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Spain 2026 - the Alpujarra
  • Elaine and Ned
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  • Elaine and Ned

Spain 2026 - the Alpujarra

The Alpujarra region of the Parque Nacional de Sierra Nevada includes the highest mountains in mainland Spain, so we're expecting some snowy views as we explore the rural heritage items still to be found there. Läs mer
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  • Elaine and NedSpain 2026 - the AlpujarraResenär
    Our south-facing patio is going to get a lot of use.
    Flowers and olive trees surround the house.11Nets like these are spread out to capture the olives shaken from the trees.2Setting in the new stovetop1The fireplace is the only source of heat for the house1Pruning an orchard of this size means there is plenty of firewood!1

    Tijola: Cortijo Los Correas

    16 mars, Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    Luckily for us, we were able to get a taxi this morning because six days worth of groceries weighs a lot! We are now ensconced in the middle of 600 olive trees here at Cortijo Los Correas. When we step out of the house, the only noise we hear is birdsong. It’s an ideal spot for exploring the deep barrancos of three major rivers that drain down from the Sierra Nevada: the Ríos Trevélez, Poqueria, and Guadalfeo.

    After helping us get settled in, the owner’s son needed to get back to working with his dad. Today they are burning the trimmings they have pruned from the olive trees so that they won’t grow too high. He has an interesting backstory: he lives here and helps his dad on the cortijo for half the year; the other half he works in Zurich because “it’s too hot here during the summer!”

    We walked all around the cortijo this afternoon. There are more than just olive trees. One terrace is planted with avocado trees, and interspersed with the olives are oranges trees, lemon trees, and kiwi vines attached to wires that form a trellis. They grow like grapes.

    The biggest event of the day was getting a new stovetop installed in our house. We had mentioned to Angela that two of the burners seemed stuck , but it was no problem to us. She and her husband came down to take a look, and an hour later, voila, here came the repairman with a new stovetop. It gave us a chance to talk with them and learn about the difficulties of simultaneously running a cortijo and three casas rurales.    Läs mer

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  • Elaine and NedSpain 2026 - the AlpujarraResenär
    2The clothes had a nice view while they were drying.11Avocados from the tree in our garden.1Stefan and Naomi's olive oilThe house was in ruins when they bought it.Naomi preparing the reeds for the ceilingsAll the tiles, terracotta, and ...1... sinks were made by hand by two young men from Granada.4Gas prices per liter (about US $7.69 per gallon for regular).

    Órgiva: Last day

    15 mars, Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    We had a warm, sunny day perfect for walking, but we didn’t walk anywhere - just enjoyed our last day in the house, ate oranges on the porch in the sunshine, did laundry, cleaned the wood stove, and worked on some logistics.

    Tomorrow we are moving to a cortijo with over 600 olive trees. It’s located in a rather rural area at the base of that deep barranco we saw two days ago. There are no shops or bars nearby so we need to get ourselves and our gear there plus a week’s worth of food. It makes us wish we didn’t drink so much milk - heavy to carry. (No powdered milk in Orgiva.)

    While cleaning up, I discovered a photo book the owners made showing the renovation of this house, a three year project. Most interesting were the photos of Naomi (the one who made the pumpkin jam) cutting and gathering the reeds for the ceilings. When we were down by the Puente de Siete Ochos, we saw a lot of reeds growing. I wonder if these are from there.    Läs mer

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  • Elaine and NedSpain 2026 - the AlpujarraResenär
    1Cortijo del TicinoAcequia1A wood carver must live here.The PeakFinder app helped us finally figure out the name of the wide snowy peak we've been seeing.1Today’s music connection, Alborada del Gracioso by Maurice Ravel, comes from a cortijo sign Ned saw.1

    Órgiva: A windy day

    14 mars, Spanien ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    Meteoblue (the weather app) warned us this morning that we should be ready for wind gusts of up to 42 mph (68 km/h) today, so we weren’t surprised to see swirls of dust or leaves or last year‘s black olives rolling down the track in front of us as we walked from Órgiva down to the west side of the ford on the Rio Chico. This is the same ford we couldn’t cross two days ago when we arrived on the other side and found the only “bridge” was a precarious tree. When we got to the crossing today, we saw a man with a backpack and his dog trying to cross the river from the opposite side. He gathered some large rocks and tossed them into the water, trying to create a path to get across, but it was a hopeless task. He eventually gave up and, just as we had done, turned around and walked back the way he came.

