We left the albergue on the west side of Puente de la Riena early this morning. We had breakfast at five thirty and hit the road while it was still dark. We have lightweight LED lamps that are the same size and shape as light bulbs and hooked one on the front of my pack. Worked great to light the way. Didn’t need it long since it started getting light about 30 minutes later.
We headed west on the trail but spotting the yellow arrows was tricky in the dark. We managed though. Nancy wanted an earlier start to avoid as much of the days heat as possible and also try to arrive somewhere by one or two. Believe it or not we were some of the first on the road.
Nancy wanted to make it to Lorca 16 kilometers away. Not a super long hike but more than enough for our average speed of 2.1 km/hr. We really want to go faster but all four of our knees are begging for mercy before we even start. The uphills are less exhausting now, because the leg muscles are getting stronger, and easier on the knees so we maybe do at least 3 km/hr going up. Not that the slopes are less steep, just not as long. We lose that speed having to Crab sideways on the down slopes.
About half way through the day each day our legs, both of us, get heavy and don’t want to keep going. So we renamed our legs by substituting an o for the e. So we force our logs to keep going. By eleven AM each day our stamina is really being tested by the constant hills. But the scenery changes quickly bringing breathtaking views.
Today’s highlight was the village of Cirauqui. We approached through a valley with somewhat level areas and fields of wheat. This turned to gorgeously lush and green vineyards heavy with large clusters of bluish grapes. There were orchards of fruit we couldn’t identify. Some might have been pomegranates and apricots. Large areas of olive trees thick with olives that might be ripe in another month. And vegetable gardens so healthy as to seem impossible. Everywhere springs were tapped to irrigate where needed. Frequently we walked along little canals of unused spring water with little falls here and there the sound of which was so delightful as to make you laugh. We were in Eden.
In the distance was a tall steep sided hill perfectly framed between the rills forming this valley. It wasn’t green but completely covered with stone structures shining in the sunlight. Buildings and homes clinging to the steep sides so closely together that it seemed that there couldn’t be any streets or even sidewalks. Everyone’s living room must connect to the neighbors bedroom in a communal nature that allowed anyone access to the supermarket by walking right through your neighbors house like a giant bewilderingly complex shopping mall.
We couldn’t wait to get there. Details began to show in an hour or so. It seemed the nearer we got the more our first guess was right. It looked now like Camelot with a church tower at the highest point like a castle. Surely the Knights will ride out in gleaming armor to challenge us. We climbed up into this city at last. There were streets and even sometimes sidewalks. Cars could drive here but the streets, with little sidewalks, were no more than a dozen feet wide anywhere sided by ancient stone structures three or more stories high. All with open windows and flower boxes spilling with bright flowers and sometimes grape vines that crawled across the facia and other windows supplying the resident with fresh fruit. Not a level spot anywhere in this maze of narrow stone canyons. So steep. The few cars plying carefully about made screeching tire noises when starting or stopping on the cobblestone pavements. We stopped for cold orange Fanta at a little shop with one outside table with chairs. Sitting was a balancing act on the sloping stoop but so much fun. I love this place but couldn’t live here. Only the most fit could navigate here on a daily basis. Cirauqui, Navarre, Spain is truly one of the worlds best kept secrets.
We reluctantly left Cirauqui. More miles to tread, hills to climb, and rivers to cross. We were to decide at Lorca if we should continue to Villatuerta some 12 km further on. But 2 km out of Lorca we were done in and called the Albergue de la Bodega there to see if they had room for two more. Yes, but he would only hold it until 3 PM. Great! Got lotsa time so we rested in the shade of an old stone bridge by a rushing clear water creek; water probably accumulated from all those constantly running springs. We legged it, I mean logged it, on into Lorca. Currently we are stretched out in exquisite comfort. Frankly any flat surface would do just now.