Tag Archives: Pitres

GR-7 14 Lanjarón-Pitres via Cáñar, Soportújar, Pampaneira, and Bubión

A tough day

Leave a comment

This was to become a tough day that went a bit wrong almost from the beginning. I lost the track and when I realized that I had to retrace for quite a bit, losing time and energy in the steep slopes. The terrain was really very difficult and almost involved climbing at times but as always in the Alpujarras the astounding views were there all day long and rapidly made me forget my difficulties and put a big smile on my face.

Alpujarras
Alpujarras

When I stepped over the village limit and into Pitres it was after six in the evening. At the village square I was met by a strange sight: a horse and a big dog chasing one another, running back and forth all over the place. I asked a couple of ladies that I went past where to find Hotel San Roque and immediately I was offered to stay at their house! You never know what could happen if you let yourself be seduced by sweet talk from pretty women so I lied and told them that I already had made a reservation with the hotel 🙂

Pitres
Pitres

Even if it had been a long day I wouldn’t set aside my daily run of things, so when I had got access to my room at the hotel I went out again to make some shopping for the next day. Even in a small place likePitres there is a Covíran supermarket and even if it doesn’t look much from the outside it really has an excellent selection. It even has a manual meat counter. After coming back to the hotel I had a shower and made my laundry as I did every second or third day.

Entrecote
Entrecote

Then it was well past supper time and I had a large entrecote and a large salad accompanied with a glass of Rioja and later on followed by a bowl of vanilla ice cream and a glass of sweet Málaga wine. I certainly don’t back down when serious and hard work is required of me, but on the other hand, whenever there is an opportunity I try to make myself as comfortable as my circumstances will allow.

GR-7 15 Pitres-Cádiar via Trevélez

¡Arriba, arriba!

Leave a comment

All the villages in the Alpujarras are located in the valley and that makes two things certain: one is that every day walking starts with a steep climb and the second is that every day also ends with a steep descent, and in between, all day, the path moves continuously up and down. Walking there for ten hours a day is really hard work but it is worth every drop of sweat as the scenery is absolutely fabulous in whatever direction you look.

Alpujarras
Alpujarras

Below is the astoundingly beautiful valley and to the north the mighty Sierra Nevada where the glaciers is coming closer and closer for every step.

Trevélez
Trevélez

At noon I walked into Trevélez that was a busy little place with quite a lot of tourists moving around. A popular item to bring home from Spain is a leg of cured ham, jamón curado, and in many places in the country they argue that the original and best ham comes from their village, and Trevélez is no exception, big signs explain that it this is the home of ham 🙂

GR-7 signpost
GR-7 signpost

Later on in the afternoon I got a bit lost when the GPS track disappeared into nothing and the guide-book led me into a very dangerous, eroded area with steep slopes covered in loose, sliding dirt. I managed to find a relatively safe path but I had to crawl to keep myself from sliding back down.

GR-7 path
GR-7 path

Just half an hour before sunset I reached Cádiar and the Cádi bar which was full of happy people. The cup finals featuring Real Madrid and Átletico Madrid was on. The bar had rooms to let and a pizza oven so I ordered pizza that showed itself to be big enough for a small family. I couldn’t eat all that but the waiter swiftly put the leftovers in a pizza carton and gave it to me for future needs.