Technorati Tags: Alpujarras, Badaje, Lanjaron, panoramic photos

The Caballo

Within 15 minutes of leaving the car we had arrived at the ruined Ventura Hut. A short break there and we continued upwards traversing slopes of shrub, pine and finally scree. A welcoming stream flowed from a side valley which provided much needed relief for our dogs.

We skirted the SE side of the Cerro at 2800m and headed northwards to arrive at the delightful Laguna de Caballo, nestling at the base of the Cerro’s north face. It had taken just 3 hours to get here and involved 650m ascent. The lake provided a plesant resting place for both humans and dogs!

From there we headed W up a short slope towards the Col de Caballo and thence on to the summit. Great views towards the main mass of the Sierra Nevada but with afternoon clouds threatening we quickly descended southwards along the vague ridge accompanied by large herds of mountain goats (cabra montes). A short steep grassy descent led us back to our start point near the Ventura Hut.

Our journey back to the beers and fleshpots of Lanjaron gave us close up views of many Kestrels gathering above the forest tracks and possibly our first ever view glimpse of the rare Bonellis Eagle.

This is a great day trip. We never saw another car or person during our 6hr walk. The views are extensive and the high start point makes this a good summer excursion. Recommended!

Technorati Tags: Alpujarras, caballo, kestrels, Lanjaron, mountain goats, Sierra Nevada, Trekking, Walking

The fire raging in the Sierra Nevada

The visit to the area, located at ‘Peña Caballero-Ventura’ on the hillsides above the town, has allowed Trillo and Miro to get to see at first hand the reforestation efforts that have been made in recent years and the various species planted.

Through its corporate responsibility project ‘Compromiso con los Parques’, Lanjarón undertook in 2009 to carry out reforestation activities over an area of 100 hectares for three years – until 2011. Initially 100,000 trees of species such as oak, oak, maple, cherry, willow, hawthorn have been planted.

Recently, this has been expanded with commitment to more trees by signing a new agreement with the Ministry of Environment, which will allow by the end of 2011 105 hectares of afforestation in the municipality of Lanjarón.

‘Monte Siglo XXI’ is a project of long-term restoration in addition to emergency work performed by the Ministry of Environment in the areas affected by fire in 2005. The aim is to ensure adequate forest cover in the area in which environmental regeneration has been inadequate and the Board has granted a budget of five million euros to this initiative, so as to enhance biodiversity and landscape as well as contribute to sustainable development of rural communities in the Sierra Nevada environment.

The area above Lanjaron in the rio Lanjaron valley

Recent trips along the GR7 in the Alpujarras have brought regular sightings of Kestrels, Lesser Kestrels, Short Toed Eagles and Booted Eagles. On the hillsides of above the spa town of Lanjaron on the approaches to Tello, Tajos Deposito or Puente Palo we have caught glimpses of our resident Golden Eagle and also seen the rare Bonelli’s Eagle on many occasions.

Our cortijo above the town has received visits from Sparrowhawks, Peregrine Falcons and, last week, even a fly past by circling Honey Buzzards. The massive form of the Griffon Vulture is back too! If as last year, when the snows of the upper Rio Lanjaron melt, we are left with the carcasses of cows and cabra monteses then expect a summer full of these magnificent “prehistoric” birds, around the Cerro de Caballo and the higher Sierra Nevada.

All the excellent photos below have been shot by Kiersten Rowland of Birdwatch Alpujarras.

Griffon Vulture underside

Booted Eagle underside Lanjaron

Short Toed Eagle

Golden Eagle Alpujarras

Technorati Tags: birds

Lanjarons new webcam

The webcam has also been repositioned, as a tree has started to impose itself on the old one and the plastic bucket that acted as a rain housing has started to crack!

The view looks west over the town of Lanjaron, Granada, Spain, towards the prevailing weather. The webcam is only operational during the daylight hours. This image is automatically captured every few minutes. On the thumbnail photos seen on Spanish Highs Mountain Guides homepage and other sites, the current weather conditions are overprinted at the bottom of the image. This comes directly from our Vantage Pro weather station.

We can get some condensation problems with the camera in the early mornings at this time of year. Also the sun can point directly into the camera when low in the sky. Many apologies if the camera is affected in this way for a short time.

We have positioned the cam to show more of the skies above the town and less of our backyard! This will give us the opportunity to view some of the amazing Alpujarras sunsets we can get at the end of the day.

The image below was shot this morning before the bad weather arrived.

