Sierra de Aitana – tonyturton.com https://www.tonyturton.com Just, er, stuff Tue, 13 Jun 2023 21:55:52 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 https://www.tonyturton.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/cropped-tt_logo_750-32x32.png Sierra de Aitana – tonyturton.com https://www.tonyturton.com 32 32 Sierra de Aitana, Alicante, Spain https://www.tonyturton.com/sierra-de-aitana-alicante-spain/ https://www.tonyturton.com/sierra-de-aitana-alicante-spain/#respond Tue, 28 Apr 2020 11:05:02 +0000 https://www.tonyturton.com/?p=2649 … Continue reading →]]> 23 February – 1 March 2020

An Exodus holiday

This holiday ended just about 10 days before Spain went into lockdown in response to the coronavirus pandemic, followed a few weeks later by the UK. I’ve used an abbreviated format instead of writing a full account of each day.

Summary

Another thoroughly enjoyable holiday with Exodus. Good weather, good leader (Jaime Escolano), good food, good accommodation, good group, good walking. I’d planned the holiday as a chance to get some sunshine and warmth at the lowest part of the English winter and it didn’t disappoint.

Our base

Hostal El Trestellador, Benimantell, Alicante. The Hostal is set in the countryside about a kilometre above the quiet village of Benimantell and about the same distance from the much busier and touristy Guadalest. Our group were the only residents for the week; I imagine this makes catering for the early mealtimes required by non-Spanish guests easier. It’s family-run – the wife of the couple currently running it is third-generation; her daughter and granddaughter are involved too. They are lovely people!

Here is a video panorama from the terrace taken as the last of the sun was hitting the hills towards the coast.

Day 1

Around a ridge. Wonderful rock scenery. Longer route than expected after encountering Mr & Mrs Angry and having to take a diversion. “¡Es mi casa!”

Day 2

A down – up – down – up – down day. Jaime picking wild asparagus “for the vitamins”. My legs giving out on the last descent and having to be helped down (thank you Jaime for your patience and concern).

Day 3

After yesterday’s ‘episode’ I didn’t join the group walk, but spent the day strolling around Benimantell (nothing much to see) and Guadalest (busy, touristy). Paella evening was fun.

Day 4

The official free day. Old friends Brian and Graham collected me by car. To Altea for a mini-reunion.

Day 5

A delightful walk in the morning – sunny and warm. Early lunch break at a 5-way clearing in woods. Declined the last (very) steep ascent to the summit of Puig Campana in case the (very) steep descent was a problem. Returned slowly back the way we came – an nice relaxed day. Vivid blue flowers on a tough low-growing plant at the side of the path; the photo doesn’t capture the intensity of the colour.

Day 6

The big one! To the summit of Alt d’Aitana (1530m), or as close as you can get outside the military zone. One fun scrambly bit, but otherwise an easy steady ascent, a nice grassy lunch spot, an undulating walk along the ridge, and an equally steady descent. More of yesterday’s vivid blue flowers; Jaime was stumped, but Charles’ phone app identified it as Shrubby Gromwell. An excellent day.

Other memories

  • On arrival day, walking down to Guadalest to look round the village, followed by lunch at Café Bar Guadalest where we ate our way through the entire tapas menu.
  • Looking straight down the valley to the distant coast and into the sunrise from the hotel terrace.
  • Cold beers on the terrace at the end of the day.
  • Jaime disappearing into the kitchen as we got back to the hotel, returning with snacks to go with the beers – cooked wild asparagus or small chilli peppers.
  • Learning there are different varieties of almonds – you can tell by their shape.
  • Oranges selling at 2kg for €1 in the Guadalest shops.
]]> https://www.tonyturton.com/sierra-de-aitana-alicante-spain/feed/ 0