Friday 15 July 2016

July 15th Lescun, the French Pyrenees

Well the journey here from Dorset was a micro adventure.
5 bus rides to Brockenhurst, (bless having a bus pass), where I camped tucked away near the train station. In the morning I caught the first train to hget my flight to Paris. After a while I flew to Bordeaux, but my backpack didn't arrive.
A four hour wait at the airport then on to get the last train to Pau. I arrived in Pau at 11pm to the biggest, loudest firework display I have seen, what a welcome. That was followed by music that was incredibly loud.
I found a grassy spot not far from the station to camp. The music did not finish until 2am.
I caught the train towards Lescun, then decided I would go on the waiting bus to Canfranc in Spain. (Ben and I walked from here 2 years before.) It is such a spectacular journey, I couldn't resist it.
I caught the return bus after 2 hours back in beloved Spain, to get off for the steep walk up to Lescun for the lovely campsite and a much needed shower. I was here in 2013

Tuesday 10 May 2016

11th May

As I have finished with the gr7, (possibly), I am setting up a new site :

terryswalks.blogspot.com

I'm off to Wales on 14th May to start my next saunter

Tuesday 19 April 2016

April 18th Mortalla

I went to sleep to a serenade by an owl and a frog last night.
A cold start, then it was soon back to road walking on tarmac.
After a bit the scenery was full of lavender fields, it must be stunning when they are in bloom.
After passing through a small village the way dropped down to El Sabinar.
Whilst having a break before setting off into the open landscape, I decided that the gr7 is no longer for me, too much road walking.
As soon as the gr7 seperated from the gr247 it became mostly tarmac.
In retrospect I wish I'd done the full circuit of the gr247. Getting back there was logistically a nightmare.
So with a combination of hitching and lots of walking I got into Mortalla at 9pm.
I got my final ride from a Spanish couple who I met at a spring in the mountains above Mortalla. They were filling dozens of 5litre bottles for them and there extended family.

P.S. I booked a flight from Alicante to Dorset for the end of the week.
The next walk will be in the UK, before returning to Europe in august.

Monday 18 April 2016

17th April, picnic site

A 9km road walk along the main road from Don Fadrique to Amacilles, being sunday no one stops for hitchers.
It was then a rough road for 5km to Canada la Cruz, where I stopped at the bar for an hour before setting off on another road section, boring.
At the pass after 7 or 8km the road became unpaved and downhill for a long way until I came to a picnic area, complete with spring tables and good places to pitch my tent. 22 miles plus for the day.
Since leaving the 247 the GR7 is mostly tarmac, boring

Saturday 16 April 2016

Pueblo de Don Fadrique

After leaving Potones the trail followed a vague path, together with the GR247 for 11km, until they seperated.
The GR7 became a road walk downhill for several kms to Santiago de la Espada. After getting food from the supermercado, I set off to hitch the 28km road to Pueblo de Don Fadrique.
I got 2 v.short rides, yet still walked a long way uphill until.a german guy gave me a lift all.the way to PdDF.
He dropped me off in the village centre, and I went straight to the bar to get my bearings. A young couple invited me for a beer and to join them for food they'd ordered
He, Fredrique spoke slightly better English than my Spanish, never the less after a few beers and wine and several phone calls it was arranged for a shower and place for me to sleep at the village sports centre.
Altogether a good day.

Friday 15 April 2016

April 15th Potones

The refugio was a lot warmer than the outside temperature in the morning.
The landscape was now a flatter area between mountains, big dry country that is overgrazed. Very few cattle visible.
There was lots of patches of snow about still. Not as spectacular as the previous days walking.
I thought I'd go across country to get to Santiago de la Espada, missing out Potones. After a few km the 1st place on marked on my map was just a road junction, so I cut back to the GR247.
At the highest point of todays walk I was a tad under 6000ft. Then it was mostly downhill to  Potones.
Eventually it became more forested and narrow until a few km before Potones.
The GR7 joined the 247, and from here I'll be following the GR7 all the way.
Potones didn't look much, but I found a hotel for 20euro's for the night

April 14th Rambla Seca Refuge

Each day gets better, the scenery and now the cold wind that's been blowing for 2 weeks has gone.
The 1st few miles were on level track, then the GR left the track and was a path that gradually ascended, with descents through remote country.
On the 2nd ascent, I forded a river 3 times following up a beautiful valley that reminded me of views I've seen of the USA.
I saw lots of ibex and deer from here on. One ibex was in the middle of the track mainly consumed by vultures ? There are lots of vultures each day.
I stopped at the 1st refuge for water and carried on to the next one
I didn't see anyone until shortly before I stopped at the refuge.
33km for the day is my longest day so far since leaving Ronda.

13th April El Hornico

  It was climb and climb with thr occaisional descent all morning for over 3600 to a highpoint at over 5300.
Skirting the peaks so that at times it was warm and still, others windy and cloud, again.
I should have waited another month to walk the GR247 .
It was a lovely descent through woodland with sun and no wind, getting warmer all the way.
I reached my destination, a nature study centre, with accomadation, only to find it deserted. Too early in the year.
It was a good place to stop anyhow. When I noticed a security camera I gave a wave and indicated I wanted to sleep.     After a bit a man turned up in an official vehicle, and took me to the casa rural, (country house). Everything I needed  for 30 euro.
I turned all the heaters on, got washing done and had a long soak in the bath. Lovely

April 12th nr Belerda

Last night's refuge was at 4900', so it was a cold start this morning.
Great walking on quiet trails and mule tracks along the edge of the mountains. I saw only 2 other people, runners.
Then at a pass the views to the south opened up on the descent to Tiscar and then Belerda.
The weather is so changeable from really cold when in the wind and it is cloudy, to warm, when out of the wind and it is sunny.
Belerda was a reasonable size village with nothing much there. At the open air bar I was told that I had to return to Tiscar to find accomadation !
So a steep 500' back to Tiscar and both places were very shut - too early in the year ?
So I walked on to near where the GR245 comes up from Belerda, and found a flat spot on the side of a disused road for the night.
It would have been good to charge my phone somewhere, ah well.

