Monday 11 November 2019 - The Alhambra, Granada

 

 

 

Leaving our hotel, a respectable place 100 metres from the Cathedral, I spotted a rat dashing to the cover of a rubbish container. So we can add that to our list of flora and fauna...

After breakfast, a short walk took us to the entrance of the Alhambra and the nearby Generalife, where we spent the entire day. Sadly it was overcast and cold.

These places are a conglomeration of structures and gardens dating from the 13th to the 20th centuries. The structures are being preserved, but there is no attempt to reconstruct what they might have looked like, furnished, in their heyday, and access to the interiors is very limited. Since the mid 1900s efforts have been made to return the gardens to their original magnificence. Many gardeners were hard at work today, mainly giving the numerous cypress and other trees an autumn trim.

We retreated from the cold wind for a luxurious coffee break in the posh Parador Hotel. Still cheaper than Starbucks.

The main attraction is the Palacios Nazaríes, which is entered by way of a timed ticket. By the time our 3 o'clock entry time came round, the battery in my audio guide was nearly flat. However, I didn't miss much as there are only so many ways you can describe an alabaster ceiling or wall. Apparently there used to be some pictures, but given the profusion of ornate plaster, we couldn't really see where any artwork would go.

Back in Granada, Restaurante Bicicleta was our chosen refuge in which to warm up and enjoy their assortment of tapas. That will last us until breakfast tomorrow, after which we'll be dashing off to the colder wetness of Timperley. So this is probably the last mobile posting for a while, though some more photos and some routes from this most enjoyable trip will appear in due course.

Today's pictures:
Inside Palacios Nazaríes
A typical 'plastered' wall
Freshly trimmed cypress trees 

Sunday 10 November 2019 - The Carthusian Monastery in Granada

 

 

 

Today has been comparatively restful, with a 10 km stroll under a heavy sky around Granada taking us to the Carthusian Monastery, returning via Sacromonte, where the houses are built into the rock of the hillside.

We went via the University campus, quiet on a Sunday morning apart from the screeching of a colourful band of Iberian magpies. We were also lucky to see a hoopoe in the same spot near the Dental School.

Collared doves and warblers were also in evidence today, as well as lots of mountain bikers, runners, a few hikers, and numerous tourists like us.

The monastery is an interesting place. Its construction started in 1516 and continued for about three centuries despite being occupied. It was occupied until 1836, when the church and the land belonging to it was confiscated.

The land passed to various owners and the cells of the monks and other outbuildings of a fragile structure disappeared. The ruinous state of the main buildings was eventually recognised as requiring restoration, and that took place, very successfully, in the 1960s.

The entrance fee of €5 included a helpful audio guide gadget.

There are some magnificent paintings on view, many by Fray Juan Sánchez Cotán (1560 - 1627), and his protégé Vincente Carducho (1585 - 1638). Some of them bring to life (or death) scenes described in CJ Sansom's Shardlake books that I'm currently reading.

The Sacristy and the Sanctuary are particularly ornate, being crammed with engravings that must have taken years to make (if not 300 years!).

I could go on, but there is lots of information elsewhere, and I don't want to bore you. A guidebook dated 1976 lent to us by Dot has come in useful!

After a delicious smoked salmon baguette, we were back at base by mid afternoon for a bit of down time before venturing out to a Moroccan restaurant, Palacio Andaluz Almona, for another tasty meal. The going rate for a meal for two, with drinks, is about €40 here.

Today's pictures:
From the Carthusian Monastery:
The Cloister
The Church
The Sanctuary

More to follow in due course. 

Saturday 9 November 2019 - Hotel Anacapri (Room 101)

 

 

 

8.00 Breakfast outside the Posada
9.00 Leave for Malaga airport in the minibus
11.00 Bus to Granada
13.30 Granada bus station
13.45 Bus 33 to the Cathedral
14.00 Lunch by the Cathedral before heading 100 metres east to Room 101

We were sad to leave Canillas, as was the supermarket owner who made up our last tuna baguette sad to see us going. The walking season here is drawing to a close. Collett's trips now take a break until April.

The 10.45 bus claimed to be full, despite only a handful of people getting on at the airport. But the next bus had space. Best to book tickets, we decided, so we now have them for the return journey. €11.75 per person per two and a half hour journey.

Fine views of the snow capped Sierra Nevada from our seats at the front of the bus.

Once installed in Room 101, we enjoyed a little sortie into the streets thronged with tourists. Sadly the Cathedral was shut to visitors. We headed on a 2 - 3 km circuit. It's a hilly city. We soon felt weary.

