5 years dont sound much but its already a world away.
Time for the last Sunday morning excursion before the Aquilianos and I decided to revisit Los Ancares. The peaks of Los Ancares are at the tail end of the Cordillera Cantabria, the mountainous spine which runs across the north of Spain and which reaches its maximum splendour in the Picos de Europa, my destination at the end of June. So it seemed appropriate that I should at least pay a visit.
Our starting point would be the village of Burbia and the destination would be the splendid peak of Mostellar (1924m).
I last came here on March 13th 2003. I know this from my route notes which at that time were scribbled down in a notebook and stashed away in a shoebox. I didnt even take any photos. In fact if I hadnt found the shoebox Id probably have nowt more than a few vague recollections of passing this way.
How times have changed..etc..etc..(at least in my chosen method of note taking).
My scribblings briefly described the route taken, the names of my walking companions and a potpourri of random comments and observations such as
Burbia was full of widows with sticks and old men with axes and wheel barrows.
Bought a jar of honey.
Thawing snow and the muddy trail of a minor avalanche below Mostellar.
Windy at the top.
Improvised a couple of walking sticks from a hazel bush.
Wild daffs, holly trees and the occasional yew.
This time I returned to Burbia in training mode and with a camera. And unlike last week I had company. Oscar, one of the
Villamanín four, rang up late on Saturday and he was up for the early start; unlike anybody else in a sane state of mind.
Most of the above comments could be re-applied to yesterdays little excursion. I even bought another jar of the local honey. The weather was probably worse though. It was very slippery underfoot with water gushing from every nook and cranny so that even sections of the path had transformed into little streams so it was impossible not to get your feet wet.
Some comments to update the 2003 ones:
Running was mainly confined to 3 or 4 kms of track at the beginning (and at the end) of the route. As the valley steepened and the weather worsened we spent most of the time walking.
About halfway up, a dense wood of oak and holly trees opened out into a grassy meadow occupied by whats locally known as a braña, a collection of buildings used by shepherds in spring or summer but now reduced to a pile of stones. This is the ideal place for a sandwich.
Near the top of Mostellar a
chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) leapt out and we watched enviously as it hurtled down-valley in a matter of seconds.
It was misty and cold up there but not as cold as last week and with barely enough snow remaining to make a couple of snowballs. Donned gloves and cagool for a while but it was warmer once we were out of the mist.
A pile of stones marked the summit into which somebody had inserted a miniature nativity scene complete with Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus and a couple of donkeys. This is far from being the strangest piece of mountain top paraphernalia as that honour must belong to the
grand piano found buried just below the summit of Ben Nevis.
Occasionally the light intensified and the mist threatened to lift its veil, tantalisingly revealing split second glimpses of rocky walls and deep green valleys. But it was not to be and the marvellous views were left to our own imagination.
A few minor falls on the way back down leads me to reconsider my footwear. At present Im using some New Balance off road shoes that Riazor Blue sold me from his shop but I might have to find something thatll keep me a little more anchored to the floor. Like moon-boots perhaps.
Hope the weather improves for next week.
Burbia to Mostellar.
About 1000m ascent.
2:30 up 1:45 down.
The all new training diary.
