We've had three days/two nights up in the wilds and had a great time of it. We took the battered road up behind Niguelas and drove (or bumped) for at least an hour to reach our car parking spot, had a quick picnic lunch and then set off towards El Caballo, rearing its 3000m head high above us. We had enough bivi kit and food to last the three days, and thanks to Steve's obsession with 'liteweight' we carried 4.5 kg and 5.75 kg respectively (he had the stove, water filter, more food than me...). Not such a lot considering.
It took 3 hours of leisurely 'look at the view!' climbing to reach the summit, with a sharp wind at our backs, but the sun and the effort kept us warm. We didn't linger too long up there...the wind was even stronger (35 or 40 kph)...and wound down into the valley on the other side, where there's a great refugio and laguna. It was good that we had enough warm gear for outdoor sleeping as 4 people and 3 dogs were already in occupation. As it was, we dined off noodles and tea and snuggled down as soon as the light had gone. Slowly the wind backed off, the stars came out and I slept...not sure Steve did, but then he only does 4 hour stints anyway.
Just before dawn I woke up to a perfect, almost new moon and the laguna as still as a sheet of polished metal. Gradually, light began to seep over the high peaks of Tajo de los Majos and by about 08.30 we were dancing in the sunshine. We took our time over breakfast (the dreaded muesli) and then set off northwards, towards the top of the valley with Veleta in the distance. It's an exciting walk, often on well-laid stone but at one point crossing a deep ravine, where we clung onto chains that had been fixed to the rock wall. Not one for people with vertigo! We saw eagles and vultures, falcons and ravens, a black squirrel - and mountain goats of course. That night, deep down in the valley, Steve improved on an existing ruin with a spot of wall-building and we settled down for a much calmer and warmer night. We were lying side-by-side, chatting and looking at the stars, when I suddenly saw, two feet above his head and tiptoe-ing along the wall...Zorro the fox! Or Zorra, perhaps. Silhouetted against the darkening sky, s/he had no fear of us at all but was clearly looking for the source of the chorizo and cous-cous that we had just eaten! Of course, s/he ran off as soon as we sat up, but was back sometime later, as in the morning we found one or two empty packets thrown around, even used T-bags!
We decided not to walk up to the Elorrieta refuge but stay in the valley, and then climbed almost vertically up towards Pico de Cartujo to reach the high ridge and stunning views of Granada, the sea, other distant mountains and the wide plains below. I could just make out the rosy terracotta of the main Alhambra tower. It took us several hours to wind our way back down to the car, stopping to 'chat' with more mountain goats and about 12 horses, without humans, which were heading north in a very determined fashion. They seemed to know exactly where they were going.
Which is more than I can predict for myself right now. The 'scary' bit of this Blog is that tomorrow I see the oncologist in Motril and get started on intensive chemotherapy. Some of the cells in my body have decided to multiply and it's the only way of stopping them, or so it seems. Quite a lot of other cells will stop too, so I may be a little bald thing in no time at all...but walking up mountains will be even more important for bone strengthening, so no let up there! Any good (evidence-based) advice welcomed!
