Tag Archives: Moutains

Nov12

Mountaineering in the morning.

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What a great way to start a week, mind you I didn’t think that this morning, when I got up and it was so chilly and the car had  no fuel.  I made a mad dash to Colmenar to rectify this, even though I was spitting feathers as it was 18km there and back in the wrong direction to where I was heading… Note to self * Forward thinking* .

But the shone was finally shining again, and the air was crisp and clear, and today my group ‘Views from the Hills‘ was meeting up for a mountain trek. First things first, we met at El Duende in Los Ventorros, an Aladdins cave of all things calm, Ruth was waiting for us, with fire roaring, hot coffee & delicious mango & apple cake, to give us the necessary strength to go on our way.  New members came along, visitors too, from the Cheq republic, coming to enjoy the dramatic scenery we have on offer.

Boots on, dogs raring to go we began our climb up Mazmullar , following ancient mule tracks, and paths carved out from running waters.  Flora & fauna, in its early stages of re-growth after the recent rains, wild herbs of fennel and lavendar, lined our way.

View points gave us respite and breath gathering time.  The summit a plateau, is home to ancient ruins and caves, used throughout history for shelter and hiding.  We climbed over rocks to pinpoint our homes on neighbouring hills, and marveled at snow on the peaks of Maroma, and the Moorish town of Comares perched high on it’s rock.

Our descent was leisurely, and we enjoyed the warmth of the sun on our faces, returning for a wholesome lunch of homemade soup & bread in beautiful Moroccan bowls, alfresco in November , oh and a little more cake for good measure.

 

 

 

 

Sep30

New residents at La Rosilla or should I say visitors ? ;)

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Bumping in to my elderly ‘campesino neighbour Antonio in the local town of Colmenar, he began to chat with me in his deepest Andaluz tongue, something with him now after 7 years I can just about understand. I managed to decipher ‘Your mountain & land’ and the world “Mules’.

 

Yes, yes I agreed, Mules would be good, to eat the shrubbery, nodding vigorously and agreeing that the land would look like the pavement he was pointing to, smooth & flat after they had done their work.

 

What I didn’t know I had agreed too, was that evening having two giant Mules delivered and tethered to my olive trees to go about their business. Funny thing was they were bought in the pitch black, so my dogs were in a frenzy, we too were also wondering who on earth was brave enough or stupid enough, to go mountaineering in the pitch black without a torch.

 

A few minutes later, after a yodel to Miguel (said owner of the mules) I confirmed, yes OK I will temporarily be a mule sitter .

Well Hercules & Conejo (Rabbit , don’t ask me !)  seem placid, and are making light work of clearing the land. I’m getting very fond of them, the children too, I’m sure the novelty factor may wear off after the first rains, or when the temperature drops..but hopefully by then they should be homeward bound – Dedos cruzados ! (fingers crossed)