27th April. Campsite life

It's hard to keep track of the day's here. I've had the company of cyclist's since arriving. couples from Belgium, America, and Holland and Dutch and French guy's.
It's been very social in the evenings and most people stay more than one night. It's a good place to be.
The Dutch cyclist's, who have cycled all over the world, were riding Santos bikes, which had Rohlof hub gears and belt drive. They said that it was a revelation when they changed from conventional gears and chain drive, and they wouldn't go back to deruellier.

(Whilst I'm here this is more a personal record and may make boring reading)

Day27/28 Camping Isidiro. Cazorla

With my foot being so painful on the to Cazorla, I decided to get it checked out at the hospital here. I saw the Dr & had to return the next morning for xrays.
There's a fracture but it could be an old one, as the pain is under the foot not above it in the area on the xray.
I am treating it with a arnica and other ingredients in a cream thats massaged in. That and rest for a while will hopefully sort it out.

Day26. Cazorla. 8miles total.283

I was the only passenger on the bus to Quesada. The road from a few miles after Pozo Alcon rose up into the mountains was spectacular.
I couldn't find the GR7 to leave Quesada, so followed a route I worked out off my gps app. Through Olive trees on farm tracks for 6miles.
Corzola came in site as I came around a hillside and the countryside changed to mountainous and no Olive trees.
I arrived at the road by the entrance to a campsite. I was feeling I'd had enough for one day. I hadn't got any rest in Baza, noisy, and my back was achy. I'd got up 4.30 to catch the bus. My foot was aching as bad as at any time.
The campsite was perfect. Grassy tree shaded terraces, friendly Dutch owners, cyclists from Belgium as neighbours. Just what I need !
Later 2 American cyclist's turned up. I had a social evening with fellow travellers sat on chairs by a fire

Day24. Baza.12miles. total276ml

My sore foot was considerably better today, thankfully.
As I was leaving the hotel, which is the only building for miles, I saw a herd of deer grazing. I've seen pairs of ibex, but not a lot of wildlife so far.
It was great walking through woodland and along river beds until the outskirts of Baza.
I passed a lot of inhabited caves,   they had built bits on the front usually. The chimney coming out of the hillside behind told me which were caves.
Typically I arrive on a sunday with most shops closed. I need to re-supply both food and fuel.
I've been walking the south section of the GR7 to pass through the Alpjarra. Tomorrow I'm catching a bus to transfer to the north section, to walk through the Sierra Cazorla.

Day23. Narvaez 15.5 miles. total263ml

I was  delighted with my overnight accomodation, it was so much warmer than outside and no dew  covered tent to pack away.
I walked over 11 miles on forest tracks to the highest point on the GR7 in Andalucia at 6763'.
Not long after I started to descend, I turned off the track and walked steeply downhill losing a lot of height. Then uphill again to arrive at this upmarket govt. run hotel complex. Amazingly I could get a dormitory for €10. So here I am, the place is deserted, restaurant & bar shut, and no sign of other guests. To shower was worth €10 to me !

Day22. La Fraguara 15.8miles. Total 248ml

I went to leave and hitch to Puerto de la Ragua. After an hour and no luck I went back in the campsite for a coffee. Tinao the manager was delighted to see me, he said he'd take me in his car, he wouldn't take any fuel money.
It was a long way, I'm so glad my foot put me off such a big ascent. It was very cold, 2000m, I was glad I wasn't spending a night there.
I took it easy on my foot on the descent to La Calahorra. After a  salad in a bar I set off to walk/hitch across 12miles of flat land. 2 lifts & about a mile of walking got me to Charches. the way from there was very difficult to follow. the waymarking was very irregular and didn't tie in with the route description. I was nearly out of water and the Sierra de Baza is arid.
The sun was setting when I came upon a spring and a derilect building. The building has one room that is complete with brush to sweep it out. So water and bedroom for the night sorted.
I'm at 5673' so It'll be cold.

