Stage 3 - The GR7 through Murcia

After 26 days walking through Andalucia I had belatedly started to work out just how long the E4 was.  The euphoria which had driven me along for the first few weeks was starting to drain away and I was looking for smaller tangible milestones to sustain me.  One step at a time didn't quite cut it but ticking off another Spanish province would help and fortunately Murcia was a small one.

Less fashionable as a walking destination than Andalucia, Murcia still looked interesting.  Arguably it has an even stronger historical legacy.  It was an important part of the Carthagenian empire (Categena on the coast is still a major port), a wealthy part of the Roman empire and for a time an independent taifi (kingdom) within the Arab world.   The northern part of Murcia, where the E4/G7 route crosses the region, contains a number places of particular significance to Catholics with Caravaca de la Cruz designated as one of the five most important places in the catholic world. 

Unlike the GR7 in Andalucia there is no English language guide for the GR7 in Murcia so I was now relying on my own research efforts (something I would have to do for the rest of the E4).  My key piece of information was a GPS route from Wikiloc published by a cyclist.   As a matter of interest "Bornem", whose route I was to use for the rest of the GR7, has now completed the walk through Murcia and the route is now available via his website on Wikiloc.

The route through Murcia is about 200 kilometres long.  There is a variant to the GR7 which takes you to the south side of the Sierra de Moratalla mountain range to Caravaca de la Cruz, I stuck with the main route.

GR7 through Murcia

The first challenge was to get to Canada de la Cruz, until I got there I didn't have a GPS route.   The route is not clear and a large hunting estate just outside Puebla de Don Fadrique acts as a barrier.  Essentially went cross country (which involved climbing over fences) and, without the aid of a route, got horribly lost.  As often happened my luck eventually turned and signs suddenly reappeared just a few miles from the village.  Shame about the route way marking because it's nice countryside.  There is some casa rurale accommodation at Canada de la Cruz but it not available when I was there and the cheapest option was a return taxi trip to Puebla de Don Fadrique.

Next day to El Sabinar was excellent.  The route takes you up and then along a valley between the Sierra de Taibilla to the north and the Sierra de Mortella to south, dropping into a gorge lined with rocks in stunning colours and then into wild windy upland plain - huge views.  I think there is a pension in El Sabinar, a tiny village, but I stayed just down the road in the wonderful boutique hotel at Casa Pernias.

View across the plain from El Sabinar

Lavender fields on the way into the Rio Alharaba gorge

The walk to Moratalla was another good one.  Starting in the high level plain from yesterday, you go past a huge reservoir near the small village at la Risca then dive down another dramatic gorge, with more colourful cliffs, with the Rio Alharaba at the bottom.  When I went through it new growth on the pine trees gave everything a clean fresh look.  Moratalla is an interesting town, a bit shabby, but with a lovely historic centre.  There is a hotel on the outskirts but I chose to stay in a cheap and cheerful town centre pension.

Spring growth on the trees in the Rio Alharaba gorge

Another short easy day mainly across an agricultural plain to the lovely town of Calasparra.  Calasparra is the home of a particular type of paella rice and the town has its own rice trail and museum.  Compared to Moratalla it had a prosperous feel but with a similar historic centre.  I stayed in the Hospederia Rural Constiticion, excellent and right in the middle of town.

Looking back to Moratalla

Next day's walk is excellent taking you along an east west ridge with wide plains to the north and south.  To the north runs the Segura river which I guess provides the water for the rice which makes the area famous.  You never get to climb to top of the ridge but contour along its side.  Half way along you cross the dam holding the water back at the Alfonso X111 reservoir before going around the Sierra del Almarchion the shape of which is particularly dramatic.  The Segura river flows around the ancient town of Cieza which surprisingly doesn't have any accommodation.  I stayed at La Linda Tapada which was lovely but a bit a trek out of town - the owner will pick you up on request.

Sierra del Almarchion

There is no accommodation on the next stretch of the walk and it's not that pleasant either.  A long stretch through the industrial suburbs to the north of Cieza, then through some dry scrub land and then huge fruit tree estates before hitting the motorway at Venta Roman.  I got a lift back to La Linda Tapada and staying there two nights.

The last day in Murcia is a bit better, the trail is good following an ancient camino across wide open and  empty spaces and if you like big skies it's a nice walk.  You cross the boundary into the region of Valencia just before you get to Pinosa, a small village with a big expat population and which has been speculatively over developed.

