6 March 2012 Padules

The offending sign post

6 March 2012   Padules

We had a choice this week, we could either go and do a section on the Sulayr path or continue along the GR142. As both paths started in roughly the same area, the far end of the Alpujuarra, we said we would wait and see what the weather was like before deciding what to do. In the end we decided on the easiest option because Kees was having problems with a persistent cough and we had promised Marjan we would look after him.
We drove to Padules, the centre of last weeks escapade when the bus went without us. This week we were going to walk without the aid of the bus on the section we did not manage to complete last week. We only managed to walk 10 metres before stopping to buy Churros, a donut type of snack, on sale in the market. Last week we did not have time to explore the village, but this week we followed the route as it wound its way along the narrow streets and out into the campo. We were heading for Almóeita which turned out to be one of the nicest little villages we had visited, a lot of the house had poems written on the walls. We were not too concerned when the signs for the GR142 were replaced with the GR140 as around Laujar de Andarax the two routes were on the same post, the GR140 comes down from Puerta Ragua and goes to Almeria. The GR142 goes its own way in Canjáyar, but around here both appear to follow the same path. After Almóeita the route is on the main road for 1 km before heading into the campo again.
According to the map we should have picked up a little path heading steeply uphill to where we had turned around last week. We could not find any sign of the GR142 going over the hill but there was a big sign for the GR140 going around it. The further we followed this route the more convinced we became that we had gone wrong somewhere. Eventually we came up with a new plan, we would return to Padules on a short cut we had discovered and yes, this short cut really did work. We would then drive to where we had stopped a week ago, the map showed a track we thought we could get the car down and then we would resume our walk and see where we ended up. The drive was easy enough even though we did expect to fall down an old mine shaft at any moment. We stopped for lunch on the same place we had stopped at last week and then set off walking again.
After 2.5 km we arrived at the GR140 sign we had looked at in the morning. Careful examination revealed that the post should have had a GR142 sign on it as well, pointing to the little path heading up hill. Apparently the GR142 goes over the hill and the 140 goes around it, but the 140 is not shown on the map, life in Spain is not always as easy as it seems. We turned around and headed back for the car, happy that the mystery of the missing path had been solved. Mike developed a new game involving the throwing stones at the numerous large rocks that abound in this area. We were most impressed with his skill as he managed to hit every one, after each throw he announced howzat. It was only when we questioned his ability by asking him to point out in advance what he was going to hit that we realised he was a complete fraud he could not hit anything. It was down to the Auzzie to show the poms how to do it, she hit the rock on the first throw. What a girl! she can be on my team anytime. Mike was issued with a 3 walk suspension for cheating.


Once again we stopped off in Cadiar for a beer before returning home.
  
    
On the walk Mike, Kees, Rene, and myself.

Distance on GR142 8 km, ascent 567 metres, total distance 16.6 km.
Total on GR142  98 km , Total walked 161.9 km. Total ascent  7846 metres.

