El Fuerte, the tough one!
Photos from yesterdays ascent of El Fuerte outside Frigiliana. A tough ascent followed by a scrambling descent of it's SW ridge which at times involved combined "tarzan-like" tactics to overcome
Wildfire in the los Guajares hills!
Some photos and comments from the wildfire in the Los Guajares and Pinos de Valle hills which started on 8th September at 14:00. Tragic circumstances and kudos to all those involved but it did lead to some spectacular imagery
Migration Time in the Straits
Let's go see the bird migration she said. Thing is, I'm more of a landscape than a bird photographer. And let's face it, landscapes don't move, well not much anyway. In contrast those little feathered blighters have wings that can flap hundreds of times a minute
Even in August Nature and Beauty prevail
We decided to revisit the quiet and relatively unknown lake of Lagunillo Misterioso, an enchanting place. We would then drop down the streams to see possibly the highest waterfall in the Sierra Nevada, the Chorreras de Molinillo.
What is it like scrambling "Las Campanitas" Ridge in Spain's Sierra Nevada?
Las Campanitas is the ridge between Cerro los Machos and Veleta in the Sierra Nevada. It is a Grade 3 scramble that crosses the peaks of Zacatín, Campanario and Salón eventually reaching Veleta via a route known as "Fidel Fierro".
Ups and Downs of the Veredóns
Kiersten and I fancied escaping the heat and spending a few hours in the cool air at 3000m. Our target was the upper Guarnón valley below Veleta's northern face, an area of streams and green, lush grasses amid a sea of stones. The area was teeming with nature's sounds, sights and smells.
Tajos de la Virgen Ridge
It had been quite a number of years since I had last walked the ridge between Veleta and the Refugio Elorrietta. It's known as the Tajos de la Virgen ridge and is a rough but easy walk with some sections of very mild scrambling involved.
Las Campanitas Ridge to Veleta
The ridge didn't let our expectations down. It is a magnificent scramble, probably Grade 3 in places. The highlight for me is the spiky pinnacle of Campario which soars like a needle up intto the sky. It is an impressive and intimidating sight.
Camp at Laguna Peñon Negro
Yesterday in the heat of the afternoon we made our way uphill to a remote lake, rarely visited, that we had never been to before. Laguna de Peñón Negro.
River Walk with the Dogs
What to do during a heatwave. Take the dogs for a river walk of course. Super proud of these two, they both remembered how to swim and seemed to really enjoy it
Threading the Raspones Ridge
This was an interesting day. Interesting as it crossed some terrain I have never trodden before, threading the Raspones ridge.
Blurred images and lost opportunities
In trying to learn camera techniques to take good landscape images you are bound to have some failures. It's a shame as those failures can sometimes happen in superb mountain settings, resulting in lost opportunities.
Lazy ways to paint the house
After many years of neglect our outer walls and cortijo walls have been repaired, re plastered and repainted.
Hard Going on the Tozal del Cartujo ridge
A tough return for me to high mountain scrambling on this mountaineering ascent of the north ridge of Tozal del Cartujo in Spain's Sierra Nevada
Wet and Windy in the San Juan Valley
A very unseasonal hiking day in Spain's Sierra Nevada which brought welcome relief from the heat of the lower villages
Fields of Gold on Las Alegas
Describes a walk up the quiet and relatively remote peak of Las Alegas above the Alpujarras in Spain's Sierra Nevada mountains
Life of Luxury in the Sierra Blanca
A visit to the towns of Monda and Tolox visiting mountains of the Sierra Blanca and waterfalls in the Sierra de las Nieves
Walking into a surreal Martian Landcape
We had an eventful, interesting and ultimately fulfilling day on the western slopes of the Cerro de Caballo a couple of days ago. The route is along the Acequia los Hechos and up to the remote and lonely, hidden lake of Laguna Puesta Cura.
Scrambling on warm limestone
After a recent period of inactivity, due to having a pacemaker fitted, it was good to get back out on the warm limestone rock of the Peñon de la Mata and feel the exposure.
The best photo I have ever taken?
The story behind the circumstances that led me to take the best landscape image I had ever taken.