Spanish Highs, Sierra Nevada

11/12/2024

La consejera de Fomento, Rocío Díaz, ha destacado el esfuerzo de la plantilla para disponer de las primeras pistas para los esquiadores

06/12/2024

It's bank holiday here in Spain so we knew many of the popular walks would be busy. Instead we drove 15 minutes to a town called Chite, which we had never visited before. Had beautiful hike through lush forests and lakeside (Embalse de Beznar). A glorious 2 hour, 7km circular walk that ended at the bar in Chite.

Amazing what's on your doorstep that can sometimes get overlooked!

05/12/2024

This is fascinating. Spotted these walls half way up a vertical cliff in the Tajos de Bermejales. Who built them and why?

From Wikipedia ...

"Neolithic people lived in the canyon 5,000 years ago, sheltering under its overhanging walls and using the river as source of food. There are traces of these early settlers on the canyon walls about 10 metres above the present river level. Some of the walls they built to enclose the cavities in the canyon wall are still visible.

At that time the canyon was not so deep, and stairways and ladders were used to reach the dwellings, which were built high for defensive reasons. A clay vessel known as the Olla de Cacín (Cacín Pot) was found in the river bed and is preserved in the National Archaeological Museum, Madrid. It is the most southern example of Cardium pottery in Europe."

05/12/2024

Some more photos from our trip this week down the Barranco de Tajos Bermejales. A very interesting hiking route with twists and turns, ups and downs and a few surprising features. Be prepared for some wobbly wire bridges, deep undergrowth, ladders, rungs and short sections of very easy scrambling safeguarded by fixed dodgy ropes. Great stuff and recommended that you visit.

04/12/2024

The lower section of the Tajos de Bermejales gorge. A magical place! Not far from Granada.

04/12/2024

Love this photo taken yesterday in the Tajos de Bermejales gorge near Granada. Lots of fun traversing down river, up and down short rock walls and crossing over rikkety wire bridges. Huge rock walls towering above and a very colorful scene upstream. Marvelous

More photos later

30/11/2024

Sometimes you forget what a marvelous venue the Sierra Nevada is for bird watching. Yesterday, we were very privileged as we were lucky enough to spend over an hour in the presence of two very rare Bearded Vultures (Quebrantahuesos/Lammengeier).

They rode the thermals, dropping bones to extract the marrow. The process repeated itself throughout the encounter. This mating pair from Cazorla seemed to be really enjoying themselves and certainly put on a display for us. A rare treat to see.

28/11/2024

We've travelled this road from the Sierra Nevada mountains down to the village of Nigüelas many times. The final kilometers enter a spectacular gorge, but the light has never been right for an image. Either no shadow in early morning or directly into the sun late afternoon. Frustrating.

Today though, we were lucky. Arriving, there with some beautiful light conditions. It's a dramatic place!

23/11/2024

Beautiful late afternoon hazy sunshine highlighting the rooftops of Lanjarón in Granada province

20/11/2024

Exploring the quiet Toril valley in the Sierra Nevada yesterday. A moody day with cloud over the snow covered peaks but some spells of sunshine pushing through during the afternoon.

The head of the Toril Valley is a magnificent and dramatic place presenting a wall of snow covered mountains disappearing into the clouds.

Access was via Capileira and Cebadilla. 13km and 700m ascent.

17/11/2024

Thanks to Spanish Highs friend Ian Tupman who, on the 10th anniversary of the trip, has just re-edited some footage from our Patagonia Expedition in 2014. Additional footage, photos and a new soundtrack.

He's probably just cost us upwards of €5000 as we shall have to return now 😂

Seriously, superb images that brought back some of the finest memories of our mountain life. Music combined nicely with the footage. Thanks for that Ian 👍

cap Hello, and welcome to this anniversary special.On the 13th of November 2014, our team of eight converged on Madrid Barajas airpor...

15/11/2024

View from this mornings walk. Snow from 2700 metres upwards on the south side of Cerro de Caballo, Sierra Nevada

10/11/2024

Glorious sunset tonight in Lanjarón, Alpujarras.

08/11/2024

Lunch with a view!

08/11/2024

One of our favorite hikes in the northern Sierra Nevada reaches the Cortijos del Hornillo from the Vereda de la Estrella. From here the north faces of the Sierra Nevada look like something from the Alps, Rockies or Himalaya. Have to pinch ourselves sometimes that this is indeed southern Spain. These spectacular views are the main reason Richard came out here nearly 22 years ago

06/11/2024

Heading up the Vereda de Estrella trail on yesterday's hike. This is a wonderful walk, especially with the autumn colors and when the northern faces of Alcazaba 3371m and Mulhacén 3482m have snow on them.

06/11/2024

We have been coming to the Peñon de la Mata north of Granada for almost 15 years now and still find new scrambling routes with amazing situations.

Photos from our guide Jens who was there with a client yesterday.

05/11/2024

Summit of Cerro de Caballo, showing the upper Lanjaron valley.