Grazalema to Montejacque: Hiking in Andalusia, Spain - Have Firebox, Will Travel скачать в хорошем качестве

Grazalema to Montejacque: Hiking in Andalusia, Spain - Have Firebox, Will Travel

The sound of bells hang in the morning air of the white village of Grazalema nestled high in the mountains of Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema. Cafe Rumores is a flurry of activity with local folks popping in and out. We place our order, a classic Andalusian breakfast of toast with jamon serrano, tomato puree, and olive oil along with a cafe con leche. Fed and caffeinated, we are on our way. Descending from the village of Grazalema along the winding road with a delightful view of village, valley and mountains, we march in quick time to the trail in the valley below. We hike briefly along the Gaudalete River valley before veering east to hike up and out of the valley. Sheep are in abundance and even when not immediately visible, the dinging and clanging of their bells wafts through the valley. Pines trees, olive groves, springs, and terraced stone garden patches are scattered along the trail as we hike past farmsteads with roosters crowing and dogs barking at our passage. At the top of the valley, once greeted by a few curious ewes and their lambs, we direct ourselves towards the Llanos de Apeo, a broad plain surrounded by distant mountain peaks. A slight rise in the land near a rocky outcrop and a large holm oak is a welcome stopping place to enjoy our picnic lunch and make a warm drink. With a Firebox nano and a Trangia spirt alcohol stove, our little kettle of water is soon at a rolling boil. Wild thyme grows bountifully in these parts and makes a flavourful tea. While the thyme steeps, we munch down our lomo de cerdo (cured pork tenderloin), garlic and tomato (which packs surprisingly well) layered on think slices of fresh bread. Lunch done, we resume our trek, directing ourselves towards the Campobuches River. The meandering river is bathed is sunlight when we come upon it, and the scene, mature cork oaks along the bank, mountain ranges in the distance, a hazy sky and the sound of the trickling water, compels a pause to soak up the beauty around us. The next portion of the trail leads along the river, crossing it randomly and meandering through well-established stands of cork oak trees. The outer bark, the cork layer, is harvested every nine or so years, usually beginning when the trees are between thirty and forty years old. Andalusia is renowned for its cork production and Spain is the one of the largest cork producers in the world. The trunks of the harvested trees are easily spotted with their rich reddish hue. The Campobuches River merges with the Guadares River as the deep channel in the landscape winds its way towards Montejacque. Passing through a boar hunting reserve (off-season), and by the remnants of long-abandoned farms and still-functional spring-fed animal watering troughs, Mt Hacho and the dry reservoir of Montejacque become visible in the distance. The winds grow stronger and the chill of the late afternoon make us grateful for our woollen gloves and mitts. The final stretch along a gravel road characterized by steep drop-offs and hairpin turns leads us up and into the village of Montejacque at dusk, thus concluding our 18 km meander between Grazalema and Montejacque.