Valor

Day 5: Thursday 11th April 2013

The climb to Alcutar

Desayuno in our hotel was a generous tostado and coffee. Set off about 8 into a very hot day, I was sweating in no time. 

We walked up the river and saw a dipper, bypassed Nerila, then climbed steeply up to Alcutar. 

 From there it was a short hop to Berchules along the road. Bought bread and tomatoes. Found our way through the town then down into a valley, and the climb out was very long but lovely, over an ancient rocky path.

Berchules

We saw Capra de Montane or wild mountain goats, and later our first squirrel. 

We topped out into a nice birdie area where we saw an eagle, and wandered along a road through forest and onto a bit of a rough track which eventually took us into Mecina Bombaron. We had done good time till then, but it was a nightmare trying to navigate our way through the town with no way markers, and it lost us about 40 minutes. Rob finally sussed it and we stopped along the track to Golco for lunch in the shade. Golco arrived soon after, then it was down to a river and Rob was about to cross a very rickety bridge when I spotted a way marker that led us to a very good bridge! Up we went to Montenegro. Well, we kind of missed it, a lovely church there apparently and not much else, but it was off the track a bit. 

We then found ourselves in an amazing landscape, red eroded pinnacle-like territory, it reminded us of Bryce Canyon in the States. 

Of course there was another long hot climb all the way to Yegen, where I took us off briefly down the wrong track. Three girls tried to tell us in Spanish how to find the fuente, we were right out of water. Somehow we did find it, filled our bottles with relief, and found our way into a bar for orange juice. Asked in there for directions to Valor, and we ended up with about 3 different opinions, all in Spanish of course. An English bloke sitting outside must have heard the debate, and popped in for a chat. He was really helpful, and pointed us in the right direction, and told us there was a very good B&B near the church in Valor.

Rob at Los ARcos, Valor

About 3 we set off for our last 6 kilometers of the day. A signpost was missing from what we assumed was the track, but to be safe we walked down the road until eventually getting back on track. Just before the town we discovered the bridge we were headed for was damaged and barricaded, so we had to head back up to the road bridge. We asked how much the B&B was, and thought 60 euro a bit much for our budget. We asked around for other places, but a lady told us to definitely go there “as you are a long time dead”, and a cafe owner also said it was very good, and the best place. So we swallowed our pride and headed back to it and it is fabulous. Run by David and Jill, Los Arcos is fantastic. Lovely people, a stunning room, good bathroom with soap, shampoo, facecloths; a clothesline and pegs, a pot of tea brought up to us on the sunny deck, free drinks in the fridge and breakfast at 8.30. What more could we want, and who cares about 60 euros!

We went to Azorhar for the best tapas ever. Grilled eggplant in batter, fish in a sauce, lasagna and finally a potato cake, all delicious. Paco the owner is a sweetie, and when a man came in with a big bunch of mint he gave me a piece. The bar lady was nice too, and could speak a little English. The place was full of guys playing dominoes or chatting noisily at the bar. We heard scops owl on the way home.

My eyelid is still red from my face plant, looks like I have red eye shadow on.

At least Rob might stop doing black pudding farts now our diet has changed!!