I am writing this in the UK where we have gone for a break to see the family and to be honest to get away from the heat. Much as I love my life as a resident in Spain, the inferno of the summer is too much. We will be getting in some walking in Borrowdale, where the worry will be how much rain will we get!
Behind the scenes, we have been catching up with some admin that is a necessary part of being an Association. Our only formal requirement is an AGM and we now have a date, a venue, an agenda and most importantly a live band for the social event afterwards. Our Vice President Patricio Gomez has now completed his five years in office which finished on 15th June. He will be hugely missed as he has helped navigate through the vagaries of Spanish bureaucracy that we face as a recognised Association. As one of our walk leaders we look forward to walking with him in the future.
Our new Vice President is Juan Antonio Sanchez who lives in Bullas with his wife Juana Marie who also walks. Juan Antonio teaches in the small village of Coy, famous for the production of beautiful jarapas. We look forward to Juan Antonio joining us and continuing the Spanish link.
One or two of our members have asked why we don’t just walk in the summer and start really early. It seems like an easy option, but we have members spread across the Region of Murcia, so if it was a 7am start, some people could be driving 1 ½ – 2 hours to get to the start, meaning a very early start. One solution is the other end of the day and an evening walk.
Although our normal programme is over, we have a special evening walk on 11th July, led by Martin and Jessica. It will be at the stunning Fuente Caputa near Mula. It’s been a few years since a night walk has been done, but it is always popular. The walk is described in our book and very easy and has amazing changes in landscape over a relatively short distance.
If you then add in walking by the light of the moon it will be magical. Martin, our President and walk organiser will be working with David (who co- ordinates the SWARM walks) to develop the programme for next season. We are totally reliant on our volunteer leaders and we are hoping new leaders will come forward to allow us to enjoy some new challenges. Chris and I are hoping to offer a walk in the Sierra Espuña starting in El Berro. It’s a new one to the group, but first we have to get out and do it a couple of times to really know the route.
WARM is taking a break in August. We will be back in the September issue with news of our walks.