. Near the start of the route is a large water deposit which is a popular swimming spot and well worth a visit as you return. The best sections of the route take some time to get to but once there the upper section provide great fun for those who like scrambling up waterfalls and inevitably getting wet.

The Rio Lanjaron valley

I was out recently with clients who were staying in Lanjaron. As they only wanted a fairly easy day I suggested that we did a circuit of the village, this meant I didn’t have to use my car and yet we got a great walk. The route we took follows the line of a Camino Real up the Rio Lanjaron valley ( camino reals or royal tracks are effectively the nearest thing to a Public Right of Way to be found here in Spain). This particular route runs up toward Cero de Caballo. For those who like stat’s this mountain, which at 3,011m sits high above Lanjaron, is the most westerly 3000m+ peak in Europe. The path itself starts at the eastern end of the village following a well defined mule track which not so long ago was one of the main routes to higher pastures and agricultural land. Underfoot there was obvious evidence of recent use by a mule or horse however it is difficult to imagine the amount of traffic which must have used these routes in days gone by to get into the high mountains. Whilst most of these old tracks are becoming overgrown and lost this particular route is well documented in a number of guides and is kept clear to a certain extent through a higher level of use and by occasional maintenance by park rangers. Even though we had been able to set off at a reasonably early hour and get the bulk of the climbing done in the morning, much of the route was done in full sun and mid afternoon heat. For those not used to walking in the area, the intense heat of summer or in this case spring, can be debilitating. Normally I carry at least two litres of water and advise clients to do the same. On this day however, I had an additional litre plus some fruit. Even so we had to replenish our water at a fuente on route. I am often asked by clients if water in acequias can be drunk as often on the face of it it seems crystal clear and untainted. I must admit, when I first came over here I have done so. However, having since seen dead cabra (goats) in some and goat muck slurry in others I now avoid doing so at all costs. Fuentes or springs are usually marked on maps however on occasion I have arrived to find them dry so it is best over summer to carry sufficient water from the start of the day to ensure you do not dehydrate. The fuente we drank at is named Pedro Calvo , which translated means ‘’Bald Pete’’, I wonder who they could mean?

Cerro de Caballo

On a recent trip up Cero de Caballo above Lanjaron I finally managed to locate a small bivvy refuge that I had been told about during last winter. At the time there was to much snow to find it and the recent trip was my first chance to go and have a look.

The shelter is a small stone arch over a pit and could have been constructed as a store for the now ruined Refugio de Lanjaron which lies near by.

The refuge is 100m north of the ruin which is found at the bottom of the south eastern spur of Caballo. From the ruin head approx 50m west along a descending path through an open bowl, at the lowest point of the path follow the shallow gully North to the bivi which is at the base of the cliffs.