Month: January 2016

Winter walks in the Lecrin Valley

Posted on by thewordbird in Lecrin Valley General, What's On in the Lecrin Valley

Winter is an amazing time to get walking in the Lecrin Valley. Whether you consider yourself a walking pro, weekend rambler or Sunday stroller, there’s a walk for you, and there’s no better way to see this amazing part of Spain than to get out amongst it in a comfy pair of trainers or walking boots.

The winter has been so mild, but there is still snow on the sierras, so you can basically walk through snow on the high ground, down to warm blossom filled orchards in the lower parts of the valley.

The almond blossom is now out and will shortly be followed by orange blossom from the hundreds of orchards around the area, so the air is filled with a gorgeous, sweet aroma and the scenery peppered with a light pink haze from the thousands of almond trees.

It’s a truly beautiful time of year and one where you get to really appreciate the beauty and contrasting elements of this amazing corner of Spain.

The following websites have great walks planned out for you that can be downloaded.

http://www.treksierranevada.com/walks/start-point/lecrin-valley

http://www.spanishhighs.co.uk/lecrin-valley-walking-tours.php

Or if you’re a local and want to get into walking regularly, then The Lecrin Valley Limpers has walks every weekend. http://lecrinlimpers.blogspot.co.uk or ask to join the Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/lecrinvalleylimpers.  Members only.

If you want to get higher up into the Sierra Nevada, then contact Mike at Sierra Nevada Guides: http://sierranevadaguides.co.uk (based in Lanjaron).

Happy walking.

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Amazing almond blossom

Posted on by thewordbird in Lecrin Valley General

No matter how many years you spend living in, or visiting the Lecrin Valley, you will never tire of the amazing spectacle every year when the almond blossom is in full bloom.

This year it arrived exceptionally early due to the mild weather, but the new blossom usually appears at the end of January, early February, heralding the spring and bringing the Lecrin Valley and surrounding hills to life at the end of the winter.

It’s so incredibly beautiful with the soft pink flowers contrasted against the rugged rockiness of the Andalucian landscape.

Photos by Danielle Gouwens @ At Home in Andalusia 

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Mi Pueblo: Pinos del Valle

Posted on by thewordbird in Villages of the Lecrin Valley
MEL2015_2_Fotor

by Mel Kidby, Casa Molino, Pinos del Valle

How did you discover the Lecrin Valley?

We saw an episode of “A Place in the Sun” on UK TV back in 2003/4 and loved the look of the place being very similar to where we’d lived back in the late 80’s in South Africa.  We were getting itchy feet again and looking for a new challenge –  Spain appealed to us being just a 3 hour flight back to the UK, so visits to family and friends would be easy compared to our days of living in South Africa.

Continue reading “Mi Pueblo: Pinos del Valle” →

Winter in the Lecrin Valley: crisp blue sky days and warm sunshine

Posted on by thewordbird in Lecrin Valley Files

If you’re looking for some warm winter sun and crisp blue sky days, but prefer incredible scenery to sun-baking and love walking and a bit of skiing, then this is a great time of year to visit the Lecrin Valley. It’s also a great time to visit the Alhambra and the rest of Granada without all the busloads of tourists.

There isn’t a huge amount of rain over the winter in the Lecrin Valley, not that you need much with the acequias running full pelt most days, but just enough, with plenty of water coming off the mountains to water the orchards and it’s amazing just how much fruit and orchard goings-on there is at this time of year.

You’ll still find a lot of fruit on trees too – plenty of oranges (our grapefruit and navel oranges hung on well into February), and it’s quickly mixed with new blossom for the next lot of fruit – citrus trees are very busy all year round!  The Lecrin Valley becomes filled with that amazing sweet pungent scent of the “azahar” (official spanish name for the white flowers of the various citrus fruits).

In January, the whole valley is transformed again with the Almond Blossom. From white to pink, the blossom colours the entire landscape giving it a sort of pinky haze. And despite the sometimes ferocious wind, the little flowers manage to hang on well into February.

Vic Stamp – Almond Blossom
Sophie Cross – Almond walks
Almond walks 2 – Sophie Cross
Almond Blossom – January
Tangerines

It’s an amazing smell and just when you think the trees have lost all their leaves and life for the winter they burst full of pretty pink and white flowers again.

Continue reading “Winter in the Lecrin Valley: crisp blue sky days and warm sunshine” →