Background

The Sierra Nevada as seen from the beaches of the Costa Tropical

On two occasions I had driven from Salobreña on the coast to Trevélez at 1,500m in the hope of summiting Mulhacén in a one day trip. Both times I reached around 3,200m when I started to feel dizzy, had a racing pulse and a banging headache. My body was telling me I had ascended too quickly from sea level and so I turned back.

It seemed logical that if I started at sea level and walked all the way to the summit, my body would acclimatize slowly and so the idea of the Sea2Sky walk came about. I discussed it with a friend who said he would be interested in joining me and I set about planning the most direct route. This would take us up and over the coastal range of hills (La Contraviesa), through the eastern end of La Tahá, along part of the GR7 long distance path to Trevélez, up to the Siete Lagunas at 3,000m and then an early morning ascent of Mulhacén. We decided that weather-wise, early June would be a good time as the last of the winter snow would have disappeared and it wouldn’t be too hot during the day.

Day 1 – Castillo de Baños to Torvizcón (24kms and 1,273m of ascent)

We were dropped off at 9.00am on the beach at Castillo de Baños. We picked up a couple of pebbles and sea shells (which we would leave on the summit of Mulhacén) and we started up the GR6204 to Polopos. We knew the whole of the first day would be on tarmac roads so we wore lightweight shoes rather than boots but even so, with the temperature reaching the low thirties, we were glad of the rest while we ate our sandwiches at Venta del Chaparro.  As we started the 8km descent to our overnight stop in Torvizcón, we caught a glimpse of our objective rising above its neighbouring peaks of the Sierra Nevada.

Day 2 – Torvizcón to Trevélez (26kms and 1,246m of ascent)

Back on the tarmac again, we passed Almegijar before turning off the road and a welcome descent on a good footpath down to the Rio Trevélez in La Tahá. This area was occupied and cultivated by the Arabs because of its abundant natural spring water and fertile soil and is an excellent walking area in its own right. We made a short diversion from our route for tea and home-made cake at the little cafe-bar in Ferreirola before climbing again to Busquistar for our lunch break.

From Busquistar we took the well-signposted GR7. The route traverses the western flank of the Rio Trevélez valley, passing through oak forests which provided welcome shade from the sun, and fantastic views up the valley towards Trevélez and the mountains beyond. After almost ten hours of walking, we reached Trevélez in the early evening and our billet for the night. Knowing we didn’t have an early start in the morning, we ate well at La Fragua which probably serves the best food in the Alpujarra.

Day 3 – Trevélez to Siete Lagunas (9kms and 1,500m of ascent)

After a relaxing morning sitting on the hotel terrace in the sunshine, we had lunch at La Fragua. When the owner heard we were heading for Mulhacén, he insisted on filling our flask with rioja. Who were we to object? The marked footpath rises steeply out of Trevélez but then eases as it gradually heads north-west giving superb views. We were surprised to have to cross so much snow on the path and the large volume of melt water added a certain frisson to a couple of the river crossings.

After a steady five hours walking, we arrived at the Siete Lagunas and, considering how good the weather was, I was expecting to see dozens of people already there. Amazingly we had the place to ourselves all night….until one of our food containers was spirited away by a fox in the early hours. The sky was perfectly clear and our bivouac in a rock shelter became a natural planetarium with the night sky passing overhead. We counted numerous satellites and spotted the international space station just above the horizon.

Day 4 – Siete Lagunas to Mulhacén summit and descent to Hoya del Portillo (13kms and 481m of ascent)

The clear sky meant we had a cold night but as soon as the sun rose, its warmth melted the ice on our sleeping bags and we breakfasted on what food the fox hadn’t managed to find. We packed our gear and climbed steadily to reach the summit of Mulhacén at 9.00am, exactly seventy two hours after dipping our feet in the Mediterranean. The rioja was consumed, absent friends were toasted and we enjoyed the amazing views for half an hour or so before setting off on the long descent down the south ridge. Four hours walking brought us to the car park at Hoya del Portillo and our transport back down to the coast.

