17 September 2013 Siete Lagunas

Hi.

Last week in the Limper blog I mentioned Barack Obama, within 10 seconds of posting there was 23 hits from the states this is unprecedented. It looks like we may have crossed the paths of the CIA, FBI and the NSA. We certainly came across a lot of suspicious looking people on our Tuesday walk high in the Sierras. We certainly kept a lookout for drones circling above us but it felt more like a nuclear war had broken out with all the thunder and lightning going on around us.  

There that might be enough keywords to trigger a response.

4 June 2013 La Maroma

On the top of La Maroma

Hi

For a number of years the name La Maroma has been bandied about as a possible destination for a walk. For one reason or another we have never done it, various excuses have been used, we have no maps of the area, it’s a long drive, it’s too hot, it’s covered in snow. In November last year we walked along the bottom, northern side of it when we started the GR7 from Ventas de Zafarraya. It looked so interesting I was determined that we would go and explore it in 2013.

There are a number of ways to the summit, for us the ascent from Alhama de Granada, on the northern side, looked the best option. The southern slopes look incredibly steep, more suitable to mountain goats, while at least on the Granada side you can walk up. Admittedly it is still quite a climb.

Last week we thought we would be kind to Rene, for a change, and let her choose a walk. She is going back to Australia for the summer and we wanted her to go back with a positive image of the group. A few days later we changed our minds and told her she was going up La Maroma. She is normally a bit confused in the morning anyway so she would not have known where we were going in any case. To keep the positive image thing going I did say she could stop at her favorite bar, which is near the start/end of the walk.

There must have been a slight misunderstanding here, as she took that to mean we would stop for coffee and toast on the way out, I was thinking more of a beer and tapas on the way back. So, blissfully unaware I drove to the start of the walk in the middle of the forest, not realising the bitter disappointment that had developed in the second car, Rene had been telling everyone what a great place it was to stop for breakfast. To try and console them I promised them we would stop there on the way back for beer and tapas.  

The main route to the summit climbs steeply from the car park. We had chosen an alternative route, more suitable to our advancing years, that followed a meandering path. Unusually for a mountain walk it started by heading downhill where we soon came across the river, there were two options to crossing it. You could either paddle across or use a carefully positioned tree, Mr dare devil himself,  Dr Mike,chose the tree, the rest chose to paddle.

The path took us through a succession of changing landscapes, wildflower meadows, rocky gullies, sometimes following a path, at others necessitating the use of the GPS across the open countryside. In the distance you could see what looked like a precipitous path contouring across a steep hillside, I was hoping no one else would notice it, as it was our route. I had not brought the rope this week. Eventually word got round so I promised Mike we would look for alternatives if necessary. The path came out on a ridge which gave us our first views down to the coast, unbelievably there was a 4X4 road up here which we followed for the next 1.5 km in the direction of La Maroma. At the end of the road we came to the precipitous path but close up it was not the ballbreaking, death defying path it had looked from afar. Mike was soon across and we started the steep ascent of Llanadas de Sedella and the amazing little fuente of Tacita Plata, a tiny spring that appears from a pipe in the middle of a rock. At least it enabled us to refill our water bottles.

At last we were on La Maroma, this is an enormous mountain, not in height, just the sheer size of the area it covers, We still had 300 metres left to climb as we set off across the rock strewn hillside with it’s steep drops on it’s southern flanks. After climbing for nearly 6 hours we finally arrived at the summit, I don’t think I have ever climbed one with such an extensive top, they had even put a tower up so you could survey the area, only Dr Mike was inclined to climb it.

After a very late lunch we started our return journey back to the cars, this involved backtracking along La Maroma and then following the main route up, this was a lot quicker way than our outbound route and also a lot steeper. We were surprised at how many youngsters were making their way up in ones. In the end curiosity got the better of us, we were worried we were missing out on something important, perhaps there was a good tapas bar up there somewhere. They were all on a course and this was part of their examination, camping overnight, and continuing the walk the following day. I am glad I was not heading up that track with a full pack at 4 in the afternoon.

The path back was superb, extensive views, forest, wildflowers, mountain goats. We got back to the cars around 6, unfortunately Dave and Julie had to be home for around 7.30. So they and their party had to leave straight away, no time for them to be stopping off at the bar for drinks.

Poor Rene, Kees and Mieke, you could see little tears in the corner of their eyes when they realised there was no beer or tapas for them. There were big tears in our eyes a few minutes later when we arrived at the bar and found it closed. We had to drive on to Arenas del Rey to find a bar open.