So we are now just chilling out before seeking some rehydration fluid and a light meal. I am still conscious of having over eaten last night - Gustavo's tapas and barbecue was delicious, but I helped myself to too much!

Later, after the first attempt to send this posting failed due to trying to post four pictures rather than three, we enjoyed prawn and chicken salads in huge bowls at La Vinoteca restaurant, a few metres away from the hotel. Our persistent failure to find the entrance will be long in the memory!

Today's pictures:
Room 101
Granada Cathedral
A typical street in Granada

Friday 8 November 2019 - Acebuchal

 

 

 

Today's 'hard' walk, whilst eschewed by Tom and Cary, saw 17 of us going with Mick to another Fabrica de Luz - this one the other side of Competa, some way down a gravel track.

We started through a ford then along a continuation of the track, before heading up a steep, narrow, scratchy path, eventually reaching a col, Puerto Paez Blanca, at 750 metres.

On the way, a couple of mountain bikers, a couple of walking groups, fringed pinks and a lone ibex.

A gentle descent on a good path led to a ruin - Venta Cebollero o Cebollera - our first lunch stop, where butties from the hotel or the supermarket were despatched. Our flask of tea went down well. Nobody else has that luxury.

A narrow path on an old mule track beside and sometimes inside a dry river bed led us in another 45 minutes or so to the hamlet of Acebuchal. This hamlet was once used by partisans in the civil war, following which Franco sought revenge by evicting all the residents and removing the roofs of the houses.

In the 1990s some descendants of previous residents, Antonio and his wife, decided to renovate their old family home, and they encouraged others to do likewise. By 2005, the hamlet had been restored, with some difficulty and at a cost. Since then Antonio has opened a restaurant and acquired a couple of properties that he rents out. The restaurant is very popular. Initially a summer amenity, it is now a year round attraction.

Coffee/beer/tea and an assortment of cakes provided us with an ample second lunch in the busy restaurant in this attractive hamlet.

An easy track led back in an hour or so to the stepping stones across the river, beyond which transport awaited to return us to the villa in Canillas for the last time on this trip. Lovely views of Competa en route, good views all day in fact.

We then gathered outside by the pool. Some swam, others consumed wine and told bad jokes. It was all very jolly.

I'll concoct in due course a separate posting with this week's routes, and add more photos. Today we walked about 13 km, so far as I can guess.

Tonight our group of 26 will assemble for the last time for an evening of barbecue and tapas, before some folk leave for Malaga early in the morning while others of us will still be fast asleep in bed.

Thursday 7 November 2019 - Cerro Verde

 

 

 

After an excellent meal at El Pilon in Competa - thanks to Lisa for that recommendation - we returned last night under moonlight with Tom and Cary for the two mile walk back to the Villa.

Today just 11 of us signed up for Mick's circular route from Fabrica de Luz to the 1326 metre summit of Cerro Verde and back.

The minibuses took us up 3.5 km to the start, where there was a hydro electric plant in the 1950s for ten years before it became a sawmill, (and now it's a summer campsite), leaving Canillas at 9.30 after our usual al fresco breakfast in the sunshine.

Lovely paths led steeply through pine woods laden with scratchy gorse, all the way to the summit trig point. On the way up we encountered a brand new fire break, the crushed rocks glowing white in the sunshine.

The only people seen on today's walk were a team from the Parc Naturel who were stripping the ground in another fire break. It's four years since the last serious fire; such events can be contained by the fire breaks and by water helicoptered from a nearby reservoir that came into view as we ascended.

Despite an imminent rain shower, from our banana break on the summit we could see the mountains of North Africa in the distance. Ravens circled over the nearby lower but less accessible peak of Cerro Atalaya. We could see down to the venta where we had lunch on the Silk Route.

An interesting rocky descent down a loose path took us over the only steep ground of note that we have encountered all week. Everyone managed fine despite a bit of light rain.

Despite being in pine woods for most of the day, views were generally very good, thanks to the sparseness and the dwarfness of many of the trees.

Lunch was taken beside the rocky path. Then we continued past caves that may once have been inhabited. This is an area where partisans opposed to Franco had some strongholds, and there are also some towers built by Franco's men in an effort to track down those partisans.

These days ibex roam the hillsides. We were lucky enough to spot a small group of them.

One cave definitely was occupied until not long ago - by a bee keeper. There would have been bee hives and vegetable patches, where there is now a sweet chestnut farm, with a walnut farm just a little lower down the valley.

The valley remained rocky and narrowed, with the path crisscrossing a small stream via slippery rocks, eventually emerging at the parking spot at Fabrica de Luz, where the small campsite that operates here in the summer was definitely closed today.