April 11th Collada Zamora

Overnight rain and a slow packing up meant I didn't leave until 10.45.
A long plod uphill with a sticky surface after the rain brought me above spectacular cliffs. The rest of the days 13km was up and down, gradually gaining height.
For the 1st day the scenery was a delight.
I saw a female ibex type creature at one point, and plenty of birds.
The cold wind and cloudy periods meant I was putting on and taking off layers constantly.
When I arrived at the forest house reserve I was disappointed to find no fire or stove, there's masses of wood everywhere !
The place was smart and clean. I had to walk over 1km before I found a trickle of water, mmm
It's going to be an early night methinks.

Sunday 10 April 2016

April 10th Corzorla

I arrived at lovely Camping Isidora, on 8th, to a warm welcome.
The steepness of the walking ahead and my lack of fitness, decided me to spend 2 days here.
I need 6 days food for the 1st section ahead. A massive amount seeing as it's not specialist stuff, just what I can get locally
The weather has clouded over today, with a cold wind. I walked to over 4200' earlier and it was cold !

Wednesday 6 April 2016

April 3rd ..... Barranco del Sol

Stopping over with my amiga Angie for a few days, before catching buses to Cazorla, to carry on walking the GR7.

Monday 4 April 2016

April 1st El Chorro

This is the 3rd attempt to post today's blog !
Not a bad days walking through hill country, then a very steep descent, zigzagging across the cliffs into El Chorro.
No where affordable to stay, so a road walk on until I came across the Olive Branch, a busy climbers  place, great evening meal.and company

April 2nd Almogia

I short walk from the Olive Branch and I rejoined the GR7.
Lots of ascent on pista beneath the cliffs where there are many climbing routes.
I've been struggling each day of the walk, and have not been 100% for a few weeks. I have chest pains when going uphill.
When I am at Angie's I'll get it sorted.
It took a couple of hours to get to the top, where it beame undulating pista.
Expansive views to the coastal mountains, was followed by a long descent into the village of Valle de Abdijias.
After lunch of whole fish, and chips in a bar I left the GR7 to head towards Almogia, where I rendezvous with Angie tomorow.
It was another steep ascent then across country to the village of La Joya.
A tiny village in the midst of agricultural land, yet it had 2 bars and a restaurant.
A road walk for 8 miles brought me to the main Villaneuva .... to Almogia road, where I started hitching. Eventually I got a lift to Almogia, arriving to find the Alburgue full. After a refreshment or 3 in the bar I dossed down for the night outside the alburgue.

Friday 1 April 2016

March 31st ! Ardales

The day brought a cold wind.
The walk from Cuevas de Becerro was a pleasant start, as I dropped a long way into the village the previous evening, as when I rejoined the GR7 it dropped to meet the road I'd set off on.
After a bit of road walking it was pista to Serrato, followed by a steep road walk then across country in wilderness.
I met a man along the way who gave me an orange and offered me water. The country is dry with mountains in every direction.
The wind was so strong that there were few sheltered spots to take a break.
Villages are where water sources are, and I decided to stop at Ardales for the night.
I couldn't find any level sheltered sites to stealth camp, so found a hostal for the night.

Thursday 31 March 2016

March 31st. Cuevas de Beccero

After a wander around the Arab quarter and the old and new bridges of Ronda's famous gorge, I set off at 11am.
The GR7 was mostly quiet road walking all day. A lunchtime stop at Arriate, which would have been very hard to find the way out of without the gps app on my phone.
In fact I refer to the app regularly as there are very few signs for the GR7.
Lots of pig farms along the way and no springs or water sources.
It was very hot and I expected to have sunburn, (I didn't though).
I went off route to Cuevas de Becerro and was delighted to find a lovely spring and picnic area
After a visit to the bar to rehydrate, I cooked dinner at the picnic area and had some wine with a Spanish guy who was parked up.for the night.
Altogether a good place to camp the night.

Wednesday 30 March 2016

GR7 the continuation

March 29th Ronda

I arrived in Malaga at midday, travelled to the station by shuttle bus & got my ticket for Ronda.
Only when I went to board the train, which was due to leave, did I notice that the ticket was for a later train.
I was directed to an adjacent train that was going to Seville.
The journey to Bobadilla went through the spectacular  El Chorro gorge.
Once in Bobadilla I found I had a 3 hour wait for the Ronda train.
Being a small rural town, I went to a bar and people-watched !
A better re-aquaintance with Spain than waiting in Malaga.
When I left there were 3 domino's games going.
A 10 minute walk in Ronda and I arrived at the basic, yet nice enough hostal, (cheap hotel).
Tomorrow I shall explore Ronda a little before setting off on the section of the GR7, be I missed out last year, between Ronda and Rio Gordo