It is amazing how quickly the time goes as I write in mid-November the words for the final edition of 2022. I´m not a great fan of starting to think about Christmas too early, but in this case I will make an exception – A very Merry Christmas from WARM.
Since last writing we have had five WARM walks and three SWARM walks so it is impossible to write about all of them with here. I am therefore taking an executive decision to focus on two;
First was a SWARM walk led by Barbel in Pulpi in Almeria. We were venturing to pastures new and on a very hot day, with little shade and it was very challenging at the upper limit of distance with some walking on very broken ground. Our halfway point was la Geoda which deserves a return visit. The badge for courage and determination goes to June who did the whole distance.
The WARM was the Valdeinfierno. The 12km route began at a dam which was built to prevent flooding down the valley, but the reservoir was completely dried up when we walked between large mountains along the riverbed, until the source of the river Luchena. It is in the mountains of El Pericay and El Gigante in Lorca. It’s a spectacular gorge and landscape, very different from the rest of the region. It was stunning and for a WARM walk it was quite slow as there were so many photo opportunities.
It required us to be agile to limbo under a tree (not difficult for the short people in the group!) and getting up and down a large rock in the riverbed (easier for the taller people!). Luckily our leader was equipped with rope to help.
These were comments of our President from our Facebook page:
“What a wonderful day, at a wonderful place, with wonderful people. This walk at the gorge of the River Luchena, Valdeinfierno will take some beating. It was wonderfully organised by Juan Antonio. Muchas gracias por un día maravilloso.”
As if the walk wasn’t spectacular enough, we were gobsmacked to encounter a huge number of Griffon Vultures on the way to our post-walk meal. The generic collective noun is a ‘flock’, but when soaring in the sky they are referred to as a ‘kettle’.
WARM is essentially a walking group, but it is also an opportunity for people to meet and sometimes there is a meal at the end of the walk. However, there are meals and meals and our walk leader and Vice President Juan Antonio is the king of finding good places to eat. On this occasion we were at Asador Murciano on the outskirts of La Paca. Fabulous food.
If you want to join us, contact warm2005@gmail.com
Next WARM Walks:
- Saturday December 10th – Caves of Zaen
- Saturday December 17th – Castellar with Christmas Festivities at the summit.
- Saturday January 7th – San Pedro del Pinatar
- Saturday January 14th – Cehegin
Next SWARM Walks:
- Wednesday December 8th – Casas Nuevas
- Wednesday December 14th – Cehegin
- Wednesday January 11th – Moratalla
- Wednesday January 25th – Calasparra