28 February Laujar de Andarax

28 February 2012   Laujar de Andarax
When we were planning this walk last year we thought we would be able to make use of the local buses to return us to our starting point. Unfortunately we have only been able to use it once, when we caught the bus back from Busquister to Orgiva. All the other occasions the bus either did not go to the villages we wanted to go to or the times were wrong. This week everything fell into place, planning wise. But, as they say, the best laid plans can go astray.
We had an early 7.45 am start, we had a bus to catch 110 kms away in Padules. The idea was we would catch the 9.50 from Padules to Laujar de Andarax and then walk back to Padules. Arriving in Padules with 25 minutes to spare we decided to go for a quick coffee. We came out of the bar with 10 minutes to go before the bus was due to arrive only to see it disappearing down the road. It was Andalusia day, a local holiday, and this was the only bus, we were devastated, all that planning for nought. What were we going to do? Would the wives accept we had spent the day in the bar?
A new plan was finally conceived. Plan B had us driving back to Laujar de Andarax and setting off on our usual “there and back” type of walk.
We started off where we had finished the previous section, a couple of weeks ago, and followed the road into the village. We stopped off at the tourist information center looking for a guide book  to the walk where a very helpful lady pointed us the right direction, sadly she did not have a guide book for sale.
The route was along quiet back roads and campo tracks, following the Rio Andarax as it made its’ way slowly down the valley. Inevitably there is always a hill to climb and, with a change in the landscape, we started a easy climb out of the valley. We were into mining country now, and the hillsides are littered with old abandoned lead mines. There are buildings and shafts everywhere and notices advising you not to go off the trail. At the top, and after walking 11 km, we stopped for lunch and then started our return journey back.
Now we all consider ourselves pretty fortunate to be able to get out on our rambles twice a week in this beautiful countryside, but today we came across a lone walker, making his way up the hill, who was able to top our charmed life. It transpired he was an American,  from Michigan,  on an extended holiday. He had started walking from Winchester in the UK, crossed over to France, walked down through France, Northern Spain, Portugal and was now headed for Barcelona and onwards into Italy. How he got that past his girlfriend I have no idea.
We wished him good luck with the rest of his holiday and continued our short journey back to Luajar de Andarax, which was where Boabdil came to live after he was expelled from Granada in 1492. We felt it was our duty to stop for a beer in the town before heading home. We got back to the valley around 6 pm.
    
On the walk Mike, Kees, Rene, and myself.

Distance on GR142 10.5 km, ascent 517 metres, total distance 21 km.
Total on GR142  90 km , Total walked 145.3 km. Total ascent  7279 metres.

14 February Alcolea - Laujar de Andarax

Lunch near Laujar de Andarax

14 February 2012   Alcolea - Laujar de Andarax

Back on the trail again we returned to where we had left off last week. This involved driving to Alcolea, and then going off road and driving up the barranco we had walked up last week.
From a distance the countryside looks devoid of anything interesting, but when you are down in the canyons, things change, and it is fascinating, following the track as it meanders back and forth.
Parking at last weeks terminus we set off walking following the path for about 1 hour as it made its way towards Alcolea, which we could see in the distance looked vibrant, and cared for, a far cry from Jorairátar which was only a few miles away.
When we arrived in the village there was a market in full swing. I was so busy concentrating on dragging Rene away from the stalls as we made our through the village that we lost Kees. When we returned to look for him he was standing in the middle of the village square sampling the locally made vino. Not sipping it out of a glass, but pouring it down his neck straight out of the bottle. A few weeks back I had promised his wife Marjan that we would try and look after him whilst we were out. I would hate to think what she would have said if we had brought him back drunk, especially when it was before 11 in the morning.
Having checked that he was sober enough to continue the walk we re grouped and made our way out of town and into open countryside. We were headed for Láujar which must be the centre of the Alpujarran wine trade because we were surrounded by fields of vines which were undergoing their annual pruning. Mark had stopped to pick up some cuttings to take home to expand his own vineyard, but, we had not gone far when a local farmer told him that the samples he had nicked were of an inferior quality to his and he would be happy to exchange them for his superior cuttings, he wanted Mark to have the best. It seems the competition as to who produces the best wine even extends to who has the best twigs to pinch.
The track eventually arrives at the main road which you have to follow for about 1 km into Láujar de Andarax. Not wanting to walk by the side of a busy road, well, we had seen at least a couple of cars, I suggested we turn around and head back and then next time we can drive into Láujar.
The way back followed our outbound route and fortunately, by the time we got back to Alcolea the market had gone, so with nothing to distract us we continued our journey back to the car.
We were looking forward to our return to J.B bar in Cadiar, so you can imagine our disappointment when we arrived to find it closed. We ended up in a night club opposite, but it was so dark inside you could not see what you were drinking.
    
On the walk Mike, Kees, Rene, Mark and myself.

