We're heading west today for a week. Going to watch the bird migration from Africa to Europe through the Straits of Gibraltar. Then we'll be beach bums on the Atlantic coast for a while. Some culture/history lessons at Trafalgar, Bolonia & Cadiz before returning via some mountain hikes in the Sierra de Alcornocales and Sierra de Grazalema
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Well it's my 7th Heart Attack'Aversary. If you'd have told me, as I lay, wired up, in the ICU, that 7 years from now I would be still playing about in the snow of the high mountains, I'd have laughed.
Thanks to @khusky for looking after me and being my best friend.
Its a white, very white world! From yesterdays excursion on Veleta 3394m in the Sierra Nevada
View from the morning dog walk looking down the deep valley of the Rio Lanjarón. The cliffs of the Tajos del Colorado are to the left and small cortijos (outlying settlements of Lanjarón) on the sunlit shelf to the right.
The stunning winter mountain scenery of the upper Lanjaron valley looking towards the peak of Veleta 3394m. Taken from the Cerro de Caballo summit 3009m, a few days ago.
Beautiful sunset tonight in Lanjarón, Alpujarra
Oh no, another new gadget I might have to invest in! 🤣
Entertaining hike yesterday following a circular trail up the peak of Peñabon 2000m, overlooking Trevélez. Beautiful vistas to the Sierra Nevada.
Trevélez is one of the highest villages in Spain and is known for it's air-cured hams, a speciality throughout the Alpujarras but particularly associated with the village, because the dry climate due to its altitude makes for ideal conditions.
Beautiful hike yesterday. View from the top. Images to follow
We'll, well, well. Cordoba, just round the corner. Who'd have thought. Amazing how they can identify and date a 2200 year old elephant bone.
A bone from one of the elephants that Hannibal left behind in southern Spain before his epic invasion of Italy has turned up near the city of Córdoba.
https://explorersweb.com/elephant-bone-from-hannibals-army-found-in-spain/
What an absolutely cracking day. Couldn't ask for better mountain conditions. Testing our lightweight Petzl Leopard crampons ready for a late spring visit to the Pyrenees. How did they do? Well, they didn't fall off 🤣. They were fine and confidence was built.
Borge Ousland's Polar Equipment List, Part II: Key Gear - it's interesting to see what he took
https://explorersweb.com/borge-ouslands-polar-equipment-list-part-ii-key-gear/
Always nice to discover a new hiking area, especially after 24 years. Yesterday we did a circular walk around the hills surrounding the village of Lagos near Motril, on the southern slopes of the Sierra de Lujar range. Sunny with no wind so felt like spring had arrived with temps up to 23C.
At stake is the question of when personal judgement and risk-taking become a matter of criminal liability. If the climber is found guilty it could mean "a paradigm shift for mountain sports", says Austria's Der Standard newspaper.
And a guilty verdict could also have implications for other mountain climbers, and how much they could be liable for their companions in the future.
T-shirt and shorts day today for me in the hills overlooking the Med. Nice to feel that warm sun on your back.
The Cerro de Caballo (3009m) in Spain's Sierra Nevada doesn't look like it's summit is 2400m vertical above the town of Lanjarón in the Alpujarra. Its deceptive, but nevertheless a lovely mountain that's relatively unfrequented due to its difficult and remote access. I believe it's also Europe most southerly and westerly 3000m peak.
Winter is back. Snow on the hills above our house this morning. Snow level about 1600m
April showers and its only February! Another threatening wet weather spell inbound to the Alpujarra
In 24 years I have never seen the river like this. Destruction all over