Thursday, 3 March 2016

29 February 2016 – Baranco Inferno


It’s six years since we last did this walk, mainly because the return path was so poor.  It had always been a difficult path, but in 2010 it was so bad that we decided not to do it again.
 
A few weeks ago it was suggested that we attempt the walk again, but return by the same route as the outward journey, thus avoiding the dangerous path
We were fascinated to find this memorial to a Spanish walker.  Particularly liked the boots
It took us about an hour to walk down the reputed 2000 steps of the mosarabic trail to the dry river bed, where we had our banana stop
There is a long section along the dry river bed, but in the early stages it is pretty easy going
During one of our water stops Jan, Sylvia and Wendy seem amused by something – no idea what!
As we got closer to the Baranco Inferno the boulders got bigger and the gaps between them narrower
As we entered the narrow canyon which leads to the Baranco Inferno the going gets easier again, and we are able to admire the impressive rock face 
The last part becomes more difficult, and we had to do some scrambling over the boulders
The approach to the Baranco Inferno is very narrow, and very impressive
The final obstacle is this difficult climb, which deterred most of us.   Well done to Sylvia who joined Peter and Ken
The rest of us contented ourselves with the knowledge that we had done it before, and had a well-deserved rest.   But to be honest it was a shame not to do that final bit, which is the highlight of the whole walk.
Sylvia soon found that getting back was even more difficult that going in.   There were plenty of helping hands, including this Dutch chap who stood in the water and offered his back for Sylvia to step on.
Ken then demonstrated how it should really be done
We walked back to the entrance of the Baranco Inferno to have our lunch in the sun
Then came the scramble and walk back along the dry river bed
And, of course, we then had to climb UP those 2000 steps
2016 - We all felt that the walk had been much harder and more difficult that we remembered it
 
2010 - But of course we were all six years younger then!   Interesting to compare the faces, and to remember good friends who no longer walk with us
Monday 7 March 2016
Meet at Kilometer 7 on the Castells to Tarbena road.   Jackie and Mike will lead El Somo, a new walk for many of us


No comments:

Post a Comment