Distance on GR142 10.0 km, ascent 647 metres, total distance 20.3 km.
Total on GR142  79.51km , Total walked 124.3 km. Total ascent  6762 metres.

7 February 2012 Jorairátar - Alcolea

J.B bar Cadiar

7 February 2012  Jorairátar -  Alcolea

It has been a few weeks since we hit the GR142 trail, first of all the the weather continued to improve, so much so that the snow had gone from the Sulayr trail allowing us to resume doing a bit of that. Then, Kees went absent, well he went off to Houston to visit his daughter and new grandson and, what with Ray doing penance back in the UK,  Plym off touring the trouble spots of Asia, Rene in charge of entertaining her granddaughter, it as just been Mike and myself left holding the fort, just a couple of Billies with no mates.
The weather has now turned cooler and the snow has returned to the higher slopes. Kees is back from the states, but his new grandson did not put in an appearance, and Rene is back in circulation so we thought it was a good opportunity to go back to Jorairátar and resume the GR142.
Things did not get off to a good start, Rene had forgotten where she had parked her car and tramped all over Albunúelas looking for it, only to find it outside her front door. Fortunately she remembered to ring and so we waited for her to turn up.
We then drove up to Jorairátar, the last time we were there we thought it looked a poor village with very few cars. Our thoughts were confirmed when we were driving up the road to the village. We discovered what looked like tumbleweed, blowing in the wind, the road was covered, no one had been this way for years. We expected a stage coach to appear around a corner at any moment.
In the village there was no obvious signs of a path to Los Montoros.  Up until now I have been able to download the route into my GPS but I can’t find any more published waypoints, from now on we are on our own, destined to wander around the badlands forever. We stopped and asked a local hombre if he knew the route. He looked bewildered, first by the fact we were strangers in his Publeo and second that we wanted to walk to the next village, I don’t think he knew that another village existed.
We eventually found a path leading out of the village going in the right direction and, after joining another path, picked up the route markings again. We followed this path down to the river where all signs of the path and markings disappeared. The last 2 inches on the map showed that the path followed the river, criss- crossing it numerous times for the next 8 km. I don’t know who planned the route but there was no path, we tried both banks and the surrounding fields, forded the river, tried to build bridges, but each time we came to an impass.  
Rene won the prize for the most ingenious crossing when she wedged a log in a rock face and scrambled across. For an Aussie used to the outback it was probably nothing. For Kees, a Dutchman, it was a bridge too far.
We decided to turn around, go back to the car, and drive to where the river crossed the road and attack the route in the opposite direction.
Arriving at the a fore mentioned point we found the signs for the path, but that was all there was, signs but no path. We decided to abandon this section of the walk completely and drive to Darrícal and try our luck from there.
The road to Darrícal was closed for Obras, it looked like it had collapsed into the ravine that it runs alongside of. Checking the map showed that the path was on the road for about 5 km, not having any wish to follow a tarmac road all that way we decided to leave that section out as well. Instead we found the path as it continued along its way to Alcolea. This was more like it, proper signs every 100 metres and a clear path to follow in a steep sided, multi coloured, barranco, proper Indian country. We felt like the magnificent seven, except there was only four of us. After an hour black clouds appeared on the horizon and we decided to beat a retreat back to the car and the safety of the J.B bar in Cadiar. I only said we felt like the magnificent seven, I did not say we were.
We have stopped at the bar a number of times whilst walking up in this area and have always had great tapa and a warm welcome from Jo the landlady.
    
On the walk Mike, Kees, Rene and myself.

Distance on GR142 7.0 km, ascent 544 metres, total distance 14 km.
Total on GR142  69.51km , Total walked 104 km. Total ascent  6115 metres.

