Gran Canaria walk 13 Feb 2015 Cruz Grande,Embalse de Chira,cavehouses,La Candelilla

Caught the same bus from San Bartolome as yesterday but this time just up to Cruz Grande and then followed the paths and tracks west which take you round the head of  the Barranco de la Data and along a level track above the Chira reservoir and down to the village of Cercados de Arana.A much more arid landscape than the greener north or around the higher mountains villages where the almond trees thrive.
(click on any photo to view series in a larger format)

casa forestal below Cruz Grande

 

Looking south to tomorrow's walk

Lavender on the hillside

Chira dam

 

In some ways the combination of arid rock and reservoirs is reminiscent of the Spanish Pyrenees.
I felt a bit arid too but unfortunately the local bar in Cercados has been closed since 2009 so I had some of my picnic and water before setting off up between the sugarloaf peaks to the north to reach a hidden ravine where there are a number of cave houses.

I had plenty of time before the 5.15 bus from the main road about an hours walk away so read the book that I'd bought with me and had a snooze in the warm sunshine.During my rest some friendly partridge were pecking around nearby.

The variety of vegetation increased further up the ravine and got into the almond tree belt.Rather than wait around for the bus at the main road junction I walked for another quarter of an hour along the road to La Candelilla bar where I'd had coffee yesterday.But today it was coke ,beers and a york jamon and queso bocadillo which I ordered from the friendly bar owner in my best Spanglish.