Day21. Laroles

Yesterday it rained all morning, & with a long ascent I decided that I'd have a rest day.
The campsite manager is very friendly & helpful. Neither he nor his wife speak much English, so it's good for my 'Spanglish'. They gave me a warm egg, straight from their hen's, for me to cook, nice
Last night as I was walking back to my room, I missed my footing on a step & fell heavily. Lots of pain in my right foot & hip. I'm hoping it's not too serious & that resting today I'll be able to carry on tomorrow.

day19. Laroles 10.5miles. 242ml

I spent the morning with Nikita & Alison, they sent me off with a packed lunch, & Alison gave me the 1st mandala she'd made. Lovely people.
I didn't sleep well as I was woken at 3ish by some pool pump or something, & I'd tried to get some tracks downloaded for my gps, & that was on my mind. So todays walk, although nice enough, was a bit of a plod.
Got the correct download for my gps today, & that's the route ahead sorted. I thought I was getting it wrong before - thankyou Viewranger.
At a campsite in Laroles, very friendly young staff, only 3 of os staying here. I've got the dormitory to my self for the same price as camping.

day18 Yegen 14miles total 232

I followed the Cadiar river to Narila, then a steep ascent through Alcutar & Bercules. From Bercules it's a very steep descent into a gorge, & a hard ascent up the other side.
Finding the GR7 where it exits from a town or village is often time-consuming even with the guide to refer to.
The change in terrain is staggering in this area. Where there are streams and rivers, but most importantly acequia's, (the irrigation  channel the Moors built), the land is lush. Often as I leave a valley I'll enter a harsh landscape.
Thus it was before approaching Mecina-Bombaron & after leaving Golco & on to Yegen.
After beer & tapas there I was heading for a strange spring, fizzy water, which had a picnic spot to camp.
I'd only just arrived when I met a Russian guy who lives in mid-Wales. Then it was an invite to dinner & camp in the garden of the place he & his partner were holidaying in. A great evening, thankyou Nikita & Alison

Day17. Cadiar. 16.5miles. Total 218ml.

A cold start & climbing all the way out of the Trevelez valley. Then into a cold wind, & I lost the (plot), route. Got into Juviles the long way, thankfully I've got a gps app on my phone for situations !
A great walk through Timar, Lobras & then into the Cadiar valley, to finish the day in Cadiar. Stopped for a beer at Hostal Neuvo Cadi, & when they said it was €20 for a room .... say no more.
When it warms up I will be camping again, I can't afford to stay in hostals every night, but in the mean time, it's a great end to the day. Oh to be wealthy !

Trevelez 9.5miles total201

I was glad I couldn't find a place to camp last night, the luxury of a shower was worth stayng at the hostel !The fact it rained overnight doubled my satisfaction of making the right decision.
  I set off & soon walked up into the clouds. Thick mist for the 1st hour, then I droped below the cloud base. Pleasant walking to Pitres, where I met a group of American women with 2 Spanish guides. The guides warned me that the section between Busquistar & Trevelez was closed because of a massive land-slip.
The walking between Pitres & Busquistar was through delightful countryside.
Just before I got into Busquistar, it started drizzling, so that decided me to hitch. The 2nd car that came along stpped & the woman gave me a lift aĺl the way to Trevelez, she went passed her turning to drop me off. Bless her.
I'm booked into a hostel here as I'm sure it would be a long cold evening & night in the tent.
A hostel cost £20 - £25 a night so I feel ok about the expense !

Day15. Pampaneira 15.5miles. Total192

I didn't start walking until midday, I had a late lift from Orgiva.
A steep climb out of Lanjaron & some hairy bits where the path was wiped by an avalanche with a lot of exposure. Hard walking and aching insteps. Defineately the best day of the walk so far.
The villages of Cañar & Soportujar were en route & I'm at Pampaniera for the night.
I couldn't really find anywhere flat & secluded to camp, so I've booked into a histal for the night !
A hot shower & central heating - luxurious.

Day11 Riogordo. 12.75miles

Angie dropped me off & after 2 miles of road it was on tracks all afternoon. The weather was great, hot at times but usually a breeze to make for comfortable walking. Very rugged mountain scenery north of the route made it the best walking so far on the GR7.
I arrived in Ventas de Zafarraya in the clouds & wind.
After a couple of beers I walked on to the edge of town & found a spot at the end of the industrial area. Windy & misty, yet good enough

Day13. Between Jayena and Albunuelas. 17miles. total 162miles

Walked 4miles down to Arenas del Rey, & I could see it was mostly the same harsh almond & olive hillsides. I partly walked & hitched to Jayena.
The route description made this much more appealing. After the 1st few miles on roads it was up through pine forest. Waymarking was very sparse & I kept thinking I was going the wrong direction. Much of it was south-west & I needed to go east.
Eventually decided enough for one day, & I'm camped at 4000', a cold night ahead.