5 January 2012 Lobras - Jorairátar

Lunch in Jorairátar

5 January 2012 Lobras - Jorairátar

We returned again this week to the barranco below Lobras for the next section of the walk, this time we were walking to Jorairátar.
The walk crosses the river using the road bridge and then immediately goes down into the barranco, then out again, up the hillside. This is where we came unstuck. We could see the red and white painted signs heading off up hill, the problem was the river had carved the embankment away making it impossible to climb out.
Retracing our steps we found a way through a tumbled down house and then we were back on the path. It was a good job it was abandoned, it would have been a bugger walking through the kitchen and out through their lounge window.
The hardest bit of the walk then followed as the path went straight up the hillside. It would not normally have been a problem but, coming straight at the beginning of the walk, with frost on the ground, and before we had  warmed up, quite a bit of cursing went on.
Once we were at the top the path turned into a delightful ridge walk with extensive views over the Sierra Nevada. At the end of the ridge the path joins the Cadier road which you have to follow for about 1 km before you turn off on a drivable track towards Jorairátar. Unfortunately they have used builders rubble as the bed for the road, so the impression one gets of the area is not good, which is a pity as it would be a pleasant section with a little forethought.
Leaving the builders rubbish behind the track opens out into a very wide river bed, the banks of which must be 50 metres high. This was once a Glacial lake and the banks are made of all the sediment that was brought down with the Glaciers. The area is directly opposite Guadix, on the other side of the Sierra Nevada, and the landscape is very similar.
On our midweek walks the conversion usually turns to solving the worlds ills, or untangling the unexplainable like “why do acequia flow uphill?” This week we did not have the distraction of any women with us. So it was an opportunity for Mike to open up to us about something that has been troubling him a while. In private, when he is on the Internet, he is known has Michelle. As you can imagine we were all a bit gobsmacked at this news, but we thought the best way to deal with it was to take the piss out of him. This kept us entertained all the way to Jorairátar, where upon he removed his shoes to reveal he was wearing odd Yellow and Pink socks, I kid you not. He walked by himself at the rear on the way back.       
After a couple of Kms following the river bed the path climbs out of the valley and continues its journey through Almond plantations which were showing the early signs of new buds. The path continues on towards Jorairátar, this was a delightful route except for the final km. Once again they had chosen the most picturesque section to tip all their household rubbish into a steep sided ravine, what a shame.
Jorairátar is a poor little village with two churches, one falling down and the other just managing to remain upright. We stopped here for lunch in the sun, it was 25 degrees and Mike even discovered a snake making its way down the street. Remember this is early January. After lunch we set off back to the car. Our route back was the same as the outward journey except for a short cut we used  to miss a steep section out. Passing through the Almond plantation again, we noticed that some of the trees that were in Bud a few hours earlier now had flowers on. What a good winter we are having.    
We stopped off in Torvizcón once again for refreshment, we have tried three bars now and this by the bridge was the best.
Footnote
To avoid litigation will you please note that any characters named in this blog bear no resemblance to any person alive or dead, and any exploits that these fictitious characters get up to are a figment of my imagination.
I hope that clears things up and saves Mike from any embarrassment.

On the walk Mike, Kees, Ray and myself.

Distance on GR142 12.51 km, ascent 886 metres, total distance 24.9 km.
Total on GR142  62.51km , Total walked 90 km. Total ascent  5571 metres.

