Spain 2016 - Camino Natural del Guadiana, Sanlucar de Guadiana.

Today we drove back up to Sanlucar so I could walk on a hiking trail I had seen last time I was there. We drove up to the windmills this time (I walked up last time) and had our lunch looking out over the river from the parking lot. We drove back down to the cafe by the wharf, for coffee, and then I set off, with an agreement that I would turn around after an hour.

The sign at the base of the hill. I knew that I would not be getting to either one of these places in my 1 hour walk.

I saw the gate at the end of the track. I saw the route indicator on the left and although I didn't like the fact it was sending me up hill, I figured that was the right path.

It went very steeply up hill through a eucalyptus forest.

I love the textures on eucalyptus bark.

There were lots of these pretty little white flowers on shrubs among the trees.

The path went up and around this old windmill.

I think I took a picture of this old windmill from over there at the white windmills.

The path looped down to the parking lot by the 2 white windmills and I knew I had taken a wrong turn somewhere so went back down to the gate at the end of the track and found that the path headed off towards the right (the entrance had been hidden behind a bush!), towards the river.

About every kilometer there was a solid wooden bench to rest on. It was getting warm so I used it to rest my pack on while I took off my rain coat and fleece.

These purple flowers were growing on both sides of the path but in greatest profusion down towards the river.

The path wound back and forth, out towards the river and then back into the hillside as a creek came down to the river. So the views were varied; river and moored boats and

hillsides and foliage. Quiet, birds singing, wind in the trees and sometimes the lapping of water, a couple of times I saw lizards scurry away.

It was always well fenced where there was a steep drop off to the river.

Many of the sailboats moored on the river are large so it must be quite deep but this catamaran can raise its dagger boards anyway.

The trail went right or left here. I chose wrong, right. Two little, very yappy, dogs pointed out my mistake and I retreated to the left.

There I was greeted by the loud braying of a donkey and found 2 tethered by the trail.

A good solid bridge across a (now) dry river bed.

I had read an article on the spring flowers to expect and was glad to find the wild lupins that had been mentioned.

I had been gone for an hour and although I wasn't sure how long I had spent on my loop up to the old windmill, I decided to turn back so as not to be late meeting up with Mum and Dad.
Back past the donkeys.

Such expressive ears. One ear forward, one ear back - I can hear you behind me.

2 ears back - I don't like you back there.

 

 

 

OK, I'll turn around and check you out.

The same article about the flowers mentioned that the hills are predominately covered with Holly Oak.

Taking a close look at some of the shrubs beside the trail, they were clearly "holly like". The article had said that the prickly leaves were only on young trees and lower branches.

The large trees have more rounded leaves and a kind of acorn.

I met up with Mum coming down the track to meet me. She and Dad had taken a walk in the town and spent some time reading in the car.

Mum had noticed these brilliant blue flowers growing beside the track.

I had to take a picture of this stocky, shaggy, pony as he is so unusual for here. There are lots of horses but they are all fine boned, elegant looking animals. The kind you would expect to see in a dressage ring.