29 March 2021 – Parcent to Murla

This is the third week that we have met Richard and Brenda for a Monday walk.

Brenda has knee trouble, which gives us a good excuse to do a gently summer walk

This week it was a flat walk from Parcent to Murla

Brenda provided a lovely chocolate cake for our “banana stop”

The clocks went forward yesterday, so this was our first Spring walk

We were fortunate to have a cool but sunny day, ideal walking weather

A very enjoyable walk, and lovely to be able to meet with friends again

The after walk drinks at Parcent cooperativa was also very pleasant

Stats

Time taken – 3 hours

Distance – 10 km

Total Ascent – 50 metres

25 March 2021 – Col de Rates

This walk is always popular with our walking group

So it felt particularly strange to be walking it on our own today

We do this walk at least once a year, but I can’t remember doing it on our own before

 It is one year since the introduction of lockdown in Spain

We are still in lockdown, but at least it is “lockdown lite”

No house arrest, and we can walk where and when we like

But we are still restricted to meeting with a maximum of two other people

 So clearly it is not possible to run our weekly walking groups

For the past couple of weeks we have walked with Richard and Brenda on Monday

 

And we hoped to do so with David and Sue today

But we left it too late to ask them, and they had an important meeting today

Hopefully we may be able to get together next Thursday

Despite everything we really enjoyed today’s walk

Though we both found it hard going and were glad we left the car at the chickenshacks and did not have to walk home.

Stats

Time taken – 5 hours

Distance – 9 km

Total Ascent – 471 metres

22 March 2021 – Parcent to Alcalali

Lovely morning for our weekly walk with Richard and Brenda

This week it is one of our summer walks, along the pipeline from Parcent to Alcalali

We had a drink in Parcent cooperativa after the walk, the first time we have been there since mid December. 

At present we are only allowed to meet  with two other people outside, not enough to restart the walking group

Valencia will revise their current restrictions on 12 April, and we are hoping that they will increase the number to 6 or 10.

We would then contact both groups and see how many would like to start walking again.

Stats

Time taken – 3 hours

Distance – 9 km

Total Ascent – 100 metres

18 March 2021 – Lliber Senija Reverse

We walked on Wednesday this week, because the forecast for Thursday is heavy rain.

One of the few advantages of having to suspend the walking group is that we can choose which day to walk. 

Valencia reviewed the Covid restrictions last week, and we hoped that they might increase the numbers allowed to meet from 4 to 10, but it has remained the same.

Not due to review the restrictions until 12 April, so it looks like that will be the earliest we can hope to start the walking group again.

But at least we can walk where and when we want on our own

It was lovely to have such good weather and be able to do a proper walk again 

But we do miss the company of our regular walking group

Let’s hope we will have better news when Valencia next reviews the restrictions.

Stats

Time taken – 5 hours

Distance – 11 km

Total Ascent – 390 metres

 

27 February – Pinos Fossil Walk

 

The forecast was sunny, the morning was cloudy and cold

But we soon warmed up as we started to climb

Not only mountain bikes today, but also motor bikes

We also met a couple who had turned back because there was a bee hive on the track

Fortunately not on our track and we reached the picnic stop without any problem

From Monday bars will be open for terrace service

And we can meet outside with two other people

But we will not be able to start the Thursday Explorers until we can have at least ten

There seems to be a lot of work going on at “the brothel”

We used the new route which avoids it completely

It adds about half an hour to the walk

However we still reached our picnic site at 1300

By now it was warm and very pleasant for our lunch

But it remained hazy which was not good for the photographs

We passed one other couple, but much quieter than I expected for a Saturday

Jan forgot to bring an extra apple for the donkeys

But they well well supplied with food anyway

Lovely to do another “proper” walk and get back into the mountains 

Stats

Time taken – 4.5 hours

Distance – 8 km

Total Ascent – 325 metres

Temperature – 8-15c