The morning starts out bitter cold in the valley at the foot of the Sierra de Segura, the next mountain range that I’m going to tackle. As the sun slowly creeps over the mountain tops to the east, I enjoy every ray that manages to hit the road. Soon the uphill start, though and I warm up from the inside. By the time I reach the top of my first climb, the sun is fully up and the view reaches back to the Sierra Nevada.
The deep gorge of the Rio Zumet is the first sign that the country is changing – the river actually carries water. On the sides of the gorge and the surrounding mountains there are many caves, apparently sometimes used as prehistoric housing for the first European human inhabitants.
Close to Santiago de la Espada I find the perfect lunch spot: a rest area near a small waterfall and crystal clear stream. The water is cold, but the sun is hot and after a refreshing dip, I have lunch and a long siesta.
The afternoon is punctuated by many shorter climbs and downhills until I reach the fork in the road to Hornus. The shorter way goes more or less straight down, while the long way winds along the ridge for 12 kilometres, before snaking down into the valley. I take the latter road, of course and it proves an excellent choice, as this is certainly one of the most beautiful roads in the mountains. Great views to both sides of the mountain, mostly shaded by the pine forest, full of deer.
I end my day next to an old fortress tower in the valley of the Rio Gudalimar.
