29 October – Thursday Explorers – Caballo Verde (Green Horse)

 

Reduced to six today, due to new coronavirus restrictions

We cancelled this walk last week due to adverse weather forecast

Today was warm, blue skies and a cool breeze – ideal walking conditions

This is a lovely walk, and one of our firm favourites.

We almost missed the walk due to road works

They have been working on the circuit road from Orba to Castells road for two weeks

 

At the bottom of our road we can turn left (Castells) or right (Orba)

However this morning they were working right on the T junction

Fortunately the workmen made a space, and we were able to get out

Good to welcome Fiona back for her first walk since lockdown

She has never done this walk before

So it was a fitting welcome back to the group

It’s a lovely walk, but we both found it quite hard going

So we were pleased when both Roger and Helen were also tired at the end

And even “super fit” Anita was tired when she got home

 

So not just the oldies who were tired last night

But it was (as Anita said) a very good tired

 

Unfortunately our usual bar, with the large outside area, was closed

The alternative was to sit inside in the “cosy” bar opposite

So a second week with no bar at the end

Time taken – 5.5 hours

Distance – 9 km

Total Ascent –370 metres

Temperature – 19-24c

26 October – Monday Ramblers – Olta Circular

There should have been ten of us on today’s walk

But on Saturday social groups were reduced from 10 to 6

We were disappointed to have it confirmed that this applied to walking groups

So Sunday was spent contacting members and asking four not to walk

Autumn has arrived, we were well wrapped up when we met at Olta 

There was also a very strong wind, which made it feel colder still

 

So everyone was well wrapped up when we set off

When we reached the sheltered side of the mountain it felt much warmer

And it was very pleasant when we had our banana stop at the finca

News of the coronavirus in Spain has been depressing this week

So it was good to get out in the fresh air and forget it all

As always the good company made it a very enjoyable walk

And with only 6 in the group we could all share one table at the Ermita

Stats

Time taken – 4 hours

Distance – 8 km

Total Ascent – 330 metres

Temperature – 16-21c

22 October – Thursday Explorers – Isbert Dam

Ten of us for today’s walk

We had planned to do Caballo Verde (Green Horse)

But a weather forecast of 98% chance of medium/heavy rain at 1300 changed our mind

We considered cancelling the walk, but decided on Isbert Dam instead

It is much shorter, and we would be back in the bar by 1300

Glad we did, because the weather forecast proved to be correct

And we had finished the walk before the rain started

In fact the weather was very pleasant, as was the walk itself

There has been “on/off” renovation work on this building for the past 14 years

One of the workmen waved us in to have a look around

He confirmed that it will be a hotel

It was nice to have Anita walking with the group again

She returned to Holland for a short visit just before lockdown, and has just returned to Spain.

It was also nice to welcome Jimmy and Julie for their first walk with the group

They could have picked better weather for their first walk

It is ironic that Anita’s first walk a couple of years ago was also rained off, and we did this walk as an alternative that day too

It was cloudy but dry throughout the walk

And the rain started just as we got back to Tormos

It was too wet to sit outside when we reached the bar

So we broke with tradition and missed our after walk drink

Very enjoyable walk, and much better than sitting at home waiting for the rain

Stats

Time taken – 3 hours

Distance – 9 km

Total Ascent – 90 metres

Temperature – 17-21c