    Having known ahead of time that we wouldn’t be able to get across, we were perfectly satisfied with poking around in the area and noting the extensive amount of damage to the lane that leads to the ford. It was badly undercut by four tall eucalyptus trees whose roots had clearly served as battering rams.

    This area must see a lot of water damage every year, given the number of rivers that roar down the steep slopes of the Sierra Nevada and converge here. On the other hand, all that water makes it possible for the olive and orange groves to be numerous and healthy. We even spotted one of the oldest cortijos in the area, the Cortijo del Ticino.

    All those trees need irrigation throughout the dry period of the long Andalusian summers, so there were acequias everywhere along our route, carrying water diverted from the Rio Chico. Most of them were relatively small and narrow, often beautifully maintained with stone borders. One had a feature we’ve never seen in a small irrigation acequia before: the water flowed along at a high level and then jumped down to a lower level via a waterfall. How lucky we are to get to see all this!

    Today’s track:
    https://loc.wiki/t/254214307?wa=sc    Läs mer

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  • Elaine and NedSpain 2026 - the AlpujarraResenär
    43The knife-edge ridge after we got off itBayacas below and Cañar, where we will be soon, on the skylineGate on the mill's acequia1

    Órgiva: An adventure and a half

    13 mars, Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 61 °F

    On our best weather day yet, we hiked a loop trail to a small village, Bayacas, that perches on the mountainside above Órgiva. We knew we were going to get beautiful views and what appeared on the map to be a nice stroll along a mountain ridge. Sure enough, as soon as we gained some altitude, we left the dirt track and picked up a single track sendero. A few steps more and we came around a corner face-to-face with a stunning view of a steep , massive barranco cut through layers of dark gray rock by the Río Seco (which is not dry at all right now). It was so magnificent and so unexpected that it took our breath away. At the top, there was a mirador with a fine view south to the Río Guadalfeo where we walked two days ago. Aha, I thought, now we are going to get that nice stroll along the mountain ridge. What I hadn’t realized while looking at the topo map from the comfort of our sofa was that the ridge was only a few feet wide and had a sharp drop of hundreds of feet on either side. Luckily, it stayed just a hair on the side of safe for someone like me. As long as I kept my eyes straight ahead, I could enjoy the glorious mountain views and pretend I was on a wide, level path. ( No photos from that part!)

    Soon we were in the tiny, steep village of Bayacas, admiring the church and the mini lavadero, quite a bit smaller than most of the ones we have seen, with only two washing boards and no roof. Bayacas looks like it might be on its last generation of residents - no young people around, no shops, no bars. But lots of cars at the foot of the village with Dutch license plates, so maybe that will revive it.

    We followed the left bank of the Rio Chico back to Orgiva. It had clearly flooded recently, probably in February with the record breaking rains that fell on this area, and there were uprooted trees all along the way. We stopped to chat briefly with a man who was cutting up firewood, and then continued on, passing the ruins of old mills, and the acequias that fed them. All in all, it was definitely our best day yet.

    Today’s track:
    https://loc.wiki/t/254098018?wa=sc    Läs mer

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  • Elaine and NedSpain 2026 - the AlpujarraResenär
    Ned, Manuel de Falla, Federico Garcia Lorca
    2If only Ned had been here in 1926!1Órgiva is on this 420 km camino.A hint we didn't pick up on yesterday.Noble house built from a Muslim towerCasa de los Balcones21From our window...3

    Órgiva: old friends, new camino

    12 mars, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F

    As you can see from the photo, Ned got to hang out his favorite Spanish composer today, Manuel de Falla, not to mention the writer Federico Garcia Lorca. As we walked around the town, we also stumbled upon a sign similar to one we glimpsed yesterday indicating that we were on a camino we had never heard of: Camino Cristo de la Luz. According to its website (https://www.cristodelaluz.es/es/caminos-del-cri…), it runs from Sevilla to Granada to Dalías in Almeria province, passing through Órgiva on the way. Its 16 stages cover 420 km and pass through several villages we are interested in exploring, so I’m glad we ran across those two markers as I had no idea this route even existed.

    Today’s sunshine was a great boon. Ned picked some oranges from a tree in our garden, and we were able to enjoy them on our sunny balcony looking at the nearby hills that no longer have any snow on them.