27 December Nieles to Lobras

Stopping for refreshment in Torzvicón

27 December 2011  Nieles- Lobras

We needed a short walk this week so that Kees could get to the Dentist, we can’t have him smiling at his new grandson with his teeth missing. This section of the walk just fitted the bill, with an estimated total distance of around 16 km and not a lot of climbing, he would be sat in the Dentist’s chair in plenty of time.
We were going to do the walk in the reverse direction, starting from near Lobras, this way we would get most of the climbing done in the morning.
The walk starts by following a stream in a deep sided barranco, and even though we did not start walking until 9 am, the sun could not reach down into the bottom of it. There was frost on the ground and we were glad of the hats and gloves. The path crosses the stream too many times to count and it was a good job there was not much water in it, else we would have been looking at seriously wet feet. After a couple of K’s we came across the GR7 crossing our path. Both routes were heading for Lobras ,the GR7 taking the direct approach whilst our path meandered up a hillside that was suffering from serious erosion, necessitating in us having to take a short detour.
The path passes through Lobras and then follows a track through Olive growing country, making its way towards Nieles. At one point we missed a turning but were quickly put back on track by two 8 year old Brits, busy playing in the fields. Nieles is a small village on a hillside, unfortunately not the same hill that we were on. The only way to reach it was to follow the path down into the barranco and climb out again. We had planned the walk as a there and back one but in the village there was a map showing that we could take an alternative way back via Tímar, a small village above Lobras. I was a bit hesitant about the route because it wasn’t on our maps or in the GPS. A local woman assured us that if we followed the road for 15 minutes we would come to it, hum! in a straight line it was 4 km. We walked about 10 minutes and then decided to turn around.
When we got home I rechecked all the maps, none of them showed the road we were on, which if we had continued to follow  would have taken us to Tímar in just over an hour.
After stopping for lunch in Nieles we retraced our steps as far as Lobras and then followed the road back down to the car.
We stopped off in Torvizcón for refreshment and the group photo, something went wrong here, my image failed to appear. We were home in plenty of time for Kees to get his new teeth.

On the walk Mike, Kees, Ray and myself.

Distance on GR142 8.4 km, ascent 751 metres, total distance 16.7 km.
Total on GR142 50km , Total walked 86.5 km. Total ascent  4685 metres.

Section 3 Busquister to Nieles

6 December 2011

We returned to walking the GR142 this week after a couple of weeks off due to holidays. The next section of the route was from Busquista to Nieles. There are no buses linking the villages up on this section so we had to do a there and back walk.
We parked the car some 2.5 km outside of Busquister, where the path crosses the road, and started by walking back to Busquister, which was at the other side of the valley, and a near 200 metre vertical drop down one side to the Rio Trevelez and a climb out again up to the village. The climb up into the village was the reason for doing the walk this way round, I did not fancy the steep climb after another hard days walk. Better to get it over with whilst we were still fresh.
We went back to bar were we had stopped last time but, instead of beer, this time it was for hot chocolate, it was still cold in the shade. We were now back at the point where we had finished off on the 17 of November.
Setting off again we retraced our steps back down into the gorge, you will notice I did mention retrace our steps, it was like a whole new walk for Plym who claimed she had never been on the path before. Arriving back at the car, now hot and sweaty after the climb, we were able to shed the warm clothing we had needed when we had set off . Mike, who has taken to carrying a thermometer on the walk, was saying the the temperature had risen to 16 degrees, perfect for walking. The route now follows the road towards Castáras for about 500 metres before picking up another track heading straight down hill to the charming village of Notáez. So isolated, it has only one foreigner living there, an Irish man called Eddey. The walk was like being on a big dipper as the path now headed back up the hillside to the village of Castáras where we stopped for lunch. The next village along the route is Nieles, unfortunately there is no footpath so you have to walk by the side of the road, only 2 cars passed us, so it was not really a problem. We came across an unusual sight in this corner of of Spain of an old chimney winding its way up the hillside, further investigation revealed that they used to mine Corderoite here and from this mineral they were able to extract Mercury.
Arriving in Nieles it was like stepping back into history, with the very narrow streets and  small village house with the animal sheds underneath. It was time to turn around and head back to the car, we kept to the road most of the way to save us having to climb up and down the hillside.
We stopped off in Torvizcon on the way back for a look at Santa Claus and a beer, he must have been having harsh words with his Elf, because he was not in a jovial mood. So we did not wish him Merry Christmas.
A very good walk as far as Castáras, a shame about the road section afterwards.



On the walk Graham, Mike, Kees, Plym, Ray and myself.

Distance on GR142 11.77 km, ascent 1116 metres, total distance 20.8 km.
Total on GR142 41.57, Total walked 69.8 km. Total ascent  3577 metres.