Day 25 February 13, 2024
13.5 miles to El Complejo Rural el Molinillo near Arenas del Rey
Getting off for a early start on a clear day I was greeted by a wonderful surprise as I crested the ridge…the white snow covered peaks of the Sierra Nevada range radiating against the blue sky. I was so excited to see what I had been aiming for for nearly a month.
It was an easy walk today mostly on dirt roads moistened by yesterdays rainfall. It went by the natural park where pine trees had bark stripped from one side for tapping pine resin.
I had chosen a direct route towards Arena del Rey, avoiding Alhama de Granada, due to the carnival happening there and the accommodations all booked out. I highly recommend the direct eastbound route on a well maintained dirt road up through the hills of Parke Natural de Sierra Tajeda, Almijara, et Almida. Hiking through natural forest with oak and pine with views of surrounding mountains, culminating with the Sierra Nevada mountains, where I could see a ski area off in the distance. They looked close, but its another 3 days to get there.
One lonely flower bloom in the forest.
When I reached Arenas del Rey, I bought a couple sodas and sat in the shade of the town park to catch up on business. I am spending more time than I’d like on my phone working on finding and reserving a place to stay each night. A number of hotels are closed for the winter or have closed down. When I am able to stay, I am often the only guest. The hotel for 2 nights from now, appears to no longer exist. Since its near the natural parks I should be able to find somewhere to camp out along the way. The next day, when I reach a highway, I plan to hike to a town where I can catch a bust to Granada for a couple nights. I have heard about the Alhambra palace and want to see it.
Tonight, I have a guest suite where the sheets are provided in a plastic bag, for me to make the bed. The hotel has a dining area with incredible views out over the valley to the Sierra Nevadas. They serve midday dinner at 2 PM, but otherwise are closed for the season, unless an occasional visitor like myself stops by.
To get to the hotel is slightly off route, passing by a creek with an inlet through marshland to the reservoir. I saw 2 hunters heading out down a path, most likely looking for birds such as pheasant to hunt.
Day 26 Valentine’s Day
February 14, 2024
19.25 miles to water tank west of Zona de Acompada El Cañuelo
I didn’t sleep well with the fan going on and off again right above the bed. Turning the remote control off didn’t help either. When I woke up at 6:30 I decided I was time to get ready for the day. I watched sunrise cast its colors of the clouds above the mountains.
It was a short walk to the next town using a walking route I did with google maps. I wanted to get there quickly and then have the opportunity to get to a camping area up in the mountains, because the hotels in the next town were not open.
I passed a group of workers cutting broccoli in a field early in the day as I followed the online route. One looked up and said “Hello” and smiled. I responded with a greeting and thought how they must not often see backpackers walking through the fields.
At the next town, I found the bar, as bars open early and often have fresh orange juice. This one had none. The group of men sitting at the bar looked up at me and when I looked there direction they looked back at their glasses of alcohol or resumed talking with one another. I sometimes wonder what their conversation is regarding this older woman hiker coming into the bar.
In the following town, the bar did not have any jugo de la naranja either, so I bought an non-alcoholic beer instead. The bar tender complimented my order with a small slice of bread with tomato puree on top, plus a couple slices of cheese and roasted almonds, which were delicious.
It was a hot sunny and I knew I needed more fluids for my long trek and overnight camping in the hills. I found a small grocery store and bought food…cheese, salami, butter, crackers and an apple…along with a lemon soda to carry along and kefir for right then for energy and fluids.
Leaving town I passed an open market area, with a vendor selling fresh fruit and vegetables while others sold household supplies and clothing.
An older man standing outside his home asked where I was going. I told him “GR7”. He proceeded to then try to tell me the way, which from my understanding was based on one way marker, before reaching the stream crossing. It was confusing and in retrospect I believe he had no idea other than the one obvious marker, which he interpreted to mean, to turn and go up the side road there, rather than what it really meant was continue and don’t turn here.
The route soon entered natural parke, climbing up dirt roads through pine forest to a long traverse along the ridge. At the top I stopped for a short break and enjoyed my sparking soda, as a treat and to replenish my sweat from the climb.
Just before emerging from the park to high agricultural fields, the view opened to a view of the coastal range of mountains which rise right from the Mediterranean.
Back into agricultural lands I came to a road and a restaurant which was closed. It is surprising to me that a number of the hotels and restaurants are closed, when this is a well known time for northern European visitors to fly to southern Spain for a winter break.
The route turned off the dirt route to a trail which then became a rocky creek bed with occasional footpath evidence across grass and through bushes. It suddenly came to a spring burbling out of a pipe into a rectangular cement pool, with a frog sitting on a rock in it. I dropped my pack and got out my Katadyn Be Free water filter and filled up the bag. I felt relieved to have fresh water for the night and to know I would have plenty now, to stay well hydrated.
The route soon became more of a trail with thorny bushes poking through my pant legs as I went by. Dropping further into the valley, the conifers were less frequent as rocky walls episodically erupted from the valley floor. When I cam to a water tank on a ledge of pines and sequoia, I saw a level area just slightly over the top. With pine needles as padding and a view looking across the valley, I decided to stop and set up camp for the night. The clouds turned magenta with sunset as I removed my boots and said “Ah” with relief to spread my toes and feel the fresh air.
“Oh, oh.” Fresh blisters on the soles of my feet! It’s time to say goodbye for good to these black goretex thin soled boots.