    Our walking efforts went into making a Wikiloc track that gives the background of eight interesting sites that are quite nearby: the local church, “one of the finest examples of Baroque religious architecture in the region,” whose bells we hear throughout the day; the fountain and cross that accompany the church; a nobleman’s house built on the remains of an old tower of a Muslim farmhouse; and three houses that have features of the local style of building - ie, lots of balconies. On some streets, we felt like we were in New Orleans!

    Today’s track: https://loc.wiki/t/253974958?wa=sc
    Yesterday’s track, also on the Camino Cristo de la Luz
    https://loc.wiki/t/253834811?wa=sc    Läs mer

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  • Elaine and NedSpain 2026 - the AlpujarraResenär
    Puente de los Siete Ojos
    12North: the Sierra NevadaSouth: the Sierra de LujarCortijo ruinsRío Guadalfeo2I don't think I'll be crossing the Río Chico on that!Soon after, he set off up the river.1

    Órgiva: Puente de los Siete Ojos

    11 mars, Spanien ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    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=sc    Läs mer

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  • Elaine and NedSpain 2026 - the AlpujarraResenär
    2Snow
    1Ceiling of chestnut beams and canes2Traditional ceiling construction in the AlpujarraLintel, not whitewashedLintel detail414Built-in firewood storage

    Órgiva: Snow

    10 mars, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 48 °F

    We certainly didn’t expect to wake up to snow on the hills where we were planning to walk today! We wouldn’t have been surprised had we been in some of the higher villages where on previous trips we have run into snow in April and even May, but the elevation of Órgiva is only 450 m (1480 ft), so we didn’t expect it here.

    Instead, we took the opportunity to enjoy our casa rural. Of all the places we have stayed in Spain over the years, I think this house has the most faithful restoration. The ceiling alone is a masterpiece. In every single room, chestnut beams topped by a layer of canes support the floor above. There are additional chestnut lintels visible over the windows. The architect Donald Gray, considered an expert on traditional Alpujarran construction, says that these lintels would have been covered with whitewash in a traditional structure rather than being visible.

    Other delights of the house include a traditional recessed wall cupboard now serving as a bookcase and a tray of olive oil and marmalade from the owner‘s garden. How about a spoonful of pumpkin jam with orange and ginger on your slice of fresh bread from the bakery?

    Other than the snow, the big excitement of the day was getting an adapter from the computer store to allow us to view the photos on the pen drive from Francisco at the ADR on our phones. It felt like magic to see those photos appear on my screen. What an invaluable resource for identifying that we are actually looking at the correct house or ruin or whatever. Given that the descriptions on the data sheets were written 25 years ago, it is sometimes difficult to know exactly which building they are referring to, so the photos are a crucial clue.

    The weather forecast is good for tomorrow, so we are looking forward to walking in sunshine.    Läs mer

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  • Elaine and NedSpain 2026 - the AlpujarraResenär
    278 huge maps!
    Each inventoried element appears as a number on a detailed map - a crucial asset in locating them!Element keys accompany each map.2Thanks, Francisco!There are over 5000 of these individual fichas available in Spanish online.The book we photographed at ...the Almeria Public Library in 2023.The book ...Beatte borrowed from a friend for us to photograph in 2023.

    Órgiva: A treasure trove of information

    9 mars, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F

    We hit the jackpot today with our visit to the ADR (Association for Rural Development ) office in Órgiva. The information collected by the Inventario de Patrimonio Histórico project is stored here. The general manager, Francisco Pérez Ortega, emailed me a few months ago saying that they had maps in their office that we could look at when we arrived. So we arranged to stay ten days in Órgiva in order to be able to see the material at leisure plus have time to walk in the area.

    After getting a bit lost on the way to the ADR office this morning, we arrived a few minutes late for our 10 AM appointment, hoping we wouldn’t be disturbing things too much. The exact opposite turned out to be true. Francisco had a work space all set up for us, complete with a marvelous collection of very large maps,(each one as long as my arm!) one for every Alpujarran village and its surrounding area. As you can see in the photos, the base maps have numbers entered for each of the inventory elements. This will be extremely helpful in planning out our walks because we can see at a glance which inventoried elements are close to each other.

    I was in heaven when Francisco brought out the notebook with all the original fichas (data sheets) done by the field technicians. Each page details the history and significance of a single “element”, as the items are called. They are now available online (https://www.alpujarradegranada.com/patrimonio-h…) and are what we’ve been using for several years to plan this trip.