Ian Tupman
June 2009

NOTES

1. Since we did the walk, winter storm damage has washed out some of the small river valleys between Busquistar and Trevélez making them difficult to cross. A recce trip should be undertaken to assess the current state of this part of the route.
2. We carried all of our kit for the four days, including boots for the mountain sections and sleeping bags for the bivouac. Arrangements could be made to collect these at Busquistar or Trevélez to keep weight down, especially if high temperatures are forecast.
3. The tarmac sections on the first two days could be omitted by starting the walk in La Tahá. This should still give sufficient time to acclimatize to the altitude.

Our walking and trekking trips in Andalucia are designed to be accessible to all who are in good health and enjoy the outdoors, but fitness levels are important and you should consider carefully which trip is right for you.

Andalucia, Spain's most varied and interesting walking destination

Our grading system is there to help you choose a trip appropriate to your ability and requirements. For harder trips the correct preparation can vastly enhance your enjoyment; stamina building aerobic activities such as regular cycling, swimming, jogging and walking beforehand will make a noticeable difference.

There is no need to worry about not walking fast enough or holding back the group. All you need to focus on is your ability to complete the route. Everyone has his or her own comfortable pace and we always strive to accommodate this. All Walking & Trekking holidays present physical demands, so expect to feel some tiredness even after a leisurely, days walking. Grades are only a guide.

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.

[Show as slideshow]

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!

Summary of Weather Extremes for 2010

alpujarra-weather-station-records-yearly-2010

Records for the month of December 2010

alpujarras-weather-station-records-dec-2010

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

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.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when we set off on a short 2 night break to the Cazorla Natural Park. First impressions were that I couldn’t believe how huge the park actually is! Combined with the Segura and Castril adjoining parks this is a massive area. We spent 2 days just driving round rough forest and access tracks between Cazorla, Vadillo Castril, Quesada and Pozo Alcon.

There is plenty of good walking to be had up peaks of over 1900m. Access can be problematic unless you have a car. Four wheel drive variety would be an advantage although plenty of normal saloon cars were seen trundling along the forest roads.

The walking is wild and spectacular. There are plenty of summits but these tend to be more prominences on ridges. At times the interlinking valleys and ridges seem like a maze.

The birdlife is awesome. Kiersten will be doing a report soon for Birdwatch Alpujarras, but the highlight for me was to see the huge griffon vultures returning to roost at the end of the day at the colony of El Chorro on the west side of the park.

We stayed just outside Cazorla town at the very nice Cortijo los Abedules rural apartments, run by Roger and Diana Birch. Recommended accommodation if you are in the area. Cazorla itself is larger than I imagined but nevertheless is very spanish and we enjoyed the tapas in the main square on a night.

Some photos from our trip below to whet your appetite!

Griffon vulture flying at El Chorro, Cazorla

Spectacular mountain ridges

Lofty mountain panoramas

Cazorla at dusk

Great tapas in Cazorla main square

Fantastic walking and trekking

Cazorla castle lit up at night

Produced by Graham Benbow.

Add to this the closeness of the Sierra Nevada mountains, nearly shed of their winter snows, the Alhambra palace in Granada, the desrts of Almeria and the beaches of the Costa Tropical, it makes for a potent mix for a varied and exciting holiday destination.

We shot this short 2.35 minute video at the June 2009 “La Publica” Carnival.

The stables are situated on a small plateau at a height of 1200 metres above the spa town of Lanjaron in the Alpujarra region of Andalucia, close to Granada. Wonderful views of the surrounding countryside, hills and Sierra Nevada mountains are evident in all directions!  

Sarah Vesey of Caballo Blanco established the riding centre back in 1993. Since then it has grown to become one of the leading and most well known equestrian centres in Andalucia. On offer are rides between 1 hour and multi-day excursions into the hills and mountains. Novices and children are most welcome, as are single travellers. For the advanced rider there are challenging trails on offer in the glorious mountain scenery of the Sierra Nevada.

Riding lessons are available by the hour. Childrens’ parties can be arranged. We cater for special occasions, aniversaries, birthdays etc

Their horses are fully trained to be ridden either western style or traditional style. They have a wide choice of horses of varying ages to suit the beginner and advanced rider.  Easy hacks or challenging trail rides. There is something there for all.  There is a varied choice of ride from 1 hour to a 8 day multi-day trail ride high in the mountains.

For all the latest details of our horses, as well as news, happenings, photo uploads, guests comments, events and gossip, from the stables visit the  Caballo Blanco Social Network