Highlights – the highest temperature was 32.6 (lowest 11.7 ). A total of 1.8mm of rain fell over 2 days. The highest wind gust was 42.5kmh.

Previous year - the highest temperature was 28.7 (lowest 11.8 ). A total of 30.4mm of rain fell. The highest wind gust was 53.6kmh.

Full summaries are shown below or visit the full statistical weather data.

Links to the station which is live on the internet during daylight hours can be found below.
Visit the Lanjaron weather station live datafeed - live interactive weather station data.
View past weather records and climate data since 2005 – useful for comparison purposes
Sierra Nevada Mountain Weather Forecasts - essential reading for mountain goers!

Click image below for a larger version

Alpujarras-weather-records-sept2011

1. GR7 Trevelez to Busquistar
2. Pampaneira to Pitres via Bubion
3. GR7 Soportujar to Lanjarón via Cañar
4. Walk round the wetlands of Padul
5. La Taha, Mecina Fondales to Busquistar
6. Mulhacén (3482m) from the Mirador de Trevelez
7. Round of the Poqueira Gorge

Walking in the Alpujarras

Records for the month of August 2011

Alpujarra Weather Station August 2011

You may also be interested in:
Visit the Lanjaron weather station live datafeed
View past weather records
Sierra Nevada Mountain Weather Forecasts

Records for the month of June 2011

alpujarra-weather-station-june-2011

You may also be interested in:
Visit the Lanjaron weather station live datafeed
View past weather records
Sierra Nevada Mountain Weather Forecasts

Records for the month of March 2011

alpujarras-weather-records-march-2011

You may also be interested in:
Visit the Lanjaron weather station live datafeed
View past weather records
Sierra Nevada Mountain Weather Forecasts

Gerald Brenan

I have been fascinated with Gerald Brenan’s adventure and indeed his life story for some time. Immortalized in the famous book “South from Granada” which describes his arrival and adventures in the Alpujarra, Andalucia in the 1920′s. It is a great travel book that perfectly captures the essence, feel  and attractiveness of the early Alpujarras.

In the book he describes the route he took from Granada to Yegen. From the description in the book we can determine the following:

Get the book

(1) He walked it in September (possibly 1921?)
(2) He set off from Granada at 3am (doesn’t say exactly where)
(3) Reached Guejar Sierra at dawn
(4) Ascent to the col at Laguna de Vacares
(5) Descent to El Horcajo at the head of the Trevelez valley
(6) Reached Bercules at 6pm (presumably via the Trevelez valley rather than the high ridge of Loma del Piedra Ventana?)
(7) Reached main road by nightfall
(8) Arrived Yegen at 10pm
(9) He estimated the distance of at least 60 miles and 8000 feet of ascent
(10) It took him 19 hours

South From Granada (Penguin Modern Classics)

The distance of 60 miles (I have actually measured it at somewhat less than that) and 3000m ascent mean this is a considerable challenge for all, whether weekend rambler, committed trekker or hardened mountaineer.

When we apply “Naismiths Rule” to the distance and height estimations we get a time of 25 hours (the basic rule is as follows: allow 1 hour for every 3 miles (5 km) forward, plus ½ hour for every 1000 feet (300 metres) of ascent) for the trip. There are variations to this rule to allow for fitness levels but what is clear is that Mr Brenan was a very fit lad indeed!

On Saturday 17th September 2011 we are going to replicate this walk as much as we can in aid of Cancer Research. Our trainee guide James Jackson will lead the walk with the rest of Spanish Highs Mountain Guides supporting with help, advice, transport, accommodation and safety. We shall meet and start the walk at the Alhambra Palace car parks on the outskirts of Granada city. Transport shall be provided from the finishing point in Yegen back to Lanjaron.

All are welcome to join in and come along and celebrate this walk in a good cause. Who knows it may become a regular fixture?

Contact Spanish Highs Mountain Guides for more information or if you wish to join in. Any further information would be gratefully received.

Photos from the archives…………..

Looking down on the Col de Vacares and Laguna de Vacares

Dawn breaking at the col de Vacares looking to Granada

The village of Trevelez

Group enjoying the walk through the forests

We parked at the recreation site at Puente Palo, above the village of Cañar. We accessed on another dirt track from Lanjaron. With care a normal saloon car could reach this spot but the road conditions do deteriorate depending on the severity of recent rains.

Puente Palo is situated at about 1700m. We had a zig zag walk up through the forest for about an hour before we encountered our first snows at around the 2000m level. Tracks of wild boar had crossed the path in front of us adding greatly to the pleasure of our excited dogs. The snow deepened and with rising frustration at sinking into the snows, we eventually donned our snowshoes.