Lanjaron Webcam view

Technorati Tags: Lanjaron

To see more of these photos (and many in full size) visit our Flickr Set
Golden Eagle photos from the day
Nice photos from my partner at http://www.kierstenrowland.com/2009/12/lanjaron-from-pinos-del-valle/

Lanjaron and it's mountain backdrop

Tajos Altos

Cerro de Caballo

Caballo and Tajos Altos. Rio Lanjaron valley

Lanjaron and the mountains

Golden Eagle (subad) near Pinos de Valle

Technorati Tags: Lanjaron, Misc

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.

Technorati Tags: bird, cerro de caballo, griffon vulture, Lanjaron, sightings, ventura, Walking

We set off in 4wd transport from the town at a ridiculously early 6am. By 7am, as first light was emerging,  we arrived at the high trailhead near the Ventura hut. From here we ascended to the Laguna de Caballo at 2900m. After the 2.5 hour ascent the laguna provided a pleasant stopping place for breakfast.

From here the infamous “Verada Cortada” traverses the mountainside high above the Lanjaron valley. It is an ingenious path winding it’s way between steep mountain walls. At one place the going becomes precipitous and a cable assists progress. Only a few short exposed steps but nothing for an experienced mountain walker.

After a short ascent we arrive at the Laguna Cuadrada, so called because it is almost square in shape. A lovely spot to laze around and enjoy the dramatic views. After 1.5 hours we arrive at the mystical Laguna de Lanjaron, nestling at the head of the valley below the old Elorrieta refugio.

My spanish friends love this spot. It is the place their grandfathers have told them about. A shangri-la. The source of the life giving waters. We eat lunch and relax on the lush green grass.

Then it’s a headlong dash directly down alongside the Rio Lanjaron and by keeping directly to the line of the river some scrambling fun can be had. I am amazed at how much snow and ice is still around. In places the river runs beneath the snows and forms precarious bridges. My amigos play dangerous games of “Russian Roulette” over the snow bridges.  Amazing that it is mid-August in southern Spain and valley temperatures are in the 30′s.

The snows finally run out at about 2200m and we head SW out of the valley following the line of an old and broken irrigation channel (acequia). The going is now easy but it still takes an hour before we arrive back at our transport below the Ventura hut. We head down to the welcoming bars of Lanjaron for more than a few celebration cervezas!

Technorati Tags: Add new tag, cerro de caballo, laguna lanjaron, Lanjaron, lanjaron valley, verada cortada, Walking

Bright yellow brooms and gorses, bright green shrubs filled the valley sides as we headed up to our high point at 2200 to drop off a party of self guided trekkers, off to enjoy the delights of the Sierras.

There was even a stream running near the Ventura hut. I can’t remember when this last ran in July. More evidence of the high snowfall we have enjoyed the past winter. Some snow still exits on the high mountains too.

We have just returned from a 5 day trek, “Los Tres Miles”, the 3000m peaks traverse of the main Sierra Nevada ridge. The Tajos de la Virgen ridge leading from the Elorieta to Veleta and the Cariguela hut still has some steep and hard snow patches on it. We shall be doing a full report and photos in a future post.

Technorati Tags: caballo, Lanjaron, Trekking, ventura

The GR7 is one of the top long distance paths running through Europe. Combine the beauty, sunshine, villages and ideal walking of the Alpujarras and the result is a enticing mixture. You will walk at between about 700 metres and 1400 metres most days.

The Alpujarra boast stunning scenery, hot sunny weather and is a wonderful area for walking. During the spring and autumn months the surroundings are particularly beautiful; in spring the land is carpeted with a vast array of wild flowers and blossom adorns the fruit trees which are dotted around the slopes. In autumn leaves turn. The area is characterised by steep valleys scoured by rivers and streams hurtling down the mountainside from the snow covered slopes above, many of which rise to over 3000 metres. Traditional farming has left a legacy of terraced valley sides, dotted with small buildings or cortijos, which were the summer residence of village farmers.

The Alpujarra was one of the last outposts of the Moors when they ruled Spain many years ago. They left a legacy of attractive villages, built in a style unique to this part of Spain, together with many miles of acequias, a complicated system of irrigation which remains to this day. These are fed from numerous springs which are a product of the snow capped peaks of the Sierra Nevadas, producing crystal clear waters enriched with minerals. Many of the villages have public drinking fountains where you can enjoy an ice cold glass of mineral water or fill a bottle for later.

Below is a short video of a recent trip along the GR7 in the Alpujarras, starting at Capileira and ending in Lanjaron.

Technorati Tags: Alpujarras, Lanjaron, Walking