|
Parkinsons Sierra Nevada Trek |
|
Charity:
Parkinson's Disease Society |
Challenge:
Trek around the Sierra Nevada in southern Spain |
Dates:
10/06/2010 -14/06/2010 |
Deposit:
£
250 |
Minimum
Sponsorship: £
1500 |
Grade:
Moderate |
|
| |
Itinerary
Dates: 10/6/2010 – 14/6/2010
This itinerary is aimed at those who want to enjoy the wonderful views usually reserved for the higher treks but without having to be super fit to participate. It traverses part of the GR7 - the great walking route that spans the length of Europe, from Greece and Hungary, through the western European countries, and all the way to the southern most tip of Spain. We pick it up where we started in Trevelez in 2008, walking east.
This route is designed to allow people to choose longer or a shorter trip each day.
The terrain most of the way is uneven paths, some narrow, some steep (both up and down), some with loose covering, some with jutting rocks, some dirt tracks, some with sharp drops to one side, a small amount on a wide dirt track also used by the occasional vehicle and a short amount on the road. Physical preparation is necessary for this trek in order to complete it comfortably. It is not that different in terms of mixture of terrain from previous years trek in southern Spain and is therefore suitable for people with Parkinsons who are fit, have done the training and mobile.
The GR-7 has developed many off shoots and each guide has his or her own preference of route, along with each guide deciding on which route is more suitable for their group. The time taken to trek each day varies hugely depending on the fitness of the group, the route chosen, weather and its affect on the terrain, lunch and snack stops, time spent taking photos, bird spotting, identifying flowers, etc. On each day there is water available from natural springs in each village and limited if any access to water between villages.
Itinerary in Brief
Day 1 Flight followed by transfer to Trevélez
Day 2 Trevélez - Los Bérchules.
Day 3 Los Bérchules - Yégen.
Day 4 Yégen to Mairena
Day 5 Free day in Almeria. Flight back to UK
Day 1
Flight from East Midlands airport into Malaga. Transfer to Trevélez, the Alpujarras, Andalucía, southern Spain. Lunch and meet the guides.
short circular walk of approximately one – two hours to acclimatise and familiarise ourselves with the area.
Dinner and accommodation in Trevélez.
Day 2
Itinerary: Trevélez – Los Bérchules
Breakfast in Trevélez
Picnic provided en route
Luggage transferred separately
2 walk options: 10 km to Juviles, with 10 minute minibus ride on to Los Berchules
or
17km hotel to hotel
17km route involves 6-8 hours including rests
Max elevation 2000m
Accumulated ascent about 700m
Now the area is famous for its production of berries- strawberries, blackberries and raspberries. This undulating day takes us from Trevélez, up the hill to the Loma de Juviles and on to Juviles itself. Once an important town in Moorish times as it was a governing centre of the area and a silk producing centre of some note, now with just 200 inhabitants it concentrates on using its spectacular position at 1200m above sea level to produce the famous Jamon Serrano to rival that of the nearby town of Trevélez. As we continue on we come across Alcutar, where the steeper land is flattened into terraces, dissected by the irrigation canals and then further divided into a chequer board of small holdings. Finally we arrive in Los Berchules with its church built in 1530 on top of an old mosque.
Accommodation:
Multibedded houses.
Pool and restaurant on site can be used by all.
Dinner will be all together in the local restaurant.
Water access points:
TBC
Vehicle support:
There is limited vehicle access all day except for the few occasions where the road and the path cross.
Day 3
Itinerary: Los Berchules - Yégen
Breakfast in each accommodation
individual picnics are provided and carried by participants
Luggage transferred separately
2 walk options. 7km Los Berchules to Mecina Bombarón, + 10 minute minibus ride
or
14km hotel to hotel
14km option is about 5-6 hours including rests
Max elevation 1500m, accumulated ascent about 600m
Mecina Bombaron is a veritable mosaic of orchards, woods and 8 different “neighbourhoods”. 7 of these neighbourhoods still remain, some of which still retain their Berber (north African) origins. En route as we leave Mecina we also pass one of Spain’s highest vineyards, another vestige from the Moorish days. The topography here changes as the mountains high above direct the waters that flow from them in a different direction, carving the land into deeper valleys than previously.
Between Mecina Bombaron and Yegen we pass through Montenegro and then further down to Rio Mecina. Yegen was made famous by Gerald Brennan who settled and wrote his famous book on the area during the Spanish Civil War, “South of Granada”. Exploring this area and walking past his house brings the whole literary work with its cultural comments and anthropological observations to life.
Accommodation
Village inns and apartments
Dinner all together in hotel.
Water access points:
TBC
Vehicle support: There is limited vehicle access on the first 50% of the day as the path follows the contours to the north of the road. The path and the road meet again at Mecina Bombaron and at the end of the day in Yegen.
Day 4
Itinerary: Yégen to Mairena
Breakfast in Yégen
individual picnics are provided and carried by participants
Luggage transferred separately
Route: Walk to Mairena from Yégen
Distance 13 km.
5-6 hours including rests.
Max elevation 1200m
Accumulated ascent 400m.
From Yegen the route goes down to Valor, via Cuesta Vina, following the old “Camino Real” which originally went from Almeria to Granada. We pass the Fuente de Aguas Agrias (the Fountain of Bitter Water) which spews forth sparkling red (due to the iron content) and is said to have curative digestive properties.
The first half of this day takes us to Valor. There is an uphill of about 100m in the first 5kms to the tiny village of Jubar (with a population of just 60) and then a gentle descent over the next 9 kms via Mairena (268 inhabitants) and Nechite. Over this period we pass old mills, ruined “cortijos” (smallholdings), cross a small river, dip our water bottles in fresh spring water and wind our way in and out of woods passing numerous varieties of fruit trees. Chestnuts, mulberry trees, cherries, figs, almonds and olives were all grown here over the centuries and we still see the irrigation channels carved into the hillside that was so important for their cultivation. All of the villages we pass are perched on the side of the Sierra Nevada hills with their churches visible from a distance – little oases of white buildings.
Water access points:
TBC
Vehicle support:
There is more vehicle access today than on any other day as the path and the road are never very far from each other. There is vehicle access at all the villages we pass through.
Celebration tapas and champagne in Mairena
Coach transport from Mairena to Almería hotel (90 minutes)
Dinner in private dining room
Accommodation
Hotel *** Almeria city centre
Day 5
Breakfast in hotel
Free day in Almeria until transfer for return flight home.
Price includes:
4 nights accommodation
All food from Day 1 lunch to breakfast on day of departure inclusive
Return airport transfers in Spain
Transfer to Almeria on night 4 after trek
Celebration evening meal in Almeria
Free time in Almeria to explore on last day dependant on flight times
Local, fully qualified, first aid trained and English speaking guides at a ratio of 11:1
1 x Medic
Support vehicle
2 Parkinsons reps
Luggage transfer
Tall Stories event co-ordinator (s)
Group flight East Midlands to Malaga, Spain
Price does not include:
Drinks with meals, personal insurance, UK transfers
This itinerary is subject to change
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
More Information
Jenna Durdle
j.durdle@parkinsons.org
http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/
0207 963 9309
|
| |
Downloads
|
| |
|
|