Snowshoeing along the mountainside

None of the party had done it before but were keen and eager to learn. That said, there’s not really too much to learn really. Put them on your feet and walk like John Wayne! Immediately the going was easier as we crossed interesting slopes on our way to the deserted cortijo at Cañada de Tajos de los Machos.  Going up, over and around deep snow drifts added excitement. As did the cloud which drifted in from the south leaving us in thick mist.

With the trees to guide us we made the old cortijo where we had some lunch. Our plans to escape onto the open hillside towards the peak of  Cerrillo Redondo had to be curtailed at this point. A party of 6 stumbling around in the mist on a 3000m hill didnt seem to good an idea. Instead we opted for an exhilarating descent alongside a forest break.

Having fun on the descent

Rule number 1 in snowshoeing ……………. going down is actually harder than going up (although more fun!). Snowshoes maybe quite good for fall line ascents or descents but for traversing they are not so good. The grip goes and one slides.

Having said that the group had a whale of a time sliding down the slopes alongside the forest. When the snow began to run out at the forest edge we heading in closer to the forest. Some of the guys even went back uphill to try the downhill again!

Of course our excited husky (Khumbu) and leonberger (Bruno) were in their element as they chased us down the white slopes trying to halt our progress.

A good day, yet only 45 minutes from Lanjaron. If you wish to try it our yourself, we can provide all the gear (snowshoes, poles). We are running snowshoeing day and multi day tours throughout the winter and usually up until the end of May.

Read our snowshoeing trip reports.

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Extracts from our Guide to Snowshoeing

For Who?

The good news is that anyone who can walk can go snowshoeing. From young kids to senior citizens. Depending on your age and weight range there will be a shoe that will fit your specific needs.

What to Wear?

The good news is you won’t need to buy a lot of expensive gear, chances are some of it is probably in your closet! Here is a list of what you could expect to wear on an average outing:

Warm layers: Dress in layers! Put on some toasty non-cotton long underwear as a foundation with an middle insulating layer of fleece or wool. Include an outer layer to block wind or snow if the conditions demand it. You can shed layers as you get warm and put them back on as you cool.

Footwear: Warm socks (wool or polypropylene), waterproof hiking boots, winter boots, or even your waterproof running shoes! Consider buying a pair of gaiters, they’re great for keeping your ankles dry in deep powder.

Hat and Gloves: Both of these items are very important for any winter weather. Remember you lose a considerable amount of heat from your head. If you’re cold- put a hat on.

Extras: Even though it’s cold out, you still need to keep hydrated, so bring the water bottle with! If you’re going way out there, carry snacks, a compass and map, first aid kit, and flashlight (or headlamp) too. These things can be carried in a bum bag or day-pack, or simply stash them in a pocket. Poles are suggested for balance, load carrying, hiking in steep terrain, and to take a little bit of weight away from your knees. Give ‘em a try!
Nearly everyone is a little nervous or intimidated when trying out a new sport. Snowshoeing, however, is a sport that you can enjoy your first time out. Before you go on your first trip take a few minutes to become familiar with your snowshoes. We suggest getting acquainted with your new shoes in the warmth of a building and not out in the cold. The most important aspect is to become familiar with the binding. Follow these simple steps to make sure you have the proper fit every time. Put the ball of your foot over the top of the hinge, centered on the snowshoe. Your toes should be hanging over the front of the foot bed. Tighten the front strap first, followed by the heel strap and finish by tightening the strap over your instep. The straps don’t need to be overly tight. Just make sure they are snug. It’s that easy! Now you’re ready for your first adventure.

How to do it?

Technique: The most important thing to remember is to keep your stride natural. Don’t try to modify or exaggerate your gait. Walking or running should feel natural, and in either instance the terrain will dictate your stride. You will have the easiest time learning on gentle, flat, or rolling terrain, but the steeper and deeper the terrain gets, the more challenging and intense your hike or run will get! Another point to remember when beginning snowshoeing is that your snowshoes have a larger “footprint” on the snow than you are probably used to. You might feel awkward for a few hundred yards, but soon your slightly wider stance will feel natural. The solution is to simply concentrate on spreading your feet a bit further apart throughout your stride; this helps you avoid knocking your snowshoe frames together and possibly tripping. The following are some thoughts to keep in mind: remember to lift those knees, think about a wider stance, and avoid dragging or shuffling your feet to prevent the crampons from catching on firm snow. Using a set of poles when snowshoeing will make all of these things come together, all on their own.

