Wednesday 17 September 2014

Day 21 Sierra de Espuna

Packed a picnic and set off for Mula, via Mercia to start our forest adventure.

The weather is a little cooler today as there is some cloud cover.

As we drive along side acres of oranges, peaches, olives and almonds it is very obvious Spain is experiencing a servere drought. Deep ravines are cut through the soft rocks, and a very precarious bridge crosses a particularly deep pretty gorge.

At Mula we stop to buy fuel and bread then the twisting roads take us to Pliego where ancient tracks were used by shepherds to move stock from summer to winter pastures.

A sharp right turn takes us on the climb through Sierra de Espuna, a large regional park.

The Guide book says "a tortuous mountain road traverses the park through breathtaking mountain scenery". They were not wrong the road is just a series of hairpin bends and very long drops on both sides of the road, but the views are incredible.

We visit the information centre near the top and then stop for lunch and enjoy the quiet and peace.

The forest was originally planted as a solution to the frequent and destructive floods that swept down the Sierra to the villages below. The highest point is 1579m.

 

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