The minibus we'd left there only takes 8 passengers, so Mick took 8, and Sue, Cary and I strolled the easy 3.5 km back to Canillas.

A 16 km walk in total for the three of us, with around 1000 metres ascent, taking less than 6 hours - we were back at the villa around 3.30.

Another really excellent walk.

Today's pictures:

Top - firebreak view

Middle - summit trig point

Bottom - looking back to well named Cerro Verde

Wednesday 6 November 2019 - Nerja

 

 

 

Collett's staff have Wednesdays off, but Mick took a few people to Granada, and 14 of us were taken by hotel minibus and taxi to Nerja, where half a dozen of us took a trip down the show caves.

These caves have been formed over 800,000 years, and there is evidence of human occupation from as long ago as 24,000 years. However, at some point the entrance was blocked and they disappeared from sight. That was until 12 January 1959, when five cavers bludgeoned their way through the rocky entrance.

They found a cavers' paradise, part of which is now the show cave that we visited, and most of which is the subject of further studies and exploration.

It's like an underground cathedral. An annual concert is held in the vast auditorium. There are all manner of cave formations.

The tour took about an hour, after which we were taken to nearby Nerja town, where coffees on the prom preceded a visit to the museum. Here, we were informed about the history of Nerja and the nearby caves.

Nerja has existed for a very long time, but for one reason or another the ancient villages were destroyed. The present town was founded in 1633, but was pre-dated by a number of towers that were built as part of an effort to repel attacks from the English and others.

The place has a rich history and is the start of the Silk Route that we encountered a couple of days ago. In that posting I inferred that the silkworms came from North Africa, but it seems that silk actually came from Nerja and Maro (where the caves are) due to an abundance of mulberry trees, on the leaves of which silkworms fed.

These mulberry trees were eventually replaced by sugarcane in the 1580s, before the current town was established. Later, a magnificent aqueduct was built, as modelled in the museum.

We found a sandwich and ice creams for lunch on the prom, with views of a beach and of the nearby Almijaro mountains (bottom picture), after which it was time to leave the pigeons and parakeets and return for a 4pm rendezvous with Gustavo and a 40 minute journey back to Canillas.

Posada La Plaza's restaurant is closed tonight, so Cary, Tom, Sue and I will fend for ourselves at a restaurant in Competa recommended by Lisa (our decorator).

Tuesday 5 November 2019 - A Circuit via Salares

 

 

 

Today, thirteen of us set off on the longer walk under Mick's careful supervision, on a 14 km circuit via Theo's bar in Salares.

Let me try to name us all: me, Sue, Cary, Tom, Bern, Cheryl, Val, David, Paul, John, Martin, Tom and Tony. So now I can name at least half of our group of 26. The others may be Gordon, Karen, Sharon, Wendy, Carol, Anna, Jacob, David, Joyce, Kate, and three more (I've failed).

The terrain is becoming familiar. Ups and downs on mule tracks and gravel tracks, through pine woods, olive groves and mixed woodland of holm oak, orange, lemon, avocado, walnut, almond and sweet chestnut - to name but a few.

After seeing some deer on yesterday's 15 km saunter, all we saw today was some wild boar diggings. It's the hunting season, so perhaps they are making themselves scarce.

It was a reasonable day for bird spotting, with Griffon vultures, Sardinian warblers, Pallid swifts, and grey wagtails all in evidence, not to mention Theo's very chatty canary. Thanks go to Tom for identifying these birds.

Both groups met in Salares at Theo's bar, where a selection of tapas for €8 per person included bread, cheese, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, sardines and some very tasty tortilla, as well as soft drinks and home made wine.

This was a nice lunch, and good business for Theo, who must find it hard to make a living in this village of only 85 inhabitants. The village, let alone the bar, is apparently on the endangered list.

Those on the easy walk were then taken back to Canillas by Gustavo, who runs the Posada la Plaza hotel.

The rest of us returned over a picturesque Roman bridge, past hedgerows with flowers such as fringed pinks. There aren't that many plants in flower, but if you look carefully you are surprised. Unfortunately we don't have our flower book with which to identify them...

Back at Canillas soon after 3 pm, some of us adjourned to a café, whilst others took to their beds before we reconvene at 6.30 for 'Office Hour', when Thursday's walking options will be revealed, followed by another tasty dinner - feta salad then pork for me tonight, spinach and sole for Sue, who spent the afternoon in the jacuzzi.

Today's pictures:

Approaching Salares

The Roman bridge at Salares 

Outside Theo's bar 

(Note that 'technical issues' restrict me to three images per posting, so I'll post more pictures later.)

