A Ramble along the Rio Grande valley

Since we did the sponsored hike to la Bola on Pico Mijas, and the publicity that we got from that, I have been inundated with requests to join the group and be part of the walks. As a result todays ramble had the most walkers since I started the group last year, a total of 26 including me.

Our ramble today started from the BP Filling Station on the A357 and took us past the INFORCA airstrip, where I was pleased to see that the helicopter H7 was parked there again. I have passed this airstrip many times when I was cycling and H7 was always a familiar sight to me. We then walked along the banks of the Rio Grande which despite the lack of rainfall did have water flowing in it, in the summer it was dry.

We cross the river by the bridge that carries the Carril de las Loma which is the old drovers route between Coin to Zalea and Alora. We then  take the one and a half kilometre medium climb to the old electricity building. A quick break, and then onto the tracks across the fields, and down to the river. Despite again the lack of rainfall the track was surprisingly muddy in places and we had to take to the higher verges to pass. This is a particularly unusual area as it is one of the few tracks that runs through standing cane, which towers on both sides.

The route then turns away from the river and passes alongside Orange orchards and a number of small fincas, and brings us back onto the Carril de las Loma at the bridge. Time for the group photograph, and then return along the side of the river to our starting point.

I had been worrying about the possibility of rain on the previous evening and had an alternative route up my sleeve, but I needn’t have worried the weather was glorious with plenty of sunshine and the temperature in the mid twenties.

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