Seven days of walking and seven days of perfect weather - after the dodgy weather I had walking the E4 this summer I can hardly believe my luck. Another great day's walking although slightly longer than anticipated and, shock horror, with Juan in charge it's still possible to go the wrong way.
After the threatening clouds of yesterday afternoon the morning sun came up again exactly to order and we were soon marching through Trevelez and well ready for the climb up the side of the valley to the south and east of the town. In the shade of the mountain it was a lovely walk, up the through abandoned terraces and ancient farmsteads. Interesting to see how, high on the hill, the old farmstead was surrounded by sweet chestnuts which were such an important source of food for man and pig alike.
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Travelez |
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John & Juan |
The views back to Trevelez were just brilliant but the promised view of Mulhacen, the highest mountain in Spain, was a long time coming and it wasn't until we got to the highest point on the path, about 1750 metres, that we finally got to see it.
The gentle descent on the other side towards Juviles was across a huge expanse of open moorland. Wonderful views even if the humidity in the air made things just a little hazy.
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Above Juviles |
After the little town of Juviles we dropped into a craggy gorge on the way to Timar. Half way along, a particular crag projects out into the gorge dropping vertically several hundred feet. In the interests of dramatic photography I tried to persuade Christine and Juan to stand on the edge but they claimed it was too windy. The photo below shows the two of them as tiny people on top of a rock.
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In the gorge between Juviles and Timar |
Stopped at Timar hoping to buy some fruit-juice, a new midday habit, but no shops. It was getting quite hot, Christine has a blister, and our early morning pace had burned out. Started to discuss short-cuts to Berchules but in the end decided to stick with the original schudule. The usual mid-day blues were then compounded when we missed the trail and had to retrace our steps up a horrible concrete road.
Actually the E4 route between Timar and Lobras is just mad. Lots of money has been spent restoring an ancient waterway which contours between the two settlements and has a good footpath running along it's side. Ignoring this obvious route the E4 plunges down steeply into the gorge and then climbs it's way out again on the other side.
By the time we got to Lobras, yet another pretty white village, we were on a roll again and made great progress through a complete change of scenery on the route to Cadiar. We entered a fertile valley with a stream cutting through an alluvial flood plain, and the path took us through little fields of beans and tomatoes. Met a man on mule, or an ass, not sure which is which, on the way to his fields.
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Approaching Cadiar |
Stopped at a bar in Cadiar and fortified ourselves before the usual sting in the tail end of day walk, this time a savage climb out of the valley up to Berchules. Great views across the valley looking backwards with the late afternoon sun and even better views in the bar as Christine and I consumed two beers each, Juan only had one but he's Spanish and we are from northern beer drinking Europe!
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Evening sun looking back to Cadiar |
Great day's walking.
John the correct splling of the hghiest mountain in Spain is Mulhacen.
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