Uphill/Downhill/Traversing: When you maneuver up steep slopes, a good technique involves aggressive use of the front crampons. Get your knees up and dig the front points of the crampons into the snow. Remember, the fastest way to the top is straight up – but a more practical method is to cross the slope diagonally. When you are traveling downhill, avoid leaning backwards onto the tails of the snowshoes whenever possible. Try to keep your weight upright and over the center of the snowshoe, and let the front crampons (located under the ball of your foot) grip the snow to prevent sliding. When you are traversing slopes, stay upright and lean into the hill with each step. Keep your weight forward and your crampons beneath you. Short, even strides, as well as traveling with a set of poles, will help avoid slipping and ensure safety.

Deep Snow: Lift your knees and shorten your stride. Your snowshoes are not designed to completely float above the snow, so you will find that you sink a little bit with each step. If you are traveling most often in deep drifts or light, fluffy powder, you may find that getting the next largest size snowshoe will improve your floatation. When in deep snow it is important to tread lightly and pace yourself.

Intensity: The intensity level of snowshoeing is infinitely variable. From a slow walk you can increase intensity by going faster, running, using poles, going uphill, and/or by going through deeper and softer snow. The ease with which you can change the intensity level of snowshoeing is one of the keys to its great value in having fun and as a fitness option. At a minimum, snowshoeing will be a bit more intense than walking or running at any given pace or level due to the cold, weight of the snowshoes, resistance of the snow, etc.

Safety: Snowshoeing is an extremely safe sport. It is also one of the only winter-specific sports that do not depend upon sliding or speed. The manageable and maneuverable nature of modern aluminum-framed snowshoes and the soft forgiving nature of snow combine to make the risk of injury while snowshoeing very low. Snowshoeing involves a natural motion similar to walking, to which the body is accustomed, and is very low impact due to the cushioning of snow. Any wintertime outdoor activity has its risks and snowshoeing is no exception. Take care to avoid the following hazards: Thin ice: Do not walk over frozen water unless you are sure of its safety. Even after a long freeze, a body of water may have thin spots. Be careful! Hidden obstacles: Beware of barbed wire fences, holes, or uneven terrain under the snow. Tread lightly!

On one of our regular walks in this area, we recently walked back from Pampaneira to Lanjaron in the Alpujarras. The rains that fell mid December have certainly affected parts of this path. Landfall is evident in many places. Especially bad was a section between the waterfall across the Rio Chico at Dique 24 and the village of Cañar. Here a huge landslip covered the path. Water was still running down it as were minor mud slides. Not a path to hang around on (see photo below).

The path leading from Soportujar to the dam, where it enters the forest, is also in a poor state and routes round a variety of obstacles will have to be found. With more rains likely this month care should be taken when on the GR7. Walking poles will help progress across loose and unstable ground.

Landslip across the GR7, Alpujarras

The waterfall at Dique 24 above Soportujar

The Alpujarras remain still a good destination for a Last Minute Holiday after Christmas with low air fares in abundance into Malaga. We run walking tours along the GR7 either day or multi day trips stopping at various white villages along the route.

In the gorge

Firstly let me give thanks to Carol Byrne (of Further South of Granada fame) who gave us the tip off about the gorge and cave, that led to us leaving our beloved Sierra Nevada and making the hour long journey south to Albuñol. She has a fabulous newly restored house in the hidden village of Murtas, Las Alpujarras, Andalucia for rent. A much nicer place to stay than Albuñol and recommended if you are going to stay near here.

Albuñol is quite frankly, horrible. Admittedly we missed out the town and only travelled down by the wide rambla forming the bed of the valley, but the kilometres of plastic greenhouses and rubbish lying around made it quite a sad journey.

Just at the southern outskirts of the town (heading towards the sea) a lateral valley runs in from the left. Turn left and follow the narrow concrete track alongside and to the left of the rambla. This leads in just over a kilometre to the last house in the valley and the point at which there is a signpost pointing to the obvious V shaped valley to the right, Las Angosturas”.

The sign at the entrance to the gorge

Now we can leave the detritus of human civilisation behind as we head up the narrowing valley. The walls steepen after ten minutes and one has the feeling that better things are round the corner. And they are.

The scenery is similar to that in the badlands of Tabernas where we have done much past walking.

The sudden appearance of rock across the path signifies the change from rambling to scrambling. From here on in the walking is interspersed with rock scrambling over water worn slippery slabs.

The start of the rock

At this point we found out that our Leonberger, Bruno, is not so good on water worn rock slabs. His forward progress was marked by his scrabbling efforts supported by a heavy hand on his backside. He may be a mountain dog, but his 4WD built-in crampons (paws) are more suited to the icy summits of the Sierras than the rock here. Hands pushing his backside eventually did the trick! See short funny movie below

Just after a remarkable chockstone in the bed of the gully and, much earlier than we had thought, we came to a rock wall barring the way. A fragile looking metal ladder up the 4m vertical rock wall indicated the route. Now, as agile as Khumbu, our Siberian Husky is, this was in fact too much even for him.

