Once again we are back to Vereda de la Estrella.
Almost all know this area well because you have walked by it countless times, either because I have already spoken of the route a few weeks ago, is a gateway to the mountains frequented by all sorts of people: easy access by car to the very precipice of San Juan and comfort of this trail make it a sort of "highway" for walkers and country lovers of all stripes, that in certain Sundays in spring and autumn collapse, at least in the early stages.
In a very comfortable and gradual, is going up alongside the upper reaches of the river Genil (one of the three rivers of Granada city and one of the main tributaries del Guadalquivir), until we stop at the confluence of the rivers and Valdeinfiernos Valdecasillas, where you can say "born". At that point of the confluence is called Real, and downstream, to join it Guarnón the river begins to call Genil.
-circular-route today was long and looks something durum, as of 25 walkers who started in the morning, we reached the final 15 ... the rest have been abandoned and turning around at different places along the road. Here we are just in time to start at this point in the village of that in the first 200 meters has some steep ramps, but then becomes practically flat horizontal and almost the entire journey.
According to colleagues, the gap has hovered around the 25 kms (about marking something more and other slightly less), and cumulative altitude along the route of 1300 m . (In this matched all). A colleague has given me the profile and map of the route, for those interested in you you had it. So there are ...!
Then we left the Vereda de la Estrella and taken to the right rising to Hortichuela area and leads, among some woods of oak, to the farmhouse of the Stove, from before the ruins of the farmhouse and Cabins Old Hole. This part is wonderful because it has a great view (when there are no clouds ....) of the highest peaks of Sierra Nevada.
El Cortijo del Stove is abandoned, but restored, and the houses are open. Many hikers use them to spend the night in very cold weather, the place is lovely views of several of the most emblematic summits Sierra Nevada: the Alcazaba, Mulhacén (now not seen for the clouds), the strut Vacares ...
Right here we have a paradilla regrouping and have already left the first companions, before the route is too complicate.
Closer look better to us all .... I'm in a corner giving torture the puppy that has been with us today: Cashew.
A little above the farmhouse is a stone pond that accumulates water used at home and for irrigation is so beautiful it's worth it ... is veais fencing, I guess not to drop any animal (here amok mountain goats, but cows and more animals I guess I do not know ...).
have fallen rapidly to Vereda de la Estrella resume again, and soon reach Guarnón ravine, a river that is generated in the Corrales del Veleta and plunges (literally) by a very steep ravine along 5 kms in an almost straight line to its confluence with the Genil. On a clear day is impressive to see the full down river from the yard, with the vane crowning the ravine. Today, with the clouds .... but good is always beautiful.
Following always parallel to the river upstream from this point is no longer called Genil, but Real, and the Star Lane also at this point, many call the Camino Real ... a few minutes of this river crossing we found the ruins of the mines in the Star, giving name to the Trail; of them pulled out a green stone called serpentine, but are in disuse since the 50 twentieth century because they were not very profitable.
The trail passes through the ruins and is now up a little to surround the base of the hill of the boats, until we finally left at the confluence of the rivers and Valdeinfiernos Valdecasillas, which together form the Real. Here are formed in late winter and spring many waterfalls from melting, and these rivers increase their wealth so that it becomes impossible to cross them (without getting into the water, of course)
And again, it either turns around and retrace all the way or complicated one and climb up to find Aceral Trail, after a climb that gets it done ...
At this point another group of peers has decided to return along the same path, the 15 that have been, because of complications, like us.
But first ... you have to cross the river ...! And if possible, without getting wet feet.
The wooden bridge that had led him water, so cross as best you can.
In the photo above is barely noticeable, but just to the left is the beginning (or end, as we see it) of one of the many ravines that are here, this is called Barranco de Lucía. (What a lovely name ...)
In this one looks good:
After reaching the village, up a bit more and llanea a little way to get to shelter the Cockroach, elsewhere emblematic of the area. At our lunch stop, the views were of this caliber:
The trail is flat ground very comfortable, and very pretty, with a views of the upper basin of Guarnón, to the refuge of the Cockroach (some say it is named for the shape of your roof top and black). It is made with wooden bunks, a fireplace and tables and benches for use by mountaineers, but it's a shame it is dirty and untidy inside.
The descent from here to the path of the new Star is by the costs of the Inmates: a rising (or in our case, down) Fuertecillo, but takes less an hour. The name comes because in the past this was part of the road was done with the prisoners who were taken to the galleys from Granada to Almeria, Sierra Nevada to shorten crossing distances.
And finally, back to the beginning: the last part of the Vereda de la Estrella.
About half an hour before the end of the path we are on the "Grandfather", a centennial brown (not far from the only area, this place is full of them) the same side of the road, and is well known by mountaineers and locals, you're part of the folklore of the place, come on. The truth is that seeing so incredibly lush in summer and autumn, with those colors spectacular, is a joy forever.
The time announcing chance of rain, but thankfully not a drop has fallen, and have alternated with light clouds so that as we climbed the steep slopes steeper the clouds blotted out the sun and prevented to spend too much heat, and the lunch we had sunny day face ... in glory.
This route is the most classic of mid-mountain hiking, but while many know her eyes closed, others who pass by this blog and you are not of Granada, for sure with this simple description PLEASURE ... Today
have been taking pictures my compis Concha, Victoria, Antonio, Manolo and Pepe Montenegro.
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