Morning walks.

Our afternoon walks  to Yegen have changed this week to first thing in the morning, partly because it's been such lovely weather.   That sounds a bit contradictory I know, but dogs with black fur coats don't really appreciate a 5km return trip in the sun - for 2 days now it's been 20° in the shade and we haven't had the wood burner alight for 3 evenings.   We now set off about 7.45,  before the sun is really up although the sky towards Sierra Gador is aglow and dark orangey-red.    Up to Yegen and back,  home by about 8.30 for breakfast and by then the sun is shining onto the terrace.

The moon is still up at that time  -  we were heading home and nearly at the stream that crosses the pista before walking up past hanging rock and on to Montenegro.

A friend of ours also walks every day and does a circuit from Yátor, via Montenegro towards El Golco,  crosses the river below El Golco and follows a footpath down the side of the river back to Yátor.   It's a walk that we've known about but have never done and although I go to the river with the dogs,  I've never seen anything remotely like a path.  So today when he walked up I joined him to do the walk as well.  I left Monty and Pip at home with John, not that they were much help with his replacement tube repair but I wasn't sure what the walk would be like.  In fact it was lovely,  a gentle path down following the side of the river,  past a couple of ruined buildings, probably animal shelters or somewhere to store tools in the past maybe.  Not big enough to be cortijos I don't think.  Also quite a few collapsed bridges, whether due to rain and floods over the years or just lack of maintenance I don't know. 

Eventually we got down to the river and found a crossing.  Depending on the water levels and the time of year,  you choose different places to cross.  Although there is quite a lot of water,  the river also has lots of boulders to use so we crossed here.....

Gordon and the remains of a bridge...our river crossing point.

It is a 5 mile walk apparently,  and made a nice change.  Would I do it with the dogs?  Maybe not,   as Pip needs a lead or she chases anything that she sees and also gets startled by birds.  Some of the path is a bit narrow and with loose gravel,  ok when you've 2 spare hands but with a dog on a lead?    Maybe not.   Crossing the river by yourself is fine but with 2 dogs?  Maybe not.  But without them it made a nice change.  Now I'd like to do it the opposite direction to make sure of the route.  It is 'signposted' - sort of - yellow blobs of paint on  rocks show you that you're going the right way.  And a yellow arrow at the El Golco end  - or beginning depending on which way you've come from.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking back up the valley,  you can see the footpath we came down.