News from Sierra Nevada Guides

Latest news from the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Southern Spain

Saturday 11 May 2013

Guided Walks in the Sierra Nevada


Guided Walks in the Sierra Nevada led by qualified British International Mountain Leaders.

Sierra Nevada Guides are pleased to announce their programme of guided walks for 2013 in Spain’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. Starting from Monday 17th June through until Friday 2nd August our programme will be:
Mulhacen's West Ridge from the Caldera Refuge

Mondays:
Veleta 3394m. The 2nd highest mountain in the Sierra Nevada. A fairly straightforward day in the mountains starting from a height of 2500m. Walking time approx 6 hours.

Meeting in Lanjaron at 9am or Hoya de la Mora 10am.
Cost per person: 40 Euro’s



Trumpet Gentians and The Star of The Snows, Siete Lagunas, Alcazaba

Wednesdays:
Alcazaba 3371m.  Alcazaba is the 3rd highest and most remote of the big 3. Taking the National Park bus to 2800m, this is a long excursion.  Meeting in Capileira at 8am. Probably back around 7.30pm! 

Walking time approx 8 hours.

Cost per person: 45 Euro’s + bus fare (currently 10 Euro’s)




Fridays:
Iberian Ibex near Mulhacen Summit
Mulhacen 3482m, The highest mountain in mainland Spain. Taking the National Park bus to 2800m we ascend Mulhacen’s south ridge, descend the west Ridge to the Caldera refuge and head down to the Poqueira Refuge for a drink before a walk back to Hoya del Portillo where a car brings us back to Capaleira (approx 6pm).  
Walking time approx  7.5 hours.
Cost per person: 45 Euro’s + bus fare (currently 10 Euro’s)



Cerro del Caballo

Sundays:
Cerro del Caballo 3011m. Europe’s most westerly 3000m peak. And a real gem!

Departing from Lanjaron at 8am and returning approx 7pm. Walking time around 8 hours.

Cost per person: 40 Euro’s





To enquire further about these walks or make a booking, please contact Jane or Mike at:



U.K. telephone (forwarded) 
01433  639  368

Spanish Mobile
600  692  166

Mountain Skills Course 2013


Mountain Skills Course


Sierra Nevada Guides are running their 2013 Mountain Skills Course from 28th September based near Lanjaron in Spain’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. Although a fairly active and intense week cramming a lot in,  we try to ensure that your course is a holiday too ensuring you have time to relax, enjoy good food, company and the occasional beer or wine!

Group briefing at 3200m

The course will be based at a remote mountain farm near Lanjaron though will spend 2 nights at the Poqueira Refuge.


Dates:
Saturday 28th September to Saturday 5th October, 2013.

Cost:
£645 or 740 Euro’s
This is a full board course with bunk room accommodation based at a mountain farmhouse and mountain refuge. The price includes a pick up either from Malaga Airport or from Lanjaron.


Our normal 7 night training programme usually runs as follows though we will have to make adjustments according to the group and weather conditions:




Day 1           
Arrive in Lanjaron, settle in, etc.
Evening discussion covering mountain safety and equipment.

Day 2           
Learning map reading and navigation skills for the high mountains
including using a compass, transferring U.K. skills to the bigger mountains.
Involves time in the high mountains looking at route choice off path.
A possible ascent of Caballo 3011m.
Evening session covering mountain weather.

Day 3
Learn to use a GPS.
Ascend to the Poqueira Refuge (2500m) using the GPS.
Spend night in Refuge.

Day 4
Rock Scrambling at altitude, Navigation, Route Choice and 
Mountain Leader Ropework.
2nd night at the Poqueira Refuge.

Day 5
An ascent of Mulhacen 3482m, highest mountain in mainland Spain.

Scrambling at altitude on the Tajos de la Virgin

Day 6
Rock Climbing, Abseiling and Learning the Ropes!

Day 7
Putting it into practice! 
An acsent of Alcazaba 3371m the 3rd highest
and most remote of the big 3 in the Sierra
Nevada.

Day 8
Depart for home.

Wednesday 8 May 2013

The Best Path in the World! Spring Walks in The Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada


The Best Path in the World!
Spring Walks in The Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada Guides, spring walking season of is in full swing at the moment with several groups on “back to back” holidays in The Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada.  The weather in Spain two weeks ago was unseasonably hot which brought the flowers out slightly earlier than usual and making for superb walking holidays which our guests have been enjoying.


Always a favourite is a walking circuit in an area of the Alpujarra known as the Ta Ha. Starting at the pretty white village of  Fondales the route we follow takes us through Ferreirola and past a “fizzy” spring of naturally occurring carbonated water  before ascending to Busquistar.

Spring Walking in The TaHa

On this section of the walk we pass through terraces as well as spectacular crag scenery. One of the features of the Alpujarra region is the "aira" a flat section of land, usually on a promontory where the wheat and cereals were "thrashed."

Ferreirola with an "aira" in the foreground


At Busquistar we descend into the ravine and take a spectacular medieval path which has been hewn out of the steep craggy hillside. The route now follows a road for a short distance before taking a forest track towards the medieval Arab water tank at Aguila.

The final descent down another medieval cut path is surely one of the best and most spectacular paths in the world! In places the path has been hewn out of the rock whilst in parts it is held in place by ancient stone walls that seem to hang off the steep craggy hillside.  And it gets better with a Roman bridge crossing the river at the bottom.

The Best Path in the World!
 All that remains is the ascent back up to Fondales and a well earned beer at our favourite bar in the village of Mecina.

Although a strenuous walk due to the two steep ascents, it is a relatively short
(12k) walk.  We always tell clients that it their holiday and there are no prizes for being first! At a leisurely pace we complete the route in 5 to 6 hours. A Ramblers grade of A2.