    After Ned photographed all of the maps, we walked out to Francisco‘s office to thank him. He stood up to hand us a final surprise gift: a pen drive with a photo of each of the more than 2500 elements cataloged in the province of Granada. What a tremendously useful and generous gift!

    The kindness of the people in Spain who have helped us out with this project is so appreciated. These include not only Francisco today, but also the librarians in Almería who in 2023 helped us find a copy of the out-of-print book that gives a general look at each category included in the inventory, everything from agriculture to transportation; and the casa rural owner in Bérchules who borrowed a copy of the team’s investigation of traditional architecture of the region from a friend of hers so we could photograph that out-of-print book.

    Luckily, we now have seven more days here to put all this information to use on our next walks.    Läs mer

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  • Elaine and NedSpain 2026 - the AlpujarraResenär
    Molino de Benizalte4Centenary olive1112You can even get lactose-free milk on Sundays in Órgiva if you stop at the gas station.1

    Órgiva: Molino de Benizalte

    8 mars, Spanien ⋅ ⛅ 46 °F

    What a great day! We had no particular expectations for today other than to get in a short walk to one of the items in the Inventario de Patrimonio in order to see if we could combine the step of making the Wikiloc track with the subsequent step of adding the element description.

    It worked! There were more than a few hiccups along the way, but we now know more about what needs to be done while we are on the trail in order to make the editing easier when we get back to the casa rural.

    In particular, as I found out the hard way, we need to be very careful that all the relevant waypoints are recorded properly as we walk. Another lesson learned multiple times this afternoon is that it’s a little too easy to think you are deleting a photo when you are actually deleting an entire waypoint on the gpx track.

    The sunshine helped make it a good day as we started out along the Rio Chico. The Molino de Benizalte itself is only about a kilometer from town. It’s in ruins now, but what an elegant mill it must have been during its working years. The tall tower that you see in the middle of the building was raised above the adjoining roof lines in order to accommodate the long counterweight beam of the oil press. There has been a mill at this site for more than a thousand years. Benizalte was a Muslim village of about 200 people on the Rio Chico. Although the mill was near the river, it was powered by animals, not water. The current building dates from the 18th century and shows how much attention was paid to creating elaborate industrial buildings during that time.

    The rest of our walk was devoted to admiring the centenary olive trees that are in abundance in this area. There were 20 to 30 dogs who were also in abundance. A few of the loudest ones were behind fences, but most of them were just wandering along the dirt tracks as if they were out for a morning walk. To our surprise,, none of them were threatening. They just gave us a nod and passed on by without even barking.

    Today’s Wikiloc track (below) needs more work when we get home and have a computer to use for editing instead of just a phone, but I am really pleased at how it turned out. As far as I know, it is the only place on the web where the location of the mill is available along with detailed information in English.
    https://www.wikiloc.com/walking-trails/molino-d…    Läs mer

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  • Elaine and NedSpain 2026 - the AlpujarraResenär
    The bakery was the most popular place in Órgiva today.2Cervantes51Villages we'll be visiting1Ermita San SebastiánGood thing our bus was more modern than this one.12

    Órgiva: Arrival

    7 mars, Spanien ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F

    This trip has been eight years in the making. In 2018, we heard about a team of biologists, geologists, geographers, environmentalists, art historians, and anthropologists who set out to inventory the historical heritage of the Alpujarra, the area of high mountain villages located south of Granada in the Parque Nacional de Sierra Nevada in Andalucía.

    The final inventory, produced under the direction of ethnographer Augustín Sanchez Hita, included 5,488 items - everything from water-management channels laid out in the 800’s to mines dug in the 1950’s. Wouldn’t it be great, we thought, to walk the traditional tracks through the mountains to see some of these treasures? And might it also be possible to post gpx tracks of the inventory locations on the app Wikiloc so other people could find the items?

    We shall see!

    Today our jet-lagged brains were not up to anything more than a short exploration of the upper part of the village of Órgiva, our starting point after four days of travel. The high point for Ned was the connection between the Ermita de San Sebastián, and Claude Debussy’s music, “The Martyrdom of San Sebastián”. For me, it was seeing the library where a dedicated librarian collected more than 300 different editions of Don Quixote in multiple languages.

    Link to today’s Wikiloc track: https://loc.wiki/t/253261130?h=qzk9ave6p2&w… (Ermita de San Sebastián from Órgiva)    Läs mer

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    Resans start
    7 mars 2026
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