Day 1 - The 3 White Villages Walk (Archez, Competa and Canillas de Albaida)

This was a short day. The most likely reason for this was so that our guide, Jenny, could see what we were made of. How nice it was, at this time of the year, to be back in shorts and 'T' shirts and walking on dusty paths.

Click on pictures to view. 1 to 6 taken on Day 1 walk, 7 to 13 are of our hotel Finca El Cerrillo

Day 2 - The Silk Road Walk

This was a much longer walk. Apparently Jenny must have decided we were made of the right stuff.

First of all our host Gordon, supported by a couple of taxis, took us to the start of the walk, which was from a very fine viewpoint. The most prominent feature was Cerro Lucero, the conical shaped mountain, that we were to climb later in the week. The walk itself was point to point, first along a rough track, then along The Silk Road. This being an ancient bridlepath between Malaga and Granada, used by mules until the 1950's. On leaving the Silk Road our way was down a steep sided valley to our 'watering hole' in Canillas, about a mile or so from our hotel.

Day 3 - Walk from Finca el Cerrillo

All walks in this area involve plenty of ascent and descent and today was no exception. Starting from our hotel we descended to the valley, which we followed pleasantly upstream. After a steep climb and a traverse of the hillside, we dropped down again to the picturesque 'White Village' of Salares for lunch. Here we had a light rain shower, but this didn't amount to much, as before long the sun came out again. Lunch in this area is no light affair and it was a shock to the system as we headed steeply uphill with full stomachs filled with tapas to another high point. Inevitably we descended again to a very attractive Roman Bridge, just 600 metres away from the village of Sedella and a suitable 'watering hole'.  Our taxis were waiting nearby.

Day 4 - Cerro Lucero 1769 metres.

Probably the best walk of the holiday. After being transported by taxis to the Puerto Blanquillo, we headed along a further section of the Silk Road, over the Puerto de Competa to an old marble quarry. A short stretch of track took us to the well used but rough path, that led to the final climb to the summit, with splendid views all the way. On top there are the remains of a police observation point, used in Franco's days to monitor movements in the surrounding area.

The return was along the same route, with some of our group taking a taxi back to the 'watering hole' in Canillas, whilst the others walked back in the footsteps of our day 2 walk. A great day out.

Day 5 - Up across and down

The views today and the weather were rather special, but for some, after Lucero, the walking lacked character. It was basically a 3000ft. ascent on tracks, a section along the ridge, mainly on paths to the rounded summit of Cerro de Albucoz (1730) and a long descent again on tracks. Having said that, on the basis of the superb scenery along the ridge and the gorgeous clear weather, most of us had a very enjoyable day's walking, appropriately rounded off at our adopted 'watering hole' in Canillas.

Day 6 - Our final walk

A taxi ride to our starting point, a short section of track, a steep climb on an old bridlepath, a level section of bridlepath with views across the valley to the Silk Road and a then lunch in a very pleasant spot, with fine views and warm sunshine. Easy walking down a track then led us to the restored village of El Acebuchal, where we indulged ourselves with ice cream and drinks (in our case mainly beer). An unsurfaced road then took us all the way to our waiting transport, where we bade farewell to our guide, Jenny, who had done an excellent job throughout.

Finally

Thanks to Kate for organising the holiday, thanks again to Jenny and Nick (who led one of the walks) and finally thanks to all at the beautiful Finca El Cerrillo for super accommodation, food and service. I can't say more.

Stan.