25 Feb 2010 - Jalon Valley Almond Blossom

The Jalon Valley is well known locally for the annual Almond Blossom display

Each year in February the valley is transformed by the almond blossoms which last for a week or so. The normally drab and unattractive almond trees are covered in white or pink blossoms, which turn the whole valley into a blaze of colour

We had arranged to meet Les and Jen at Alcalali to walk to Jalon for lunch. The walk into Jalon was cloudy, but dry. Not ideal conditions for the blossoms, but still very impressive.

It’s a nice easy walk between Alcalali and Jalon, and on a good path all the way. So it’s a very relaxed walk. At any time of year its an attractive walk, but at this time of year it is particularly popular because of the almond blossoms.

The blossom are very late this year. Normally they would bloom in early February, and indeed the annual walk was arranged two weeks ago. Its been unusually cold and grey since January, and this may well be the cause of the delay this year. Only a few days ago there were only scattered trees in bloom. So we were pleasantly surprised to find that it was so impressive today.

We first met Les and Jen about four years ago when they were looking for a property in the area. They spent a week in a house a few doors from us whilst house hunting, and we met them one evening. They found a lovely villa overlooking Alcalali, and moved here permanently three years ago. We have remained good friends since.

After a light lunch in Jalon we were pleased to find that the sun came out for the return walk to Alcalali.



This is normally a very quiet walk. The road is well used, but we do not usually encounter many other walkers. Today was different, and we passed a lot of other walkers out to see the almond blossoms.

Its about 4 miles from Alcalali to Jalon, so it was a short walk of less than an hour, even at our slow pace. Plenty of time to catch up on what’s been happening since we last met up.



We were soon back in Alcalali, where we had left our cars. It had been a very pleasant walk in good company, and we ended it with a nice cup of coffee on their naya overlooking the same Jalon valley and the mountains behind.

22 Feb 2010 - El Cau

The weather forecast promised a cloudy day with rain possible at 4pm. As we arrived at the car park it was cloudy and cold enough to wear our jackets. Most of us had not done this walk before and were excited to be tackling a new walk.

Pat and David had done a recce some time previously. Pat was to lead the walk today and started by explaining that “……it was quite a long walk, not really difficult – a little challenging perhaps”. There would be a climb over five summits, each one higher than the one before.

The walk started with a level walk through the undergrowth to the start of the climb. The direction was away from the one we would take once the climbing started!

Before long everyone was warming up, and the first stop was to take off the first layer. For most there were still a few layers left.







We soon met the first challenge of the day. We came to this cairn, but unfortunately there was no obvious path leading from it. Peter had gone ahead to check the route, and Pat now went in search of him to confirm we were going the right way.

It was not long before we had found the correct and well defined track which led up…..

-----and up and up

Not sure if this is one of the summits, but it is a good spot to stop and remove another layer…

….and admire the view down the Jalon valley





Then it was up once more. As the going got steeper the gaps in the group became longer. We always walk at our own pace when tackling a climb, but have regular stops to allow all to catch up.





This was the second summit. Wendy’s face says it all! Everyone looks pretty well shattered, but had soon recovered after just a very short stop.

Then it was off again, with fantastic views when we could take our eyes off the path.

And so to the third summit. Everyone seems to have got their second breath and seem quite happy to carry on.

And so it’s up once more, the path getting steeper now



This looks like it should be the final summit, but its only number four. The wind is getting stronger now, and quite cold. So layers have been put on again. Just a short stop to allow everyone to catch up, and to have a “banana stop”.





And up the final climb to the fifth summit.

Pat and Peter at the trig point on El Cau. Peter is by far the fittest member of the group and we usually only see his back as he leaps ahead. So this seemed an appropriate place to finally get a full frontal photo.

A short while later the whole group has arrived, and time for the formal group photo at the top. We all took our own photos, and as I am in this one it must be courtesy of David – who is not in it!

It was too windy and cold to have lunch at the trig point, so we were soon starting down again. On the sort of path you usually find here, going down is always more difficult than going up. Fortunately there is always a “helping hand” available.



We finally had lunch at a most uninspiring decrepit finca. By then it was quite overcast, and we have had enough photographs of the Monday Club eating their picnic lunch. I though this would be a more appropriate one on which to finish this week’s report.

Another excellent walk. Despite some reservations that it might prove too difficult everyone managed it without any real problem. Its good to have a little challenge now and again, and El Cau is one that we will all look forward to tackling again in the future.

17 Feb 2010 - What a difference a day makes

Some of you may have noticed that there was no blog for this Mondays walk. This is because there was no Monday walk. And the reason is because we have had some very wet and miserable weather.

To illustrate what I mean, this photo was taken at 3pm yesterday. Monday and Tuesday had been so wet that we were housebound. After two days we were almost climbing the walls, so we took advantage of a short break in the rain to take a very short walk. I took this photo to show what a miserable day it was, and how our col de rates had disappeared



We had not gone far when the rain started again, so we returned home



This one was taken when we returned home at 3.30pm, by which time Parcent had also disappeared behind the low rain clouds.



Fortunately today both the town and the hill had returned. We were relieved to wake and find the a blue sky and no rain. Not one of the most spectacular mornings, but an great improvement on yesterday and more than enough to decide us to join the Costa Blanca Mountain Walkers Wednesday walk.



The group met at the La Lloma restaurant in Benidoleig and there was the option of a menu del dia lunch for only 9 euros per head afterwards. So were quite surprised that there were less than 30 on the walk, and only nine takers for lunch. There were familiar faces from the Monday Club, namely David, Rosemary and Janet.





The walk starts with a short walk along the road back to Benidoleig, through the village and a steep climb up the hill behind. Due to the recent rain the tracks were either mud or slippery rocks. This was taken at the first “water stop”.



Brian, the walk leader, was supposed to be facing the camera, but turned at just the wrong moment! I dislike posed photographs, so this is something which happens quite often

We first did this walk in May 2006, when we joined the CBMW for their End of Season meeting. The weather was similar to today, cloudy but dry. However as we climbed the hill it began to rain and was soon very heavy. So much so that the walk was abandoned and a very wet group made their way back to La Lloma. However we were about an hour early for the lunch, and had to sit in our wet clothes sipping hot drinks until lunch was finally served. A memorable walk, and one we always recall when we repeat the walk.







As lunch was arranged at the end of the walk, there was no lunch stop. However we did have a “banana stop” at the old finca which is the most convenient spot to have the usual picnic lunch on this particular walk. Most walkers had removed jackets and jumpers during the walk, but it was quite chilly when we stopped and jackets were put on again.



It was not possible to follow the proposed route, as there were bulls roaming loose. The Spanish man in charge of them advised Brian not to find an alternative route. This may be the reason that we did not complete the expected route.

From the finca we joined the road back to Benidoleig. I believe that this was the same road we followed back in 2006 when we abandoned the walk, and once again we returned to the car park earlier than expected. The programme indicated that we would finish the walk about 2.30pm, but we were back just after 1pm. Despite this it was lovely to get out in the fresh air again after what seemed a very long time indoors due to the rain.