Soaring with Griffon Vultures high on Cerro de Caballo

The peak of the Cerro de Caballo has been a long time favourite of mine. I guess it’s my “home” mountain, as it sits above the town of Lanjaron in the Alpujarras, Andalucia, where I live. Yesterday we took guests Simon Fenn and his family on a day trip to the summit.

The dirt tracks commence on leaving town and the 50 minute 4WD journey to the start point at the Ventura trailhead gives one a sense of isolation and wilderness. The track to the ruined Ventura hut takes only 15 minutes from the trailhead. The hut is situated on a shelf overlooking the Lanjaron valley and is a grand viewpoint. Sadly the hut is in a poor state and you would only wish to stay the night there in an emergency.

From there the path traverses the southern ridge of the Caballo and ascends gradually on good paths then through scree to a grassy cwm at 2700m. Here a stream still flows from some old winters snow. A great place to stop for lunch. Then it’s on up to the old ruins on the SE shoulder of the mountain. This was evidently an old refuge for sufferers of leprosy. We decide to take the ridge from here bending round to the summit, an easy 40 minute walk.

Above us as we ascend we see large birds flying in a group. Having already seen short toed eagles on the trip we assume that these large birds are those. We notice that they are gathering at a prominent craggy point on the east face of the mountain.

My woefully inadequate “point and press” Panasonic camera can’t get close enough to take a good shot. Even Simon’s 70-300 zoom lens can’t get a good photo. Fortunately the birds are still sat on the same ledge system as I near the summit of the mountain. I precariously edge my way round onto the near vertical east face on a slippery ledge. I peer round a rock and ………. sat not more than 50m away are 9 Griffon Vultures.

I have not seen these magnificent creatures before, especially this close up. I snapped away until a cry from somewhere near the summit must have startled them and they flew gracefully off. I don’t believe they are noted for being visitors to the Sierra Nevada but, as carrion feeders, I remembered the dead cow and cabra montes I had met the week below whilst on a walk in the Lanjaron valley some 400m below.

We shot a short video of the birds in action

I reached the summit and we all sat and admired the Griffons as they caught the thermals and circled above us. Great moments! The summit is a great viewpoint in itself with the main peaks of the Sierras in front of you including Veleta, Alcazaba and Mulhacen.

The ascent had taken us 4 hours with stops. To alter the route back we headed down the broad south ridge until short steep grass slopes eastwards enabled us to regain the ascent route near the Ventura hut. We got back in 2.5 hours.

A great day out and recommended to all. Shame I can’t guarantee that the Griiffon Vultures will be there though, as I guess they are getting ready to migrate back to the African continent.