Housesitting in Altea la Vella, Spain - Days 92 to 97

On the western summit of the Bernia Ridge

A whole week into the new year and I don’t know where time goes, with not much to talk about. Brian has been painting the outside of the house, not all of it, though it might have been easier if it had been, and doing window frame repairs. So I’ve been pottering and cooking and making sure the fire is laid as we have to light it somewhere between 4 and 5 o clock as once the sun goes down it suddenly gets very cold, and that’s before the weather that is forecast for later on this week! 

Brian up on the roof painting

Today has been a real cook up, butter chicken prep done for tomorrow and steamed fish with Asian flavours for us tonight. Not something that needs the oven, though this is what I try and cook while in a house, but steam and condensation are the enemy of vans, so another good thing to do not in the van!

We’ve done airport taxi services, collecting Rosie and Per, old friends of the house, and delivering them to their apartment in Benidorm. Sounds easy, but did involve driving along the pedestrianised sea front which was scary enough for me, and I wasn’t even driving! 

Enjoying our starters at the fish restaurant

We spent an hour collecting logs, to make up for what we’ve burned, and because father hurt his foot last time he was out, which is still giving him some grief. Our ulterior motive for this was then we deserved a treat, so off we went to Calpe for a fabulous repeat of our fish lunch. It really is our favourite, and no, we don’t have to justify spending €15 on starter, main, desert, bread and alioli and half a bottle of wine, but it’s a good excuse.....

Calpe Rock (Peñon de Ifach). View from the fish restaurant. Actually Jackie and I have rock climbed that to the top some years ago. We climbed up behind and appeared on the shoulder on the right, which is a knife edge, moved along left in the photo and then climbed up the steep bit that gradually eases at it nears the top. As it happens there is a climber in this photo on the same route (but very difficult to see). He/she is on the shoulder and about to start up the steep bit. Zoom in and see if you can see them

Here's where we abandoned the car for our walk and the broken road in foreground

We’ve been for an ‘interesting’ walk, not long, but did involve blundering through some prickly Spanish undergrowth. It does mean that we have now done every summit on the Bernia Ridge. This last was the very westernmost, that we tried last year till I was stung by a wasp! We decided to drive up the road towards the old fort as this would involve less walking ascent, though we did know the road was not as good as it used to be! This is quite an understatement, as we decided with 800m to go to the start of our walk that not driving through that very big hole in the road was probably wise! We were obviously the wimps though, we saw at least 6 other vehicles who did drive all the way which ranged from 4 wheel drives to a nice Audi estate, to a very shiny new minibus! It wasn’t just us though, on our return another car had parked up at the same ‘stopper’ as we had! We were surprised to see so many vehicles though on the first Saturday in January.

Setting off, the Bernia Ridge on the skyline

We’ve also been to supper with Carolyn and John which was lovely, they are so easy to talk to. Supper was tapas, tidying up the left over Christmas finger food, just my sort of thing. We had planned to walk but as Jane popped in for a drink and an update we drove, about which I’m very grateful as it is further than you think, and very up and down, particularly in the dark!

Starting the rough part of the walk at the ruined Finca

So tomorrow back to the airport as the wanderers return. I hope they don’t expect it to be much warmer than the UK, as it’s forecast cold, but at least the sun shines!

An interesting scrambly bit with a drop below

On the western summit. Behind and to the right is the Bernia Ridge, we have been on the top of every one of those summits, even the one sticking out on the left. However, we haven't done that narrow ridge you can see snaking up behind. It's apparently very loose rock and I can't find any information on it. I suspect it's seldom if ever done, but I really want to do it. Possibly not this trip, but maybe I can persuade Jackie next time and take a rope and climbing gear.

Another view from the summit. The skyline is the same we can see from the balcony at Jackie's dad's house

On our way down. As you can see, there was no path and those bushes are very prickly!

This was the sign we passed on the way up saying 'Off Road Vehicles Only'. We went a further 3km up the very steep mountain road on a steadily deteriorating surface with bigger and bigger pot holes until we finally gave up at a big hole and parked. Just don't tell Elizabeth, we were driving here two wheel drive Ford Fiesta! We drove very slowly and didn't damage it!

This was our route:

Back at the house, here's a red squirrel leaping up to get on the palm tree pot

Good job Pepa cat didn't see it. Here she is enjoying the late afternoon sun

This is the trouble when you are outside in the sun and need sunglasses and reading glasses at the same time. It applies to both of us!

I do need to put these photos in, as I've spent about 20 hours painting the house. This photo is on the day we arrived.....

And this photo is after I'd spent those 20 hours painting (Jackie and Pepa cat are in this too, can you see them?). Can you see what I've done? I suspect it might be difficult, so the picture below has arrows pointing to the bits that were painted:

Can you see it now? Well, I don't care if you can't, I'm vary satisfied with it

I even had to wake up Pepa cat to show her. She didn't seem impressed!