If you want to know what it felt like on a daily basis than have a look at the walk diary

Canada de la Cruz to El Sabinar
El Sabinar to Moratalla
Moratalla to Calasparra
Calasparra to Cieza
Cieza to Venta Roman
Venta Roman to Pinosa

Saturday 2nd April Venta Roman to Pinosa

Nice steady walk today, perhaps a bit low key, but maybe what was needed to get my ankle back on track. It's still a bit swollen but I'm not worried about it any more. What the "injury" has brought home however is how tight my schedule is, how vulnerable it is to anything going wrong, and how fed up I would be if anything did go wrong. I really want to do this walk.

Apart from being the perfect walk for my ankle the walk did not provide a lot to write home about. Miguel kindly took me back the petrol station at Venta Roman and had made me a great pack lunch. Weather was nice, not as hot as yesterday, good weather for walking. 26 kilometres to Pinosa, a very gentle climb, then across a wide valley, another gentle climb, and then a walk down into Pinosa. Just before you get to Pinosa you cross the border from Murcia into Valencia.

Heading east from Venta Roman

The boundary with Valencia

After my last attempt to point to what I thought was an unusual plant, which two people then dismissed as a daffodil, I'm a bit nervous about highlighting what looks like a cross between asparagus and a lupin. Is this interesting or just another display of my ignorance?

Lupin?

Almond and other fruit trees have to a large degree given way to vines which have still to emerge from their winter slumber. Given what they have to produce by September/October then they really have to crack on.

Vines in April

Pinosa is a small town (circa 1100 population) a significant proportion of which are British. The Bed & Breakfast I'm staying at, just outside the town, is actually British owned and the landlady is currently standing for election to the local council. Evidence of the collapse of the Spanish property market is everywhere in Pinosa.

Pinosa

Endless empty flats

The really big news is that for the next couple of weeks or so I have a walking companion, Christine Durrant, and logistical back-up, provided by Christine's husband John. Some of the walking in Valencia is a bit remote, accommodation difficult to find, so this should work really well.

John was able get the Tottenham Wigan game on his laptop, given the game on Tuesday, 0-0 was entirely predictable.

Monday 28th March Canada de la Cruz to El Sabinar

Have now been trekking for four weeks and although I didn't really expect it, today was one of the best walks. There is no English language guide to the walk and my expectations, based on staring at Google Earth, were not high. I was expecting a long road walk up a valley and then back down again. Well it was a lot better than that.

It was a long walk, and by the time I got to the Hotel, which is 4 kilometres beyond El Sabinar, I think I've walked about 38 kilometres. It was also cold, I'm still well over 1,000 metres above sea level, and it was a fleece walk all the way.

Looking back to Puebla de Don Fadrique

The first part of the walk took me out of Canada de La Cruz, along a very quiet road, and up between the Sierra de Moratalla to the south east and the Sierra de Taibilla. The Sierra de Moratalla have the highest peaks in Murcia at just over 2,000 metres. After a steady climb through pine the road descended and then, after about 8 kilometres, turned into a nice forest track.

I was looking out for the Sanctuario de la Virgin de la Rogativa, the site of one of several local Virgin miracles, and although it was a bit dull it did signal the start of a really wonderful stretch. Essentially a sandstone gorge which went on, I guess, for 8 or 9 kilometres, the cliffs on each side, although not enormous, had just about every colour of sandstone imaginable.

Stunning Sandstone Cliffs 

Gorge before El Sabinar

After the gorge the walk went up around the Cerro de Castillar through some really high fields of spring barley and lavender. Obviously to early to see them at there best. There was also a lot of wonderful trees a sort of yew tree or something similar.

It was then through the village of Calar de la Santa and onto into much more open countryside, across a high level plain, in the middle of which sits El Sabinar. All a bit cold and bleak but great long views. I didn't quite know where the hotel was so walked down the road south of El Sabinar rather along the trail which ran parallel to it. Looks a good trail and will be able to get on it again really easily when I set off tomorrow. By the way the way marks are pretty good and the GPS trail I found on Wikilocs is on the nail and takes me all the way through Murcia.

Plain above El Sabinar

Saw a very interesting caterpillar phenomena today. Basically long lines of caterpillars following in a trail nose to arse. Now if they weren't caterpillars this could be regarded as strange behaviour. I don't now how the caterpillars go about choosing their leader but he/she was definitely the pick of the bunch. In the interest of science I temporarily removed the lead caterpillar and I can report that chaos set in with the followers just bunching up into a heap. Amazing.

Pine tree eating catapillars

The hotel I'm staying at, the Casa Pernias, is also amazing, extremely spacious,very comfortable and very friendly. I guess you would describe it as a boutique hotel, so lucky me. Full details can be found via the accommodation tab on the home page.