29 January 2013 Lanjaron to Pampaneira

Lunch stop in the Rio Chico

We have been doing some lower level walks for the last couple of weeks or so because the weather had turn cold, being old and decrepit cold weather does not suit us, but with the prospect of warm sunny weather, we decided to return to our big walk.
The next section was from Lanjaron to Bubion and, according to the guide book, it was 20 km. We would entrust our return journey to Alsina Graells, the local bus company. We could always stay overnight in Bubion if the bus did not turn up.
We met at Beznar for the drive to Lanjaron, right from the start it was clear that Kees was not right. Apparently Queen Beatrix of Holland decided to abdicate last night without consulting him. He had also set his alarm clock wrong and had dashed out without breakfast. We did offer to stop for toast and coffee in Lanjaron before we set off, he declined, and we were stuck with a bear with a sore head all day.
We have tried to do a section of this walk before and had to turn around because of a sticky section near Cañar. Mike knew what the rope sticking out of my rucksack was for but little Stuart was somewhat alarmed.
The walk is a series of climbs and level sections and calls in at various villages along the way as it meanders along to Bubion. We made good progress for the first 5 km until we came to the tricky bit where the path had fallen away a few years ago, why the major route through the Alpujarras is not maintained better I don’t know. With a bit of persuasion, judicious use of the rope, and some sterling work by Kees, who shepherded Mike and Stuart across the rough section, we were soon on our way again.
It was suggested that a quick beer in Cañar might help us on our way but Mike would have none of it. He was fired up after the landslip and wanted to keep going. We stopped for lunch by the side of the Rio Chico in a shaded glen for lunch, and then followed the acequia as it flowed down towards Soportújar. Once again the same old discussion erupted about water flowing uphill, this has been going on for years and no amount of reasoning can persuade the doubters of the implausibility of their argument. This week science was on my side, Jan is a nuclear scientist and if a man knows how to make an atom go bang he would certainly know that water only flows downhill. Even with his expert knowledge we still did not win the argument. We would have stood a better chance convincing them the world is flat.
In Soportújar the possibility of a beer was raised again, once again Mike vetoed the idea, you would think we had a bus to catch. The path continued onwards and upwards passing numerous cortijos by the side of a delightful path.
The climb up into Pampaneira is a trial, coming as it does after 18 km, our intended destination Bubion, was still half an hour away, uphill all the way. Pampaneira is a beer drinker's paradise, it is full of bars. Finally Mike said Yes we could stop, we could also catch the bus from here. Bubion will have to wait till next week. We even had time time for two glasses of the amber nectar whilst we waited for the bus, which fortunately did arrive this week, even though the driver would not stop at the bus stop we wanted in Lanjaron, making us walk an extra half km.

On the walk Kees, Mike, Martine, Jan, little Stuart, big Stuart.
A note for the records, Kees is awarded one Brownie point for services to wobbly knees.
Distance walked on the route today 18.9 km    Total distance on route 144.5 km
Distance walked today 19.5km          Total distance walked 157.5 km
Height climbed today 1064 metres Total height climbed 4376 metres
Distance driven today 20 km             Total distance driven 519 km

8th January 2013 Nigúelas to Lanjaron

A picnic at the Lecrin Alberque

After last week's debacle with the buses we decided to dispense with their services this week, so four of us went to Lanjaron first thing in the morning and left three cars and returned to Nigúelas in the fourth to meet up with the rest of the group.
There were a lot of us this week, 13, the biggest Tuesday walk ever on what was a very frosty morning, at least it was in Nigúelas. No wonder it is referred to as the coldest village in the valley.
After standing around for a while getting cold we were all eager to be off. The Cicerone guide gives directions for the route out of the village, I don’t know which village the author was in when he wrote it, it certainly was not Nigúelas. I left the guide at home, we knew the route anyway.  
To start with the path heads up out of the village and then down to the Rio Torrente, not much of a river but a magnificent flat bottomed vertical sided valley. The path then carries on through Almond groves towards Acequias before heading steeply uphill. This is where most of the height for the walk is gained and we were soon shedding our warm clothing as our temperatures started to raise with all the effort.
Whilst the locals were happy enough to shed a coat or hat, Danny, who had just arrived from the UK, was down to his vest, we shuddered as we looked at him.
Eventually you join up with the forest road which you follow all the way to Lanjaron. This was a good opportunity for little Stuart to get some much needed extra practice in for his 100 km walk in May. The idea was a bit like taking the dog for a walk, he was going to walk up and down the road chasing a virtual stick while we ambled along behind him. His enthusiasm for this soon passed and it wasn’t long before he was walking with us again.
Our designated lunch spot this week was the Lecrin Alberque. A very pleasant place to stop for a sandwich. With its picnic tables, it just can’t get any better for Dave. Because of the size of the group we could not all fit around one table, the group naturally split with some heading for the upper table while the rest squeezed on to the lower one. A parody of life really, a few looking down on the many.
We had now reached the start of the long descent into Lanjaron. We still had 5 km to go and we had already exceeded the advertised three and half hours for the walk. My, those guys who planned the route must have been fit, or more likely they had a guessometer.  
Danny Parr deserves a special mention at this point, he joined us on this week’s walk but I am afraid he has been disqualified for cheating. He had the audacity to go from the rear of the group to the front by taking short cuts on the corners. This might be acceptable in Bristol, but here in the valley if you want to get to the front you do it the hard way, you must be fitter, stronger, and faster than the guy in front, not sneaky. This was not the way he was brought up, what a shocking example to set his new girlfriend, Kelly. I just hope his dad never finds out.
We made good time coming down, it must have been the thought of the bar at the end of the walk that was driving them on. Unfortunately the bar was closed but, undeterred, we drove round to one that was open and we all enjoyed a tasty tapas. Then it was back to Nigúelas and another beer at Migúels and more tapas. Life gets better the older we get.

