Snowshoeing from Finca Montaña

Snowshoeing from Finca Montaña

February and March in our part of Spain is unpredictable and often full of surprises.  If people come wanting some winter mountaineering, then most years it is possible to fill a week in the snow.  On the other hand being southern Spain, we often get clients wanting a week of walking in the sun; this we can usually accommodate but not always, as the weather in the mountains can be fickle. 

Snowshoeing in The Sierra Nevada from Finca Montana

Last week we had such a time and although we had some nice sunny days, we also found ourselves snowed in!  Fortunately, at Mountain House Holidays we had the snowshoes ready and were able to walk out from the front door enjoying superb views of the various mountains around us (Contravesia, Sierra de Lujar, Malaga Mountains, etc.), as well as views down to the Mediterranean Sea some twenty miles away with occasional glimpses of the mountains of north Africa.

It was Thursday and we had initially wanted to go to Orgiva market. Waking to 200mm of snow convinced us that even with serious 4 wheel drive this was not going to happen, so it was a case of plan B! Living at 1300m above sea level does sometimes mean that you have to go with whatever the mountain throws at you. In our case, the hill that we live on goes on up to 3011m and is called Cerro del Caballo.  It is Europe’s most westerly 3000m peak and the last mountain at the western end of the Sierra Nevada.

The view south west from Finca Montana

Neither of our clients had used snow shoes recently but were both more than willing to give it a go! So off we headed, initially following the line of the dirt track road that leads to our house. Once we had got to the main mountain track, we took a series of lines following “fire breaks” up through the forest reaching a height of 1680m.  During the course of our 3 hour ascent we saw no one else but crossed the tracks of wild boar and mountain goats. Our descent only took an hour and exhausted we sat by the log fire enjoying a late lunch washed down with well earned cool beers.

Finca Montana in the snow

Finca Montaña is a remote mountain cortio on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada above the spa town of Lanjaron. Reached by a 12Km drive up a windy dirt track road, it is the perfect place for those who like to be away from the trappings of modern life.

Mike and Jane who own Mountain House Holidays are qualified International Mountain Leaders which is the requisite qualification for leading snow shoe treks and walking in Spain’s Sierra Nevada mountains. 

When based in Spain, Mike and Jane also operate as Sierra Nevada Guides and take on individual guiding commissions.  There is a host of information about the Sierra Nevada on the Sierra Nevada Guides website.

Walking in the Warm! - Spain

Walking in the Warm!

Walking in the warm has become a dream as the British winter is now taking hold. A wet summer followed by a wet autumn, now a wet cold winter has left me dreaming of some warmth and the chance to walk in some sunshine.

Walking holidays don’t need to be expensive, especially if southern Spain is your destination.  There are cheap flights from all U.K. airports to Malaga which can be the gateway to a wonderful walking holiday in Andalucía’s Alpujarra region. The Alpujarra is the area nestling into the southern slopes of Spain’s Sierra Nevada Mountains. The area has been mainly influenced by the Berber Arabs who colonised this area from the 8^th Century and is characterised by pretty white villages linked by a network of paths, mule tracks and watercourses known as Acequia’s.

February warmth in The Alpujarra

Mountain House Holidays (operating from their mountain house high in the Alpujarra) have a vast local knowledge of the walking in the area and their walks are led by qualified International Mountain Leaders. There are walking holidays scheduled for February, April and May.

Walking in T shirts is not uncommon in winer!

The walking in the Alpujarra is classic hill walking so don’t expect flat easy paths, but is well within the capabilities of those used to walking at a basic level in British hills (South Downs, Peak District, etc.). 

A flavour of the area can be gleaned from Chris Stewarts superb book, “Driving over Lemons.”

Favourite walks included in the Itineraries usually include:

Walking beside an Acequia near Lanjaron

A circuit in the Poqueira Gorge, which takes in the delights of the prettiest three villages, Capileira, Bubion and Pampaneira. The walking here is a mixture of walking through ancient terraces as we ascend the valley before taking in the delights of the “whitewashed” villages with their narrow streets, public Lavado’s where old ladies can still be seen doing their washing and of course the odd bar!