Monday 4 November 2019 - The Silk Route

 

 

 

19 of us today, plus Helen and Millie (Collett's staff), enjoyed a sunny day at around 1000 metres.

A short bus ride to Las Colmenillas, just above Competa, set us on our way up a hillside of olive groves. Views opened out in all directions, from the nearby mountain range to the coast.

After a while, we reached an old mule track that led to a ruined building, Antigua Venta de los Pradillos. This section was on the GR249 route. It's an ancient trail that forms part of the route between Malaga and Granada, whence silkworms were transported after being imported from North Africa.

The views to pine woods, olive groves, and to the coast near Nerja, were lovely. A great place for lunch, sourced again for €1.60 each from the local supermarket.

An easy stroll back along the mule trail for 3 km was followed by a descent back to our villa in Canillas by soon after 3 pm.

Whilst I simply chilled with C J Sansom's 'Lamentation', Sue went for a swim and a jacuzzi.

The food here - at the Posada La Plaza restaurant - is excellent. Paella tonight.

Sunday 3 November 2019 - Cuevas de Agua, and some wine tasting

 

 

 

Breakfast was outside Posada La Plaza on a warm morning.

18 of us then gathered in the Plaza with Helen and Millie, whilst 8 more assembled with Mick for a short walk to Competa.

Our 'long' walk saw us rising high above the village to a fire break, then back down via lunch in an olive grove with fine views over the neighbourhood.

Back at the Villa by 1pm.

2 pm - Helen and Millie piped us along the Competa road that we explored yesterday, as far as Bodega, a small winery. A marathon wine tasting session followed. Rosé from the Roma grape, then, from Bodega, a dry Muscatel, then a sweet Muscatel from a later harvest after more sun to sweeten the grapes - the locals favour this one, and it's the King's favourite - then a dark, sweet wine achieved by pressing the raisins. Delicious!

Saturday 2 November 2019 - Posada La Plaza, Canillas da Albaida

 

 

 

5.30 alarm and we leap up from our mattress in the living room. Sue pulls a muscle. 6 am taxi to T2, leaving our house to the mercies of Lisa the decorator, who is rather envious having holidayed near Competa for the last five years.

Proceed smoothly to the Jet2 departure gate for the 8.20 Boeing 737 300/800 to Malaga.

Overcast but warm in Spain.

Transfer to Canillas. Settle in at the Villa. (View from villa - top, picture of villa, below.) Then Tom joined us for a stroll to Competa. It rained.

Beers under a canopy (bottom picture). Then we walked back.

Joined the group of 26 later, after Cary arrived, for briefings and an excellent meal.

Chester: 'Park and Walk'

 

On a day when the forecast rain failed to transpire, Paul S and I enjoyed a pleasant walk from Guilden Sutton, where the Church Hall car park facilitates an easy 'Park and Walk', to Chester and back. We previously enjoyed a completely different walk from the same spot in September.

 

After passing the Bird in Hand, our route took a few muddy twists and turns before crossing an empty golf course and the A51 road. Then we turned down the attractively named 'Fir Tree Lane'. More like 'Bramble and Nettle Lane' it seemed to us. No wonder there weren't any dog walkers around.

 

We soon passed through the pretty village of Christleton, before joining the Shropshire Union Canal towpath, the canal looking a bit muddy today.

 

 
Our route now followed the towpath, 'Baker Way', all the way to the centre of Chester.

Canal maintenance was taking place, and we passed a large water tower whose historic source of water was the nearby River Dee.

New buildings were being erected next to another historic monument, the Shot Tower, where lead shot was manufactured by an innovative process in the 1780s. Molten lead was poured through a pierced copper plate or sieve at the top of the tower, with the droplets forming perfect spheres by surface tension during the fall; the spherical drops were then cooled in a vat of water at the base. Despite other processes also being used in later years, shot continued to be manufactured here until 2001.
 

 

We turned into the centre of Chester, basically for coffee and cake, which was sourced at a large room in the cathedral.

 

 

Here's a familiar view of the half-timbered buildings that feature strongly in the centre of Chester, taken from outside the cathedral.

 

 

These days tourists are attracted by a large statue composed of knives, placed by the cathedral's entrance. Lots of 'Free Entry' signs lure the tourists from all parts of Chester, after which larger 'Donation £4' signs in the foyer lure the contents of their wallets.

 

 

We moved north to join a 'Greenway' for most of the walk back to the car. This bike/walk route follows the course of a disused railway line and is a splendid amenity. Despite the dull day, some bright (ish) autumn colours were evident, and we passed a buzzard sitting on a post in a school playing field. Waiting for the infants to start their lunch break?

