To be like goats


About two hours up 
View about an hour up





The day at Hacienda Minerva started off great. We had a delicious breakfast of cheese, bread, olive oil, fresh fruit and café on the rooftop terrace. The fresh squeezed orange juice was perfect. On the way back to our room we stopped by to talk to Luis, the hotel owner. He asked us what we had planned for the day. We told him that we wanted to take a walk around the area and see the views. He proceeded to pull out a piece of paper and draw us a map of a hike he recommended.


Area once used to separate grain
The directions began clearly enough. However we should have paid more attention. Soon other guests began to stop in with questions and Luis lost track of what he was drawing and but then we always think we know where we are going. We nodded as he described the route. Each of us thinking the other understood the directions. We grabbed some water and hiking shoes and headed off.

About 10 minutes away from the hotel, we realized we had forgotten the map. Ooops! We should be able to remember the details.

View about three hours up
We followed a well-marked path leading up the mountain. We passed the first goat house that he had pointed out, then the two small caves (the one with bees and the one with birds), then we got to the circular area that was once used to separate grain from the stalk. From there we continued on until we came to an old Moorish fountain.





    Goat trails - l
ittle forks in the road
At that point, we got completely lost. Knowing the direction of the city we were trying to reach, we continued climbing to see the best views. By now, we had our second wind. We recalled that Luis had said to take the goat trails, so we did. All the way up to the top of the mountain, then back down the other side, and across a dry river that we both swore he mentioned. We walked along old walls of stacked rock used as pastures for the sheep and goats. 


Fossils in the path
Moorish fountain
Every few minutes the goat trail would break off into multiple directions, causing us to constantly try and figure out which was the right way to go. Forks in the road! As we continued up the trail we spotted some perfect, little fossils embedded in the rocks on the ground. 


Every now and then we stopped for a water break. Sitting on a rock we could hear the sheep bleating and their cow bells rattling. The sky was bright blue with puffy white clouds. The sun was shining, warming us up, while the olive groves offered us shade to walk under. Throughout the day we were surrounded by the heavy scent of olives.









The goat house



About four hours into the walk, we came upon an old abandoned stone goat house. We started to descend down the hill. Across the other mountain we could see the shepherds taking their animals up the hillside. Finally, we came around a corner and we could see the white houses below us.
















View from the top















On the way down









The goat route down...steep!


Yes this is looking straight down


At this point we were way off the trail. We would think we would catch it only to have the trail disappear. Seeing where we needed to be, we decided to be like the goats and descend the mountain through the cliffs. The mountainside was steep and rocky, but if the goats can do it, so can we. Descending, we finally caught back up with the trail and followed it into the town of Zuheros. 











Zuheros


We climbed the steps to the old ruined castle and walked around it looking back up the mountain from where we came from.



We stopped in a small restaurant and ordered some water as we had run out about 2 hours earlier. Luis met the owner named Rafa.











Rafa and Luis, will this make it


on the wall?


The walls of his restaurant were covered with pictures of him and virtually every famous futbol (soccer) player out there. Luis talked to Rafa and told him about our trip. He suggested a restaurant in Madrid named San Juan. Luis found out that after 30 years in the business, his restaurant had gained quite a following.













Beckham, Crusie and Rafa











The view back from the Via Verde







The Zuheros Castle


We walked back to the hotel down the Via Verde and arrived around 6 pm. Via verde is a route that follows the former Oil train. It runs along the south of the province of Cordoba for 58 km. This route links the villages of Lucena, Cabra, Dona Mencia, Zuheros, and Luque. This path only allows bicyclists and people walking. 







Once we got to Hacienda Minerva, we ran into the owner, Luis, and told him about our hike. When we described our route, he exclaimed “I have no idea where you went, you must have not followed my map”. Returning to our room, we pulled out the map and saw that while we had followed his initial route we had gone two to three mountains beyond the turn off he had indicated. No wonder our 3 hour hike had taken us 6 ½ hours. 







The map we should have followed


Tonight, after another great meal at Hacienda Minerva, we will certainly sleep well. What a great way to end our trip. Tomorrow we drive back to Madrid in order to leave Spain for London. What are the rental car people going to think when we return our car tomorrow? I am sure that they did not anticipate us when they offered unlimited mileage. We are nearing the 5000 km mark, which is about 3000 miles. Yikes!


A minute and a half of bleating sheep and their bells. Starts off a little slow but picks up towards the end. Good stress buster.























































































































































































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