Safe Return Doubtful

Day 50 – to Canillas de Albaida Last night at Frigliana I had been on the edge of the Sierras of Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Natural Park, and today I ventured into it. It’s mountains break up the horizon with a spectacular succession of peaks reaching more than 1,500 metres,…

Day 49 – to Torrox It certainly rained last evening. It had been in and off for an hour before at about 6 pm the skies opened, with thunder and lightning, and the torrents lasted about four hours. It was the first rain the area had had for four months.…

Day 48 – to Bérchules Bérchules is based around orchards, various fruit, but cherry tomatoes being the most evident. It is much less touristy than the other Alpujurran villages I have passed through, and I’m unsure exactly why. It has a similarly spectacular setting. It can’t offer the parking that…

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…

Day 46 – at Trevélez A quiet day with just a walk into the village in the morning to pick up some bread and investigate sausages. The village is divided into three levels, the Barrios Bajo, Medio and Alto (low, middle and high), with 200 metres of altitude difference between…

Day 45 – to Trevélez This high Mediterranean climate is one that is extremely dry in the summer, and usually breaks with rain in early October. As last year, that hasn’t happened, it was three to four weeks late, but is usually quite reliable. It goes along with a sharp…

Day 44 – at Hoya del Portillo (above Capileira) Hikers generally take at least two days to scale Spain’s highest peak, Mulhacén, at 3482 metres. One reason being that it’s quite luxurious to stay at the Refugio Poqueira, with dinner, beers and a sauna. Camping is illegal in most places,…

Day 43 – to Hoya del Portillo (above Capileira) Before the crowds gathered for their Sunday afternoon lunches and slow walks around the village I headed off on one of the hikes from Guy Hunter-Watts’s Walking In Andalucia. It heads out of Capileira on the east shoulder of the Poquiera…

Day 42 – to Pampaneira It was a good time to leave the Veleta parking, being Saturday morning. From first light the place had started to fill up with walkers and mountain bikers, and by 8 am it was completely full. So different to how it had been the last…

Day 41 – at Hoya del Moro (Pradollano) A quality hike today, though the dog had certain reservations. Here at altitude, as observed by Tom on the dog’s Facebook page, there were no sticks. I headed up across the ski slopes to the more rugged faces of the mountain, and…