Horse-riding
Tuesday, August 2, 2011 @ 3:45 PM
Yesterday 3 of us went from Trevelez on horseback to the first of the Siete Lagunas, at the foot of Mulhacen and 3000m above sea level. What a great day out! Our leader, Antonio and his young nephew Xavi were taking some camping equipment up there as well, so we had a pack horse (ridden without a saddle and barely a bridle by Xavi), and 4 lovely strong horses - plus lunch of course. It's a gruelling ride (or walk) all uphill, but the beautiful waterfalls, green pastures and eventually the lake, more than make up for it. Some steep and perilous moments, but the horses knew exactly what they were doing and picked their way with great care. Antonio reckons you can see Morocco on a clear day, but yesterday was cloudy up there (even some spots of rain) so we could only see over the Contraviesa and towards the sea. We had all brought an extra layer of clothing and needed it after 2,500m. A thermos of hot water for tea/coffee was the only thing missing from our saddlebags!
By the time I got home at about 19.30 I was knackered! In bed and fast asleep by 22.30! But the old bones and bottom had lasted quite well, no doubt due to the comfortable sheepskin layer on the saddle and the fact that my horse Liebre (hare) was so gentle. I recommend this Ruta de Caballos to anyone wanting a day or 1/2 day out. Antonio is a local Trevelez man, very pleasant though he has no English, and they are his own horses. 70 euros each for 8 hrs inclluding lunch is a fair price. His mobile no is 619 03 18 21 for anyone interested, with his stables at the Barrio Alto just round the corner from the bar up there.
What next I wonder? Tango in Pitres tomorrow night...music , music, music...