6 October 2013 Lanjaron

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Normally, we walk around Lanjaron in the winter when it is cold and windy in the valley, it’s a great place to go to get out of the bitter northerly winds. So, for a change, we went when it was still nice and warm and all the fruits are still on on the trees.
There were 26 in the group this week, all eager for an easy walk. Originally I had planned the circular walk in a clockwise direction. This would have saved the best bit till the last. As Michael O’Leary (Ryanair CEO) is fond of saying “Send the punter home happy and they will come back again”. With so many people, and some wanting a shorter  walk, I decided we would walk in the opposite direction and do the best bit first.    
We set off from the car park and went up the road so we could get into the park. The gates were locked, luckily Mike had noticed another gate that was open so we used that entrance instead. This is a delightful little park that comes out by the castle. Fortunately the castle gates were closed, I can’t imagine how long it would have taken to get 26 people round there.
The path then follows an old Mule track as it meanders back and forth, dropping down into the steep sided valley below Lanjaron. This is a very fertile valley, full of autumn produce, progress was slow as around each corner another deliciously tasting fruit was discovered and sampled. I had suggested that everyone bring some shoes suitable for crossing the Rio Lanjaron that flows through the valley. In the past the fast flowing river and a ram shackled bridge, if we were lucky, has caused us a few problems. So what do we get when everyone has carried a spare pair of shoes? A little stream that you can jump across.
The way out of the valley looks impossible, a near vertical rock face and I didn’t even bring the rope.
Surprisingly it is remarkably easy, with a well graded path that soon has you at the top of the 173 meter climb. The last time we were here we got shouted at for straying off the path, we were only a meter away from the unmarked path but the owner of the farm was not too happy to see us. It now looks like the medio ambiente has waymarked the route and it is now well travelled. She came out again but this time she wished us good morning.
We continued the walk up to the Ermita where we stopped for lunch, and then walked back into Lanjaron.
This gave us the opportunity to split the group with the easy option being to walk through the town, calling in at the bars and ice cream parlours along the way, and the harder option of walking above the town on a variety of tracks and footpaths.  
This is where the careful planning went wrong, in the past we have only ever come down this route, never gone up it. What is a short easy downhill section suddenly turned into a long, steep uphill one. Eventually, after much huffing and puffing, we all managed it to the top and we were able to enjoy the wide vistas over the town. The way down was easy as we joined the GR7 path from Niguelas.
Michael O’Leary would have been proud of me as everyone was hot, tired and grumbling, I expect I will be walking alone next Sunday.  
We walked 10.1 km and climbed 601 metres.



The photo was taken by Conchi before we were properly set up as my camera is playing up on group shots.

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