Órgiva: Puente de los Siete Ojos

As predicted, we did indeed have sunshine all day today. With great anticipation, we set out to see four sites we had identified from the Inventario de Patrimonio Histórico, all located on the Ruta de Olivos Centenarios. Heading south on a winding lane, we had the snowy Sierra Nevada behind us, the dark green Sierra de Lujar in front, birdsong and flowers and centenary olives on all sides, and sunshine above. Just perfect.

Around the last corner before the bridge were the ruins of several old buildings. Normally we would have passed them by with just a glance, but thanks to the ADR photos and maps, we were able to pinpoint this as the exact location of the Cortijo de la Carretera de Cadiar. As its data sheet confirmed, it was once “ a medium-sized farmhouse, with a quadrangular floor plan, built of plastered masonry, with a flat slate roof and flagstone eaves.” We spent a good quarter-hour poking around and discovering ruined examples of constructions that we recognized from our casa rural like the lintels wound with cords and the stone corners.

We arrived at the Puente de Los Siete Ojos just as a traffic jam was occurring. A big bus started south over the one-lane bridge just as a semi tried to enter from the other end going north. Neither could back up due to the cars that were now following each of them (complicated even more by a tunnel at the far end). The ensuing shuffling and maneuvering reminded us of the nightmare when one has to back onto the ferry at home.

The end of the story came rather unexpectedly soon after that when the normally dry Rio Chico could only be crossed by balancing on a tree trunk high above. It was an easy decision to return the way we came!

Today’s track:
https://loc.wiki/t/253834811?wa=scLæs mere