What an incredibly changeable Spring we’ve been having! It’s hard to believe that on our February walks, people were suffering from too much heat and as I start writing today on Good Friday (19th April) the rain is pouring down outside. In fact, there is so much water that tomorrow’s walk in the Rambla de Charrara (Campo de Ricote) has had to be cancelled. First-time walk leaders Angela and Les were very disappointed to have to take the decision, but obviously any walk in a rambla can become very dangerous under these conditions (and unpleasant) and as a group we always try to act responsibly and take members’ comfort and safety as priorities. Not ones to give up easily though, their second decision was that their walk will be the opening treat for next season’s programme of outings.
Thankfully the weather had behaved itself for the previous walk led by David and Rose on Saturday 13th April because David had been slaving away over a hot oven in order to prepare a very special seasonal treat for us all – hot-cross-buns. There’s nothing lukeWARM about our leaders (sorry – couldn’t resist it!) They’d taken a very trusting decision to hand out the goodies in the carpark before setting off. Later, at the side of a secret lake south of Bullas, we guarded the booty from the eager jaws of several dogs and relished the very generous and delicious gifts. We munched away contemplating the peace of the scenery (near to the long-distance footpath GR-252 and the 754m hill of El Manzano).
We were close to the emblematic ‘shark’s fin’, the 1300+m summit on the Reserva de la Selva, but from our new angle it didn’t look at all like a shark’s fin anymore. I’d forgotten to pick up my camera, so the photos have been gratefully uploaded from members’ posts on our Facebook page.
Our final walk on Sat 27th April, the 20th of 20 this season, was led by Carla and Douwe for the 2nd time this year because their route in October had to be abandoned halfway because of rain – a planned route into the precipitous Amadenes Gorge would most definitely have been too dangerously slippery. This time they planned to return to the south face of the Sierra del Oro.
This was WARM’s first walk in the company of a nun! Starting from the Casa de Oración (house of prayer) and the home of resident nun Charro, we climbed up to the desolated hamlet of La Viñica and resorted to all-fours in order to scramble further upwards. From a saddle we enjoyed views across to Abarán, Blanca and the Azud de Ojós.
It’s amazing to think that the original inhabitants clambered up this, their main road over the summit of the sierra, in order to buy and sell their goods. Finishing back at the Casa de Oración, we were treated to a picnic and invited to enjoy a private tour of Charro’s home. As resident nun she aims to be self-sufficient and lives from the sales of her beautifully painted religious icons and the generosity of donations.
As you read this we’ll have completed our programme for the season and I will be updating our email circulation list. Every year, the active membership is much less than those on the list. I keep it very simple – anyone wishing to remain needs to email their confirmation to me. Full details of future outings are sent automatically to those on the WARM mailing list, normally about a fortnight ahead. Please email your address to Jessica on Warm2005@gmail.com indicating your nearest town.
Notes:
Only those 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 hours’ drive from the coast).