Day 47 – at Trevélez

Trevélez village may have its fame due to its situation below the Mulhacén mountain, but views of the country’s highest point are limited, more impressive are the mountains to its eastern side, a ridge that runs north-south for 10 kilometres or so. Standing directly and dominating over the village is the mountain of Peñabon, slightly lower than the ridge, but quite fearsome in its outline, and at this time of year especially, lit up brightly by the sun, low in the sky. I had been keen to get up to the top of it since I first saw it on arrival a couple of days ago.

I set off on the GR-7, arguably Spain’s most famous footpath. It extends from Tarifa, near Gibraltar, to France, Andorra, then France again, through Cervennes, finishing on the Ballon d’Alsace (where I was last year), 3300 kilometres in all, 1900 of them in Spain. I have walked in it a few times this trip, but just 3 km today, from where I had parked the van, next to the Trevelez river. The climb up is a steady one, and steep, through forest so just the occasional glimpse of the ever-diminishing village below, and in the shadow until emerging from the tree line at just over 2000 metres. Other than that occasional view, the highlight was passing a man coming down from the peak with 4 horses and 10 dogs. He bade me good morning, but I was left wondering what he and his menagerie were doing.

The first half, if attempting the path anti-clockwise, is steep but quite manageable, as is reaching the peak itself. We actually went onto the ridge above, a kilometre or so, and a couple of hundred metres up, but all very straight-forward. Not so the descent, which zig-zags incredibly steeply down a magnificent rockface, stopping for lunch midway down. It was quite breathtaking, the photographs will not do it justice. It’s left for debate which way is best to walk this wonderful hike. The ascent of the rockface would be tough, but safer, and the incredible view ahead. As a descent, it just requires quite a lot of pausing..and balancing..

Back at the van just after 3.30 pm, I decided to stay put. Though it’s a main road, it’s very quiet. I wandered back into Trevelez to get some bread, and by chance, came across a really good bar, the Piedra Vanatana. With the light fading it was to be a cold night, and the barman ushered me in to sit at the bar, with the dog, saying that if a customer did complain, very unlikely, I would have to go outside. Decent beer, Alhambra brewery, and excellent tapas, always the local ham on a variety of bases.