Safe Return Doubtful

Day 40 – to Hoya del Moro (Pradollano – Sierra Nevada) It had been a restless night; that dreaded hum after the lights are out… by first light there were five carcasses splattered on the back wall, but it had taken some time for the killings to be completed. My…

Day 39 – at Güéjar Sierra The town of Güéjar Sierra is a couple of kilometres away. Something bigger than a village, but smaller than a town, with about 200 metres in height between the top house and the bottom house. I located the fruit and veg shop, and picked…

Day 38 – to Güéjar Sierra The Sierra Nevada range is a ridge running largely west-south-west to east-north-east. The watershed stays consistently above 3,000 metres, sufficiently high that the tops are consistently snow covered. There are several of Europe’s most southerly ski resorts here. Much of the range is part…

Day 37 – at Puerto de la Ragua I opted for the longer hike, a circuit of the mountain Chullo, and set off early, just after the sun came above the hills. It had been a refreshingly cool night up at 2000 metres, the temperature dropping down to 3C. It…

Day 36 – to Puerto de la Ragua (Sierra Nevada National Park) PART THREE Day 36 – to Puerto de la Ragua (Sierra Nevada National Park) After a quick circular route in the morning we headed away from the Sierra de Baza, just 50 kilometres or so south to Sierra…

Day 35 – at Narváez I took the van up another 14 kilometres along the forest track to the pass at almost 2000 metres and hiked the circular route that took in the peak of Santa Barbara at 2269 metres and gave a 360 degree view of the surrounds of…

Day 34 – to Narváez (Sierra de Baza) It was a good time to leave Castril. Thursday is the annual holiday of the town. Because it’s a Thursday they run it into the weekend and take Friday off as well. Next Tuesday is the National Day of Spain, and as…

Day 33 – at Castril At 850 metres above sea level only, I’m lower than I’ve been for a while, and that does make a difference to how cool it gets at night, only about 14C here. But I’m at a very shaded park up, so much so that the…

Day 32 – to Castril (part two) Castril is recognised as a place of historic interest. The steep, narrow cobbled streets, with the typical whitewashed houses are a classic example of Andalusian village life. Of particular interest is the general structure and decoration of the houses, and the use of…

Day 32 – to Castril The Natural Park of Sierra de Castril is a rugged and spectacular region known for for its unique geological features; a dramatically eroded landscape of gorges, vertical cliffs, waterfalls and, below ground, numerous caves. It has quite a different climate to its sister Cazorla to…