The metal ladder

I went on alone at this point. Now I have climbed in the Alps, most years, since 1983. I am used to exposure and ropes. My apprenticeship was in the Lake District, Scotland and Skye. This metal ladder gave me cause for concern. Not only was it swinging about a bit, but the whole thing was held together at the top by an old piece of frayed rope. Was this the missing Mallory and Irvine one? Getting off the step at the end wasn’t so straightforward either.

Looking down from the top of the ladder to the chockstone

Beyond this the route was delightful with interesting and dramatic scenery evident all along the gully. At times an impass will block the route and it is necessary to find a way leftwards to avoid any difficulties. A second, much easier, 1.5m metal ladder is passed as well.

Diversion point on left walls required here

Then its on to the famous Cueva de Los Murciélagos, returning the same way although I have heard that there are through routes back to the car. Make sure you don’t do it in the rain! I will return and investigate more in the near future.

A natural water chute

Information about the cave (via Andalucia.com website)

The Cueva de los Murciélagos (the Cave of the Bats) is a system of caves situated on the edges of the limestone Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park, 4km from the attractive village of Zuheros. Of the 60 caves registered in the park, the most important one is the Cueva de los Murciélagos, internationally renowned for its schematic and unique rock paintings and significant archaeological remains dating from Neolithic times. Although the first recorded references to the cave was in 1868, it wasn’t explored until 1938.

It has spectacular rock formations characteristic of limestone caves, with impressive stalagmites and stalagtites, underground lakes and caverns. It is located in the heart of a 1,000m-high mountain called the Cañada de Malos Vientos. Inside the mountain, the caves extend for 2km, but only 450m of this can be visited. There are a total of 700 steps, which take you 63m below sea level.

Neolithic burial remains discovered in the cave show evidence of human occupation of the caves dating from over 35,000 years ago. Excavations of this site have contributed greatly to the study of the neolithic period, as they have unearthed evidence of this time starting much earlier than previously thought. Through carbon dating, the period can be accurately placed between 4300 BC and 3980 BC. You can find out more about this history, and view some of the finds from the cave, in the archaelogical museum in Zuheros.

The peak of Giralda dwarfed by Cerro Caballo

I learned my “height is not always the best” lesson in mountain truth on Aconcagua in the 1990′s. Base camp consisted of 500+ tents and no sanitary conditions. As I laboured breathlessly, buttocks clenched, up the biggest scree slope in the world, all around me were magnificent snow and ice clad andean peaks. What on earth was I doing on crowded Aconcagua?

The same can be said for those magnificent Patagonian spires of Cerro Torre and Mount Fitzroy. Hard to believe that these stupendous peaks are lower than the peak of Mulhacen? The same can be said for numerous peaks here in Spain’s Sierra Nevada. Muhacen (3482m) is boring from the south and many finer ascents can be had in solitude and dramatic surrounding. Try Juego de Bolos or Puntal de la Caldera. Trevenque, at 2079m, in the Cumbres Verdes is probably the finest summit of them all!

Scrambling on Giralda

We have for some years been visiting the small peak of Giralda (1431m), situated between the villages of Albunuelas and Los Guajares in the range south west of Lanjaron. It is distinctly seen as a flat topped, volcano looking summit when viewed from the Granada to Motril motorway near Padul. But, why is it so good?

Quiet – in tens of visits here I have met nobody.

Maps – forget these. What military maps there are are complex and out of date. Best way is to have a look at Google Earth and try to identify the accesses. Otherwise just get out there and explore the area yourself.

Remote – It maybe only 10km from Lanjaron as the crow flies but you need a 4WD vehicle to access it. By it’s easiest, most direct, route of access it will take 50 minutes if you find the correct way through a series of interesting local tracks in the valley south of Pinos de Valle. By the longer routes from Los Guajares or Albunuelas expect to take one and a half hours.

Good solid rock

Views – the peak is not attached to any other so great views exist in all directions. NE to the Cerro de Caballo is especially good when the snows of winter lie low down on it’s flanks. W and SW to that complex and interwoven network of forests and dry valleys leading onwards to Otivar and Almunecar.

The Peak – from all sides its lowly summit is only attained by a little handwork. In fact, there is some excellent scrambling to be had here and we have developed numerous lines on it’s rocky sides ranging from easy scrambling to difficult graded rock climbs. It is a great situation for introductory rock climbing and scrambling instruction.

The Rock – Unusually, quite solid and reliable for the most part.

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