Hi, it’s staggering to realise how quickly the summer has gone. As you read this, in September, we will be finalising the 2023-24 walking programme ready to start the new season. At the AGM on 22nd September we have a very short business meeting, no major changes to the way we work and no committee changes. It will be my final year as Secretary, five years gone in a flash. We are all looking forward to a music filled social event with plenty of wine and food.
Murcia is enduring its third ola de calor (heatwave), periods when the regular summer temperatures of mid to high thirties soar into the forties, so what do our walkers do over the summer? Since Brexit our non-resident members have had to manage their 90 days stay across the year. Many have spent the summer at home in the UK, saving their visits for the cooler weather in the UK and the warmer autumn and spring in Murcia.
People who are residents of Spain have far more flexibility. Many have stayed over the summer and hunkered down to cope with the heat. One of our members, Anita, has been up very early and walking near the coast and I have to take my hat off to her for continuing. Robert has taken off in his motorhome to enjoy the delights of Northern Spain where it is cooler and also greener and fresher.
Our President is heading to the Lake District where he will meet up with our Vice-President, Juan Antonio, who is also escaping the heat. They will need their thermals as at the time of writing the temperatures are forecast for 19°/13° not 33°/21°.
Their wives Jessica and Juana Marie are joining them and hopefully they will enjoy the stunning scenery and the drama of the fells and the occasional drop, or deluge, of Lakeland rain. They will need to take heed of the words of Alfred Wainwright, a famous fell walker and author- There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.
To quote the great man himself: “Surely there is no other place in this whole wonderful world quite like Lakeland…no other so exquisitely lovely, no other so charming, no other that calls so insistently across a gulf of distance. All who truly love Lakeland are exiles when away from it.’’
My husband, Chris, celebrated his 70th birthday earlier this year and this definitely applies to him. Much as we love Murcia as our house looks out onto the Sierra Espuña, the Lakes are his happy place. Each decade since his 30th birthday he has climbed Blencathra and on his 60th we were met with driving snow on the summit. This year he made it to the top and was rewarded with stunning views.
Finally, I just want to mention that a number of our members are struggling with health issues and we wish them all a speedy recovery and hope to see them back walking once they feel able.
For information about our walks please email us.