 

 

Soon after passing a large wooden woodpecker, we went underneath exit 12 of the M53 motorway, and turned down pleasant paths leading back past nice cooking smells from the Bird in Hand, to Guilden Sutton.

 

 

It was a pleasant 16 km stroll, with about 100 metres of ascent (ie 'flat'), taking us a little over three hours. We were back at home in time for a late lunch.

 

Here's the route - click on the image for a better version.

 

That was a good way to spend a dull (weatherwise) Friday morning, and thanks for your company, Paul.

Pyrenees HRP - 2004 - Day 41

 Looking back to Estany de Sottlo and Pic d'Estats

 

Sue and Martin's Big Adventure

 

Day 41 - Saturday 4 September 2004 - Stage 33 (continued)

Postcard Summary (on tomorrow's card)

Scenic Camp to Etang de la Soucarrane

Leisurely hike in fine scenery under a hot hazy sun – 5.7 hours, 10 km, 700m ascent
From wild camp to wild camp under a hot hazy sun – we decided not to climb the ‘optional’ peaks due to fatigue and dwindling provisions (although we started with enough for a week, including 17 tins). This was a good decision, as it got very hazy indeed and views would be limited. A separate ‘peak bagging’ plot is hatched for some future trip!  So we arrived at a lovely spot with fishermen across the lake and plenty of time to do washing, read books and cook a nice meal. 

Diary Entry (by Martin)

Well, it's not yet 4 o'clock and I can sit outside the tent to start this entry! We decided last night not to attempt the ascent of Pic d'Estats, due to fatigue and a provisions shortage. It really needs a day dedicated to climbing it, and Montcalm. It's the last of Joostens "10 classic summits", and we only managed Le Taillon on a 'day off' in Gavarnie. so a plan is hatched to spend a month in the Pyrenees, with the aim of 'bagging' these missing peaks.

We are actually quite pleased with the summits we have been up (quite a few), and there are more to come. The trip would have had to be extended to take in these summits. My 'planned' itinerary had some overoptimistic comments.  

Anyway, we woke to a clear sky, and our neighbours by the lake flattening their tent for the day and heading off up Pic d'Estats. This seems to be the legitimate way of bivouacing for two nights. Gear left in tent, weighted down with rocks.

Despite a leisurely breakfast, we were away by 8.10. Lots of people ascending from Val Ferrera Refuge - the Saturday morning brigade. But they were friendlier than usual. A big contrast with the last three days though, having seen nobody of note, we now meet loads of people. Also, the camping spots have been completely unspoilt, whereas this one is obviously heavily used and (whilst we had an idyllic spot) there is considerable 'wild camping for the careless' debris.

 

It's a lovely morning but getting hazy with high cloud coming in. This builds up during the day, and the view from the peaks will have been very poor due to the haze. Best left for another time - decision vindicated.

 

There are some scrambly sections on the delightful walk down to the Val Ferrera Refuge (10.30 to 11.10).

Signs above the Refuge

 

We meet a couple of French? backpackers on their way to Baborte. They are envious of our eight week trip. After an unexpected and pleasant contouring section, we descended to arrive unexpectedly at the hidden refuge, where water was replenished and we gorged ourselves on hot chocolate, crisps and kitkats.

 

Some English people had stayed on the 18th of August, having left Hendaye on 7th July. Rare. Then we headed off up to Port de Boet. The guidebook suggested Pla de Boet as a camping spot. It obviously was that, but you'd have to like cows! The ascent was easy, following yellow circles with black centres painted on rocks all the way, but the scenery lacked the vitality of that of the last few days.

 

 

Pla de Boet

It was just a wide grassy valley, with cows, sheep and horses, not enclosed by mountains but surrounded by high and slightly more distant mountains than we are used to.

 

We found a nice spring high up and reached the Port de Boet at 1.20 pm.

 

 

As it was only half an hour down to Étang de la Soucarrane (2292 metres) we descended to reach a nice camping spot by this lake by 1.50 pm.  

 

 

A short day with no difficulties! The cloud was building so we ignored the bivvy regs (no camping until 7 pm) and copied some fisherman by putting our tent up. Then lunch. Then washing - clothes and selves. Then fetching water from a distant spring. Then diary writing in a fair breeze, which is drying the washing. A short read and then it'll be time for tea. Wild flower book could come out, but there's nothing much in flower here! Sod's law. The last of three nights' excellent wild camping.

 

Now in France for the first time since Venasque about ten days ago - and now, perhaps we won't visit Spain again! Lots of reading and a nice meal - macaroni and tomato sauce with tuna etc, before bed by 9 pm.

 

Stats and route (Viewranger):

10 km, 700 metres ascent, 5.7 hours

 

 

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