22nd October Fondales

Dear All

Well this Sunday found us all heading off for the Alpujarras once again, I am really enjoying the walks in this area, its just a pity that it takes such a long time on slow and twisting roads before you arrive at your destination, you can then look back down the valley and see the hermitage above Pinos del valle only about 20 km away in a straight line, but 1 hour away by road. We had been promised sunshine on Sunday after a week of rain and heavy grey cloud, so it was with joy in our hearts that we set off from Fondales with blue skies and sunshine on what promised to be a spectacular walk, The path drops down into, and crosses the Rio Trevélez by way of an old arched bridge. In the past this bridge and route was used by the moors to transport their silk that they harvested and spun in the area. After a long steady climb we reached an old and apart from one modern house an abandoned community with spectacular views all around. No doubt soon some property developer will come along and build a smart apartment block there. From this point the way back takes an unlikely route straight down a cliff face, what possessed anyone to think that they could build a path down there in the first place is beyond me, but in actual fact the path is a work of art as it twist and turns. It makes its gentle way down with no feeling of exposure on the perilous hillside it descends. The path re-crosses the Rio trevélez via a natural stone bridge before returning to our starting point at Fondales. At this point I would like to apologise to the rest of the group for inadvertently walking past a refreshment house, there had been numerous calls along our walk, that a bar would be very welcome and I did not recognise and failed to take any notice of the fact that a picnic table with a can of beer on and a twelve year old girl, was in-fact a bar selling cold beer and that the young girl was the landlady. We returned to Chite and Josettes house for an excellent tapa, Josette had not been able to accompany us on the walk stating she needed to prepare the tapa for our return. A more believable story later emerged when we learnt that there had been a tennis match on the television in the afternoon. Josette has found a pair of sunglasses that have been left at her house, so if anybody as left them or if you just fancy a new pair please contact Josette.

The walk this coming Sunday is the long time postponed walk to Izbor, there as been a lot of interest shown in this walk particularly as stories have gone around about the residents of this Pueblo having 2 heads and tails. Just as a an experiment type izbor into Microsoft word spell checker, Our guides for the walk this week are Nick and Carol and they assure me that it is virtually all down hill and takes about 4 hours and it is not classed as difficult. Once again the transport arrangements are a bit complicated but basically if you want to go on the walk meet at the T junction were you come up from the dam into Pinos del Valle, at 9.30. At this point some folks will go to the bar Venecia for pre walk coffee, while the drivers will take cars down to Izbor, and then return by car to bar Venecia for the start of the walk. Tapa will be held at Liz and Grahams house in Chite afterwards.