Our second AGM as an official association was on 16th July – more on that next month.
In contrast with the charming and gentle route a few weeks ago near Ojós, organising the Full Moon Walk has been particularly demanding. We’ve been out on the ground six times now with different ‘volunteers’, been ‘lost’ twice and changed our minds several times, but have learned a lot about the overgrown, hidden paths in the area – I have the wounds to remind me. The accompanying photographs were taken during our daytime forays and show beautiful views that we shall probably be unable to see on the night!
I started with our usual IGN (Instituto Geográfico Nacional) map of the area and traced out a route which I thought would work. IGN started the process of bringing their maps up to date a long time ago but unfortunately, my copy of this particular zone was published several decades ago. Out on the ground quite a lot has changed – old paths are overgrown and new ones have been created. It was stupid to wear shorts on a recce! We weren’t strictly ‘lost’, but under the circumstances an instruction like ‘turn left at the 3rd track’ loses its meaning. I always photocopy the map and highlight the planned route so that we have a reference aid. It allows for easier orientation because we can see from the contours if we’re supposed to be on the edge of a cliff, or if the mountains have mysteriously moved position! Landmarks like old farm houses really help, but we also have to remind ourselves sometimes that the old house on the left wasn’t built when the map was printed.
Just a last note about the night time walk – although we checked everything out for the route and on the night of a full moon, the fact that we were on the opposite side of the sierra at the time meant that we didn’t receive any help at all from the moonlight until it had cleared the peaks about 10 minutes before we’d finished! It’ll be fine on the night, we’ll have a good time and it’ll be added to the amusing anecdote list.
Our recce anecdotes serve to remind us that these are the same experiences that are probably shared by every person who volunteers to lead a walk for WARM. We should always be aware of the prior planning and preparation that’s been done by the altruistic people who have put in a lot of effort on our behalf.
Full details of future outings will be sent automatically to those who are already on the WARM mailing list, normally about a fortnight ahead. If anyone would like their email address to be added to this mailing list then contact me (Jessica) on: Warm2005@gmail.com. Please indicate where is your nearest town (I don’t need a full address).
Note:
Only those who are on the mailing list can access the closed WARM Facebook page.
The majority of the outings are in the North-west of the region (approximately 1½ hour’s drive from the coast).