An Eventful Walk around Casapalma and the Rio Grande.

For once the weather forecasters got the forecast almost right, I say almost because whilst rain was predicted for yesterday evening and a sunny and warm day today, where they were a tad short of the mark was that they failed to predict a 7 hour thunderstorm with torrential rain. In reality the rain was desperately needed and hopefully has gone someway to feeding thirsty crops and at least a start at replenishing greatly depleted water reserves.

 Fortunately their forecast for today was spot on and after a gloomy start to the day the sun soon got it’s hat on and gave us a very warm an pleasant day, ideal walking conditions, if a little soft underfoot in places. My main concern was the level of the Rio Grande, but even after over 8 hours of heavy rain its levels were far from a problem.

The area known as Casapalma, once the property of the Count of Casapalma, until an 1811 decree saw it added to Cartama, straddles the main A357 route between Malaga and Campillos. There remain many unused gatesways bearing the name and all of the same design.

We rambled along the tracks through open fields and crossed the newly opened final section of the A355 via one of the two bridges and along a track that joined the acequia track that circles Villafranco. We followed this track and through the tunnel under the A355 and then turned right onto Ctra. de los Carrill de la Loma which translates to ‘road of the cheek of the hill’. This is the route that will take us back to the Rio Grande, however as we reached the last few bends before the bridge over the river, two of our dogs, Barney (mine) and Rubio (Janes) took great interest in a small derelict building, some barking came from the building and then appeared a small Alsation/Mastin cross puppy that had been abandoned.

Pamela made a call to one of her contacts at A.I.D. (Animals in Distress) who said to bring it to her and they would get him to the vets for a check over and take him in. The little tyke was quite happy being carried by David and happily walked alongside various members of the group.

A break at the bridge across the Rio Grande for sustenance and the group photo of the day and then it was the final stretch for base alongside the, now, fast flowing Rio Grande.

Hopefully we will be kept informed of the pup’s progress and hopefully re-homing.

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