A manic hike

Almeria has a dual train and bus station. I take the bus to the village of Cabo de Gata. Southern Spain gives way to the eastern coast at Cabo de Gata or the Cape of Gata. The bus occasionally abandons the coastal highway to enter the villages for passengers. On both sides of the road, the land is sheathed with plastic sheets which act as greenhouse roofs for a proliferating bio culture industry. Otherwise, life here is quite and remote.

The beach at Cabo de Gata is called Playa Miramar and is a flat stretch of white sand leading into clear, brilliant blue Mediterranean waters. There are about 3 people on the entire beach on a sunny, hot day. I pause but for five minutes before ducking into the village where I ask for directions to San Jose, the biggest village on the Cape.

At the bus-stop, I encounter an Englishman, Tony, who is backpacking with Lonely Planet Andalucia in hand. Attempts to hitch a ride to San Jose show few signs of succeeding and Tony gives up and decides to find shelter at 1:00 pm, with a strong overhead sun. Rather tame, the English spirit, I think. But his Lonely Planet gives me the information I need: there’s no coastal road to San Jose, the only motorable road is back through inland; however one can reach it by foot: just a paltry 12 km away. I do some quick arith :) , figure I can get there before dark and take down some quick notes from the Lonely Planet:

Salt mines at La Almadraba de Monteleva
Cathedral – Iglesia de las Salinas
South of La Almadraba – lighthouse – Faro de Cabo de Gata (southern tip)
8.5 km walking track
Left hand turn @ Café Bar El Faro leads up to Torre Virgin Vela Blanca (atop cliffs)
Just before the tower, track leading to Playa de Monsul (3 km)
Out of the cove and a further 2.5km – Playa de los Genoveses – Borronal
Track continues a further 4 km – San Jose!

The next 5 hours is one memorable hike. At La Almadraba, I refuel with a large meal of calamares and fries and stock up with two 1.5 litre water bottles. The walk along another deserted beach soon ascends into rugged hill territory.

The hills on one side and a drop overlooking the sea on the other make for spectacular viewing. The big load on the back means that I stop every 20 minutes. Passers by in cars stare at the solitary hiker and several times I consider thumbing a lift. But then the landmarks in the notes start appearing on the horizon, one after the other.

After the left turn at Café Bar El Faro, it’s only a dirt track leading up to the Vela Blanca Tower. The Sierra Nevada is in the vicinity of Granada. These ranges are called the Sierra xyz. The shirt’s soon soaked in sweat but I trudge on, with quite a manic determination. The tower too falls behind, in time. There are two rangers at the foot of the tower. I expect questions and a passport check but instead get a friendly hola and raised eyebrows when I say San Jose. Nevertheless, they point out the track going downhill and I’ve made good time.

Quite a few parties pass me in the opposite direction, all trekking uphill towards the tower, and all with holas. Playa de Monsul is reached at 1730 hrs after ignoring several other playas (beaches) on the way. The waters here are clear and calm and I walk in about 20 feet with the sea just reaching above the waist. Two hours of the little swimming I know and sitting on the beach leaves me shivering visibly but thanks to a Frenchman and his jeep, I get to Albergue Juvenil de San Jose in no time.

2000 hrs

San Jose is a sleepy town and the youth hostel is cheap, charming and invites you to stay for ever. The other guests are all white and sit in a cosy group at a neat little garden bar over beer, music and conversation. I take a hot shower and go down to the town centre for a hot pizza at a homely little place. The bus to Almeria is at 0700 in the morning.