22 September 2013 Barranco de la Luna

This week we went on a new walk for the group to the Barranco de la Luna. This is an amazing valley that runs between Albuñuelas and Saleres, we only discovered it last year. Such an unbelievable valley, 5 km from home, and we never knew it existed.

The walk starts from Saleres and, for a few minutes, follows the road as it climbs towards Albuñuelas, you then turn off and follow a campo road as it drops down to the river. We could not have timed it better, as the moon was positioned in a crystal clear sky directly above the barranco.

Arriving at the river a number in the group were reluctant to plunge into it. I think they were hoping they could keep clean and dry, not a chance, they were going in and they were going to get wet and dirty.

The path is the river bed, in parts the barranco is only 2 meters wide and 50 metres deep with sheer sided rock faces. To start with you are lured into a false sense of security as the path gently meanders upstream. The last time we were up here I had thought a rope might come in handy on some of the waterfall ascents. I had kept it hidden in my rucksack, not wanting to put Mike and Kees off too soon.

At the first of the waterfalls the rope came out and I could see Mike weighing up the possibility of making a run for it, but we had positioned Graham and Jan at the back to block any escape.

Getting 17 people up all the waterfalls was a slow job, and it took nearly 2 hours to get everyone through the unfolding drama of the aptly named Barranco de la Luna. Eventually the barranco widens out and you are back in amongst Olive trees, this part of the walk in itself would be worth doing as the trees are set alongside enormous boulders. We stopped here for an early lunch before continuing the walk up to Albuñuelas. Our path back to Saleres was on the GR7, I must say I am shocked and saddened that they are upgrading this delightful path. They have laid enough concrete to turn it into a 2 lane highway, soon there will be juggernauts thundering up and down it.

With no bar in Saleres we headed off to Restabal for a drink, but bar Andreas did not have enough tables in the shade and bar Sifon has changed hands and was closed. What has happened to that wonderful patio around the back, I will never forget sitting there, drinking beer, in an abandoned building site. In the end we went to the Puerta del Valle in Melegis.

It was a great walk and a fun day out, even though we were all wet and dirty when we got home, some even classed it as the best walk ever. We have so many best walks ever we could write a book about them.

We walked 7.5 km and climbed 292 metres.

The photo was taken at our picnic site in the Barranco de la Luna.

This walk brought into question the walks grading system, I had graded it a 4 because it was short, and with not much climbing, but as someone pointed out if we needed ropes on a grade 4, what should we expect on a grade 9.