Walking in high summer

Although in southern Spain in July and August the temperatures are in general a little bit too high to be very active, walking in the high mountains can still be very pleasant during this time of year, especially when you start off early. Today we checked out a route that starts at the Puerto de la Ragua, a mountain pass at 2,000 metres height. The Puerto de la Ragua is about an hour and half drive from Bérchules. We chose to go up the Morrón del Mediodía, a route of Top Walks which we can definitely recommend. It is the height of the tourist season in Spain, nevertheless two other walkers and a shepherd were the only human beings we saw. Special encounters with animals were more numerous.
 

Related keywords: Alpujarras, Sierra Nevada, wandelen, wandelingen, trektocht, hiking, trekking, Berchules, B&B, hotel, wanderungen

Parnassius apollo nevadensis

The Parnassius apollo nevadenis is according to some people the most emblematic butterfly of the Sierra Nevada. The endemic Sierra Nevada subspecies can easily be recognized by the yellow-orange ocellus. On the website of Waste Magazine it is explained that there are few colonies left since collectors have had a great interest for this specimen and therefor paid a lot of money to obtain one. We were able to spot this injured Parnassius apollo near the top of the Morrón del Mediodía at about 2,700 metres height.

Sempervivum minutum

One of the best aspects of checking out a new walking route is the thrill of spotting special flowers and to capture its beauty on a photograph for the ´El Paraje Flora Book´. Special are certainly the unique species  like this Sempervivum minutum, endemic to the Sierra Nevada and Sierra de Baza. We took this picture of the ´Sierra Nevada Liveforever´ just before reaching the top of the Morrón del Mediodía, at an altitude of about 2,650 metres. According to Gabriel García Guardia, author of ´Flores Silvestres de Andalucía´ people used to recollect this Siempreviva because they believed that it could attribute to a longer life. The name ´Sempervivum´ has its origin in the Latin ´Semper´ (always) and ´vivus´ (living). Sempervivum are called `always living´ because this perennial plant keeps its leaves in winter and is very resistant to difficult conditions of growth. This ´Nevada liveforever´ likes fissures of siliceous rocks of he slopes higher than 2,000 metres. The ability of this succulent plant to store water in its thick leaves allows it to live on rocky slopes of the high mountain summits. Rosettes of  this sempervivum propagate asexually by lateral rosettes (offsets), which secures its reproduction.
PS On the 18th of July 2010 we saw large numbers of this Sempervivum minutum while walking from the Plaza de Lobos to the Cerro del Gallo, the highest mountain of Bérchules.

Related aritcle:
- Parnassius apollo nevadensis (2)

Related links:
- On-line magazine Waste: La flora endémica del macizo de Sierra Nevada
- On-line magazine Waste: Series de vegetación,  rocas verticales

Related key words: sempervivum vicentei, siempreviva de sierra nevada, sempervivum nevadense, crassulaceae family, familia crassulaceae, famille des crassulacées, perennes suculentas, crasas, succulenten, plantes succulentes, vetplantenfamilie, familie der dickblattgewächse, houseleek, hen and chicks, huislook, donderblad,  hauswurze,  joubarbes

Expo Cádiar 2008

From the 14th to the 17th of August the IX Feria Agroalimentaria, de Artesanía y Turismo is organized in Cádiar. The fair is open to the public from 12:00 to 22:00 hours and apart from a demonstration of local products and services there will be some performances and other cultural activities. Click here for the programme.

Festival de música tradicional de la Alpujarra

On Sunday the 10th of August 2008 the XXVII edition of the festival of traditional music of the Alpujarras is celebrated in Alboloduy.

Related links:
- Festival de Música Tradicional de la Alpujarra (wiki pedia)