The day had started off as a normal Alpujarra Nomads day walk but soon turned into a bit of an extended pub/beach crawl.
We started (fully clothed!) at the nudist beach at Playa Cantarijjan and hiked slowly up the gentle coastal path towards Playa Cañuelo. Within 10 minutes we turned right and up the steepening and rocky slopes to the summit of Cerro Caleta 200m. Some great views towards the sea and Nerja to the west. Then its an undulating ridge to join the road to the NW before dropping down the road to the Bar at Playa Cañuelo.
This is where things started to go wrong. I arrived to find a “cerveza grade” waiting for me. This was followed by another and then food galore, primarily platefuls of chips. Suitable fed and watered the walking took second place to chilling out on the beach.
Not being a beach bum sort of guy, it was the first time I had been swimming in the Mediterranean in the last 10+ years.
We reluctantly, and with stuffed bellies, continued the coastal walk back to the start point at Playa Cantarijjan. The humidity and heat made this normally enjoyable part of the day rather laborious.
Nevertheless, the aim of the Alpujarra Nomads is to visit pastures new or not recently visited, to seek out new challenges. As challenges go, this was a drinking and eating one, rather than a hiking one.
The photos below reflect the relaxed nature of the day.
Been playing with the camera again today as we returned to the Rio Saleres to do this spectacular river walk with Emma and Claire. The route only takes 2.5 hours but is a special journey into scenery few get to enjoy.
The plan had been to climb Pico Lucero from the north but Mrs Google Maps sending us into a remote dead end! So, no Pico Lucero today.
Instead we made the best of it and discovered a superb circuit of the Puerto de Frigiliana and the Mirador de Agua. Great views and superb weather despite a cold start.
Walk along the acequias above Lanjaron this morning with my girls (Kiersten, Emma, Claire and Rita) + Arko. A cold start, felt like autumn had arrived but this walk will become more colourful as autumn advances.
We started and finished above the Bar Frenazo at the western end of Lanjaron and did a circular clockwise route.
Photos from yesterdays walk in the beautiful Dehesa de Camarate near Lugros. We were a bit early for the October explosion of autumnal colours but a nice walk nevertheless.
We stayed overnight in Guadix at the Cuevas Abuelo Ventura. Spent a very convivial evening eating and drinking at the Liceo Accitano Restaurante Café Bar.
A good time to try out my new Sony 6400 camera. Some successes but overall I feel I have a lot to learn about using Aperture and Shutter Priority settings. Still, I managed a decent macro shot of Autumn Crocuses and managed to slow/blur the motion of the stream.
Today I've been helping the Chris Stewart walking group. A superb walking tour around the Barranco de Poqueira. Part time taxi driver for Kiersten, dog walker extraordinaire, part time guide and full time teller of tall stories. Guess what? I loved it! Good to be out in the Sierra Nevada showing people our beautiful mountains.
Today I also had the pleasure of meeting Antonio, a long time Facebook friend and legend in the Sierra Nevada. It's great that the mountains give us these moments of “coming together” in friendship.
There's something uniquely satisfying about reading the weather right. 10 minutes after finishing the walk today in the Monachil Gorge the heavens opened. Really good to be back enjoying Los Cahorros, 15 years since I was last there. Thanks to the Nomads for the good company and jovial banter. Good session afterwards in the bar too!
A superb way to spend a hot summers day! Walking up the river gorge outside The village of Albuñuelas in the Lecrin Valley near Granada, Spain.
Lots of shaded forest and woodland and always the sounds of gushing waters. The walk up the river takes a couple of leisurely hours with an hour's walk back along the road.
