9th July 2006 Oh S**t

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Dear limper.
Can I start by saying how disappointed Alan was at 8 am Sunday morning when totally out of character he was ready and waiting on the car park and there was only me about to witness the fact. Because of the poor turn out for the planned walk up Cumbres Verde (me and Al) it was decided that we would explore a track nearer home that neither one of us had been up before. The track sets off up the hillside to the right of the Rio Durcal and when it was built it must have been a major engineering feat as it twists and turns up the hillside it would also have been wide enough to drive on. Sadly as time has passed by the track has fallen into disrepair and it was not long before we came to our first "Oh Cacka" moment where the path had been washed away as it crossed a baranco. the crossing now involved climbing down into and out of the baranco before picking up the track again. This was repeated a further 3 times before the path levelled off and we were able to enjoy a level contoured path as it meandered along the hillside above the Rio Durcal. Our second "Oh Cacka" moment occurred about 2 hours into the walk when the path suddenly stopped as it came upon a rock face it could not get around. At this point I can only wonder what was said by the poor bloke who had spent the better part of life digging this track out when he reached this point and realised he could not proceed any further. Not wanting to return the way we had come up we decided to climb the hillside we were on for a better look at where we were, and at the top we found a small path that according to the map would lead us to a forestal road we knew about and a return path back to the car. After walking along the ridge for some 30 minutes those same two little words came flooding back, when our nice little path suddenly went down a very steep and exposed section of the hillside. I don't give up easy but I know when it's time to turn back, and the moment had arrived, so we retraced our way back along the ridge before finding what appeared to be another track leading us back down the hill, after spending about a hour making our way down, this track also gave out. Giving us another chance to practice our new found phrase. We retraced our steps to the ridge and made our descent by way of our outward bound path arriving home some 13 hours after setting out. This path will not be added to the Limpers collection of walks to do again.

Because the majority of the members are either not about, or don't want to walk again until September when the weather cools down a bit, no further walks are planned for the moment.

The news of the week is that the two Dutchies are going to turn into the 3 around about Christmas time. Congratulations to them both.

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