Day7 Llanos de Libar. 15.3miles. Total 98.9

The day started hot, a long descent to Ubrique, resupplied & got some thin coolmax socks, as my feet have been suffering in the heat. I started out with the same type of socks that were brilliant in the Pyrenees.
A hot slog up the Roman road to Benaocaz, where I took a much needed rest & a couple of beers, until 5pm I set off again & it was more road walking. I'm not very impressed with the amount of road walking on the GR7 so far !
After Villaluenga del Rosario it got better. I am camped in a remote spot by a stream. Lovely.

Day12. Ventas de Zafarraya. 18miles 145 total

After a cool windy foggy night, today was walking pista & a little roadwork, & the odd bit of confusing path. Marking was sparse & often vandalised.
There were fantastic views of mountains from a largely agricultural hill country.
I did more miles than intended as the land is very harsh. I'm camped in nowhereland, yet can here music. A few miles in the morning will see me in Arenas del Rey.

Day14. 14.6miles total 176miles

A cold night, I should have brought my trusty downmat to sleep on. The Neoair just doesn't insulate enough.
A great walk to Albuneulas, narrow paths & stream beds in places, & well waymarked. Along a fertile valley to Restabal, to where I hoped for the campsite - fully booked by a scout troup. Damn, when I was hoping for a short day.
With uninspiring hilly land ahead I road walked/ hitched to Orgiva.
Orgiva is off the route, but friends from Brittany have a holiday home here. I met up with Danny the key-holder & am at home here.
Orgiva is a Glastonbury type place in Spain. Going to have a few days here, as I haven't slept well with the cold nights.
The 1st week too wet, 2nd week too hot, now too cold. It can only get better

Day8 Ronda.15.8miles. Total 114.7

A steep climb from my nights camp  while it was cool made a lovely start the day. The 1st proper mountainous walking, led up to a pass & descended to a broad high valley with only cattle & birds for company. Then the pista started again for a descent through woodland that emerged into another valley, & time for the brolly.
I got into Montejaque & decided to hitch to Ronda.
I've had enough of the heat & pista/road walking. Over 90% of the walking so far has been this.
Whilst in Ronda I had a bit of a look around, then set off on an alternate route that was prettier than the 2 days of mostly road walking ahead. Only when I was still on roads with fenced-in fields either side & after 3miles of road did the view open out for miles of road ahead, agh!!!
I hitched back to Ronda, dereated by the heat & roads.
I decided to get the train to Antequerra & base-camp Angie's.
The next train was mañana, so headed out of town & camped outside a house on the 1st accessable flat spot I came to.

Day 6 5miles south of Ubrique 18.1 miles 83.6 total

A steep walk up from Jimena then staying high for most of the day. Much less humidity than saturday, & cooler because of the altitude. Some lovely woodland walking on small paths, but then it was back to walking on pista (driveable tracks). Finally a couple of miiles road walking, downhill & I reached a bar. A couple of beers to end the days walk. I'm camped nearby with the view in the photo of Ubrique.

Day9 Ronda

Well, I've realised a few differences to my previous hiking in the past week.
1.  Hot weather and hard surfaces : Getting blisters when they've not been a problem for me before.
2.  Privately owned land: Owners don't want people entering their land & protect it  with 2m high fences & locked gates, making stealth camping spots hard to find outside of regional or national parks.
3.  Camino Reales, like Canada reales, are centuries-old pathways which were designated by royal decree. They are still very much in use by farmers to move their animals from area to area. Today they are also rural roads & their surfaces upgraded for vehicles.
I suspect that a large part of the GR's in Spain are routed along Canada Reales.
4.  Walking in the heat is no fun, but a shower or fresh water to clean-up in is highly desireable at the end of the days walking. Only once so far have I had fresh water where I've camped, besides the campsite at Jimena. Staying in hotels is a luxury that I will be able to afford only occaisionally. Campsites are few & often some distance from the Gr7.  Stinky !