A circuit in the Taha, a name given to the valley beneath Trevelez which is Spain’s highest village, famous for its dry cured ham. The walking here takes a line on an old mule track through improbable cliffs, past goat farms, ancient bridges, terraces and white washed villages.

A circuit above the spa town of Lanjaron. This walk follows ancient mule tracks through terraces, follows acequia’s and gives superb views down to the coast and on clear days across to the mountains of North Africa. 

Lanjaron is famous for it’s spa water and as a “resort” has many craft shops, and a range of bars and restaurants.

Alpujarran Street scene

Mountain House Holidays offer you a complete package, starting from when we meet you at Malaga Airport through until when we drop you back at the airport at the end of your holiday. You just arrange your flight and insurance, we organise your travel in Spain, your full board accommodation and a week of fully guided walking led by qualified walk leaders with a full local knowledge of the area.

For those who prefer “self guided” holidays, we are able to organise accommodation and provide written details of the walks we lead.

Walking in Spain's Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada

Walking in Spain’s Sierra Nevada and Alpujarra

For the past ten years since we bought our mountain ”cortio” in Spain’s Sierra NevadaMountains and Alpujarra, we have enjoyed exploring the hills and mountains just south of Granada.  Since 2004 we have been organising walking holidays here as Mountain House Holidays though we also operate a guiding service as Sierra Nevada Guides and are the only qualified British International Mountain Leaders operating in the Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada Mountains.

Mulhacen

The Sierra Nevada boasts mainland Spain’s highest mountain, Mulhacen at 3482m.  The southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada are known as the Alpujarra an area great for hill walking, especially in the winter months when the high mountains are covered in snow.

Walking is possible in the Alpujarra all year round though from mid June until the end of August it is too hot for most people. However when the sun is out even in mid winter we have been stripped down to T shirts. 

Alpujarra Street

This part of Spain was ruled for centuries by Muslim kings and was colonised by Berbers from the Atlas mountains of Morocco.  The architecture of the villages is identical to those of the Atlas mountains.  However the tradition here is to paint the houses white and the villages look stunning adorning the hillsides, prettiest of all being Pampaneira, Bubion and Capileira.

The Sierra Nevada has been described as like Cairngorm with altitude! Unless you enjoy winter mountaineering or snowshoeing, the high mountains of the Sierra Nevada are best avoided in the winter months and spring. The high mountains start to become accessible again from mid June and remain so most years into November.

Gentians and "The Star of The Snows"

The area is a national park and is famous for it’s wildlife. There are many endemic species in addition to those shared with other areas. This is because of the huge variation in altitude with climatic zones from Mediterranean to Alpine. Here it is almost certain that if you know where to go you will see eagles and vultures circling above you.

The walking can be varied too, encountering terraces of almond blossom, chestnut woodland and oak forests. There is even an extensive forest of Scots Pine!  In the high mountains as the snow retreats in summer the ground becomes carpeted with Gentians and a local version of the Edelweiss known as the Star of the Snows.

The pretty white villages all have water fountains to replenish drinking bottles and there are many wayside “fuente” too, some famous for their mineral waters and even fizzy.

Enjoying the December Sunshine

February, March, April and May are nice times to visit the Alpujarra as the land is green with new plant growth.  Easter in this area brings traditional processions of statues from the local churches through the narrow streets thronged with crowds.

Summer though hot in the valley, is a great time to walk the higher peaks of The Sierra Nevada. Sun is almost guaranteed in the summer and we have never had to wear a waterproof jacket though occasionally a windproof.  Up high the temperature will be between 15 and 20 degrees during the summer though can drop considerably in high winds.

"Cabra de Monte" Iberian Ibex

Autumn is a good time for both the Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada.  The tourists disappear, everywhere becomes quieter though the warm weather stays. The weather does become changeable but not to the extent that it rules out walking.

Footpaths are not well marked though the maps available are adequate and there are several guidebooks detailing the walking that can be bought in the U.K.

Our walking holidays take advantage of our local knowledge of the best walks ensuring that no day is wasted. For those organising their own holidays, there are a selection of our favourite walks available to download from our Sierra Nevada Guides website.

There is detailed information about the area on our website and we are always happy to advise and share our knowledge.