On the walk Kees, Mike, Rene, Ray, Mark, Dave, Julie, Martine, Jan, little Stuart, big Stuart, Danny and Kelly.

Distance walked on the route today 17 km    Total distance on route 125.6 km
Distance walked today 17 km             Total distance walked 138 km
Height climbed today 514 metres Total height climbed 3312 metres
Distance driven today 35 km             Total distance driven 499 km

4 January 2013 Albunúelas to Nigúelas

Miguels bar in Nigúelas

This week the walk was all in our valley, the Lecrin Valley. The route was from Albunúelas to Nigúelas and, as it is only 14 km, we could afford a late start and still make it to the bar in time for tapas.

A bus runs from Nigúelas to Albunúelas and I thought it would be a good idea to avail ourselves of this valuable service and support the local infrastructure. We arranged to meet at the bus stop 10 minutes early. We were not going to be caught out, watching the bus disappearing over the horizon. Well we waited as the advertised time came and went. The Albunúelians in the group maintained that they knew the driver, he was reliable, he lived in their village, a good trustworthy hombre.
After waiting 30 minutes, we gave in, formulated a new plan and drove to Albunúelas.
We were ready for walking by 11, normally at this time we are on our second breakfast. With Rene leading we set off for the lower barrio in Albunuelas, I always get lost in the maze of streets down here, so it was good to follow someone who knew where she was going. The path wanders down a very fertile valley which is always teeming with produce and at this time of year it is the oranges that dominate the scene. Looking at the sour faces the orange scrumpers in the group were pulling they are not ready for picking yet!
We stopped for lunch just outside Restabal and had to listen to Kees go on and on about his Brownie points. Two had been officially awarded to him in the New Years Honours list. Mistakenly he believes he should have been awarded more. Kees, this is not the Eurovision song contest where mediocrity wins. These are Brownie points only awarded for the very best endeavours, think of all the poor sods who did not get any this year.
After lunch we headed off towards Melegis, where we were all looking forward to stopping off at Dave’s house for a cup of tea and a nice piece of fruit cake. Somehow he managed to steer us around the village without passing his house. It is acts like this that can count against you when the honours committee meet again at the end of the year.
In Murchas the route divides, the older route follows the river up to Nigúelas. The new route is a gruelling, ball breaking scramble up to the windmills. Everyone voted for the riverside option. We were soon in Nigúelas and there is only one bar to go to when to sun is shining, Migúels bar, on the carpark, for the best tapas around. There was a shortage of tables and chairs when we arrived. Mike soon resolved the problem by turfing a poor old guy out of his chair and nicking his table. The old guy moved off inside when Mike threatened to finish his drink off as well.
So good was the tapas we stayed for two, we look forward to next week’s walk, which by coincidence is also going to finish here.
All that was left to do was recover the cars and get people home, this was made complicated because all of the cars would have been here if we had managed to catch the bus.
An enjoyable day’s walk.
On the walk Kees, Mike, Rene, Ray, Mark, Dave, Julie, Martine, Jan, Little Stuart and Old Stuart.

Distance walked on the route today 13.8 km  Total distance on route 108.6 km
Distance walked today 15.9 km Total distance walked 121 km
Height climbed today 523 metres Total height climbed 2798 metres
Distance driven today 32 km           Total distance driven 464 km