This was a first class walk, up amongst the best and one that has to be repeated

We walked 21.8 km and climbed 1246 metres, the height of La Maroma is 2066 metres.     

 

 

Tuesday 22 November 2011 Rio Verde to Otivar.

The Rio Verde path

This weeks midweek outing was an all boys affair, with no girls to inhibit our explorations we were heading for a footpath that I have looked at many times, but I did not have a map of the area and was unsure of the  route, but this time I was able to down load the route into my GPS. It was not going to be a long walk and it was all down hill, so a late 8am start was on the cards.
The walk needs 2 cars and we met up with Kees in Velez and drove to Otivar and left his car there for our return at the end of the walk. A few weeks ago a similar arrangement fell apart at the seams when,arriving back, Kees discovered he had left his keys in the other car 10 km away. Taking no chances this time we made him give the keys to Ray for safe keeping.
As it was Grahams last walk for 5 months, we thought we would be nice to him for a change, so we stopped for a coffee and cakes. we then set off  to drive the 25 km to the start of the walk.
What  had looked a promising day down in Otiva soon turned cold and damp up on the ridge where the walk started, and we had not gone far before putting our waterproofs on as it started to rain. Fortunately it was only a passing shower and when we reached the Chorrera de la Fuente de las Cabrerizas, or, as we know it, the petrified waterfall, the sun was out. We were lucky to spot an Ibex as it ran along our path, but it moved too quickly to get a photo.
We then went down to the river and into unexplored territory, and the first of the many river crossings. After the recent rains there was more water in the river than normal, but we all made it across with dry feet.
I had sold the walk on the basis that it was all downhill, as you would expect on a walk that starts 900 metres higher than it ends and follows a river all the way, and even Graham can’t claim that water flows up hill on this walk. So with shouts from the rear of “We are not going up there are we” we proceeded up the hillside and into some spectacular scenery. I have always enjoyed walking in this area but this was unbelievable, with the near vertical sides of the valley, towering peaks and the lush tropical flora, words and pictures cannot do it justice. The path continued to contour around as the river fell sharply away, through a series of waterfalls. There are organised canyoning expeditions down the river, it must be one hell of a way to see it. The path looked like it was an old mule track, and it was well sign posted, so it came as a shock after we had made our way to the river that we came to a “Fin de Sendero” sign. We had come about 7 km by this point so we could have turned around and gone back, but where is the adventure in that.
We continued by scrambling over rocks for about 50 metres and then the path reappeared, there was also a new steel rope bridge strung across the gorge. Kees set off across the bridge with a smile on his face, but that soon faded as the bridge started to swing a little, it was a long drop down into the river.
Convinced that, with a bridge like that, we were on easy street  we continued to follow the path as it twisted and turned, climbed and fell, and generally followed the river as it tumbled down through a series of rock pools, it was like walking in an enchanted garden. It came as a shock when we came round a corner to discover that the next bridge had been swept away, leaving us with no option but to carefully navigate our way across using some strategically placed rocks. This became the only way to navigate the river as a number of bridges had succumbed to a storm. This week it was my turn to literally go ”arse over tit” on a steep section of the path, at least it was not a piece of paper I had slipped on, I could display my wounds with pride. With all the river crossings and the rough track slowing us down, I was starting to regret the late start and coffee stop, and I was beginning to think we might be spending the night out under the stars. At the Junto de dos Rios we came across signs of civilisation, well, someone had driven here at sometime. At least it meant the track might become a little easier, it still made its way across the river without bridges and  went up one side of the valley then the other, but at least we were managing to knock the kms off. We had kept passing Stalactites hanging from the rocks, but on this part of the path we came across some really magnificent specimens that had made gigantic umbrella canopies, truly amazing.
As we approached Otiva the valley opened out into lush farm land. The final half km, up into the village, was the hardest of the lot. I swear the road was nearly vertical, I have never seen anything like it, no wonder everyone has a Land Rover Defender, it must be the only vehicle that can navigate these steep, narrow roads.
We stopped at the nearest bar for a well earned beer, Kees and Graham nearly came to blows over the tapa when Graham accused him of having more than his fair share, next time we will have to get them separate plates.
The walk was one of the hardest we have done, even though it was all downhill (!), but it was also the most spectacular, well worth the grazed knee and damp feet.
All that remained was to drive back to the start of the walk to recover the car.

The walkers
Kees, Ray, Graham, Mark and myself.

Distance walked 20.8 Km, ascent 660 metres, descent 1411 metres.