5th October 2006 Walk with the Giants

Dear Limper

Our walk last Sunday, walking with Giants in the Sierra Nevada turned out to be one the best multi-ability walks we have done. What looked like a shambles and a disaster in the making, was transformed into something better than the original concept. The original plan was that we would drive to Capileria catch the 11 am national park bus that would take us up Mulachen, walk for 4 hours before catching the 4.15 bus back to Capileria. We discovered by chance on the Saturday that we had been accidentally booked onto the Saturday bus instead of the Sunday an easy mistake to make in English but not quite so easy with Sabado and Domingo in Spanish, but never mind, nothing lost when they told us we could transfer to Sunday instead , except that we could not catch the 16,15 bus we would have to take the 18.45 instead. this left us with a further 2.5 hours to fill. After hours of debate into the early hours of Sunday morning and so many different plans that we were investigating, using the Chinese alphabet to name them, a solution was found. So Sunday morning found 8 of us in Capileria on a day with a crystal clear blue sky and perfect walking temperatures. Plan Z called for a car to be left in Capileria where 6 of us caught the national park bus stopping off at the upper car park to collect the remaining 2. The bus dropped us all at the Mirador de Trevélez at 12, where, after the family photos, the group split into 2 groups. with the girls doing a 2.5 hour walk following the gentle downhill slope back to the upper car park and then returning to Capileria for Sunday lunch and a look around the shops, while the boys headed for the Refugio at the head of the Poqueira gorge. This is an amazing place situated high amongst the mountains of Veleta and Mulachen and open all year round with sleeping for over 100 people, it serves food to weary travellers and after walking for 1 hour we thought sustenance was needed and so we stopped for soup and tortilla. Our return route should have taken us straight down the valley back to Capileria, but instead we headed uphill on a unknown shortcut, some 40 minutes later we returned past the front of the Refugio before picking up the path going straight down the valley. After about 1 hour you come across 2 Acequia with a path between them that you can follow back to Capileria and which, according to legend, defy the laws of gravity by making water flow uphill. In any case it provided 2 hours of light hearted banter between the opposing uphill or downhill water groups, On our return to Capileria some 6.5 hours after leaving the bus a welcome refreshment was taken at a small bar.

Over the years that the lecrin Limpers have been running a repeated topic of conversion has been the safety and security of the group from Bandits and Desperado's who may attack us at any time whilst we are out on the fells. To this end we have always relied on Graham armed with his bowie knife to keep us secure, but as he gets older and the group gets bigger we have begun to realise he can no longer guarantee the full protection that we come to expect. To remedy this situation a number of us have taken up training in armed combat run by Angel from the Granada National police. Already I can feel the benefit of the aggressive look the trainees have now got. Only yesterday we came across an old shepherd, who last week may have attempted to rob us, this week he just sat on a rock and waved at us. In retrospect I think he was saying don't go that way,

The walk next Sunday the 15th October is from Guajar Alto back to Guarjar Faraguit the walk should take about 2.5 hours and apart from an up hill section at the start is mostly down hill, the walk is classed as suitable for Olwyn. Meet at the Acropolis bar Mondujar at 9.30 for the drive to Guajar Faraguit, where we have to leave one car before driving on to Guajar Alto. The after walk tapa club will then meet at Jose's house in Pinos del Vale.