Ruta los Meguellines

Today was our last day for walking in El Burgo. We picked out a route that went up Cerro Espartoso toward the Sierra Cabrilla that lies between here and the villages of Ardales and Casarabonela. Sixteen years ago, we headed off on our mountain bikes on this same route, passing the same fields filled to bursting with yellow “desert gold” flowers and red poppies. They are so abundant that you just can’t help but wade into them, thinking it’s impossible to have such an exuberant display growing in the wild, just sitting out there for everyone to enjoy. (In fact, I enjoyed them so much from my bike in 2009 that I forgot to watch where I was going and ended up crashing and breaking my shoulder, so today I was extra careful to watch my step as I enjoyed the show. I’m glad to report I didn’t have a single slip or even a close call.)

This new national park route was particularly well sign-posted and the information panels were excellent. At a fuente just outside town, a sign pointed out that the stones around the fountain had been worn into the shape of the jugs the women used to bring to fill for household water. Another panel listed the many uses of the esparto grass that grows on Cerro Espartoso: making everything from baskets to mule harnesses. We also saw things we’ve learned to recognize from before such as tiny twigs from other olive trees grafted onto the stump of a newly-cut olive branch. We even spotted a red-striped oil beetle scurrying away into the grass, the first we’ve seen on this trip.

We knew the temperature for today was predicted to be in the high 70s, so we should have gotten our usual early start, but various tasks took longer than expected, and it was already hot by the time we started out. Ned made good use of his shorts again today! Luckily a stiff breeze came up and kept us comfortable on the return. I can see, though, for the two weeks we have left, we should get started as soon as it is light.

www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/el-burgo-ruta-los…Leggi altro