The start of it

For a long time, whilst out walking in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, we have come across footpath signs to Sulayr but we were never able to connect the signs to any known path, they always seemed to point to somewhere high in the Sierra Nevada. Then in August 2009 whilst on the Mulhacen mountain bus Paco, the guide, explained that it was a 300 km circular path running around the Sierra Nevada National park.
Slowly my interest in this walk was aroused, but it always looked like it would be a ambition never undertaken. The path runs around the Sierras at about 2000 meters, and the thought of taking our poor little Renault Kangoo up all those access tracks to the start of a new section of the walk filled me with dread, it was our only car.
In 2011 the chance came to buy another car, and the thought of walking the Sulayr path gained momentum. What was needed were some good buddies to share the experience. My wife has always classed the “The A Team” of the Lecrin Valley Limpers as something out of “The Last of the Summer Wine”. A group of old men who go out in to the mountains for the day and come home raggy arsed, tired and dirty. After careful consultation with fellow team members who jumped at the chance of expeditions into the high Sierras I decided to buy a small 4X4.
This is the story as it unfolds.

Thursday, April 21, 2011

April 19th Tevélez to Hoya Herrere

Whilst he has not been able to join us on a walk since we started our grand adventure Graham was one of the original five daft enough to want to walk the 300 km path, so we had to choose a section that would impress him.
Our chosen route was a 10 km section starting in Trevélez and going on to Hoya Herrera where we had previously set off from. The weather forecast was not brilliant and by the time we set off for the drive to Trevélez it was misty and raining, but we were confident that things would improve. Trevélez claims to be the highest inhabited pueblo in Spain and by the time we arrived we had driven out of the poor weather and things were looking good.
The walk starts at the edge of the village and heads uphill on an unmarked path which it shares with the GR7, you would think that together the paths would warrant a marker, but nothing, when you have climbed 50 metres, there are plenty of markers. There must be logic there somewhere, but so far it escapes me.
After 4km of easy climbing, following the GR7, the path branches off and starts gaining height seriously. Arriving at the 2000 metre line we came across a number of bulls and cows. We positioned Mike in his red jumper at the back to protect our rear flank, and Graham with his knife at the front, mind we all felt a lot safer when we realised that his knife was in his rucksack.
The weather was starting to close in on us as we started our descent towards Hoya Herrera, our turn around point today. This was slightly discouraging as not only could we not admire the vistas we had been promised of the coast and Africa but also we knew every metre of descent was a further metre of ascent on our way back.
Stopping for lunch at Hoya Herrera the clouds suddenly parted reveling previously unseen views. The last time we were here we were also enveloped in cloud. I am glad this bit is finished because it is the only place we have had bad weather so far. On the way back we alternated between wearing waterproofs because of the short April showers, and stripping off because we were too hot.
Arriving back in Trevélez we took advantage of the fact we were parked outside a bar, as expected the tapas was Jamon. Fearing for my life I felt it better not to ask for a vegetarian alternative.
The walkers Mike, Kees, Rene, Graham and myself.
Distance walked on route today 9.75km. Total distance today 19.5km. Height climbed today 882 metres. Total distance walked on the Sulayr path 48.0 km. Distance left to do 252 km. Total height climbed 3911 metres. Total distance walked 102.8km
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