Climb Every Mountain

Some friends of ours knew of a geocache at the top of a mountain a few miles away, in Vallada.

With great trepidation, I agreed to go along (Ed was really looking forward to it). As we crested a range of mountains, we could see this escarpment in front of us. I just burst out laughing. We were about to climb it!

We found the carpark, and then bimbled our was along the indicated path. Up. And up. And up. It was actually a good path, although very steep in places. At one point, Mark took a photo of us. I sat down next to Ed, on a small pine branh, but it really prickled as I sat down. Then it was very sharp and hurt! I had managed to sit down on a gorse branch, and then ended up with a spine stuck in my bottom! Finally, we got to the rocky outcrop at the top. The one with the cross on top, and a hidden cache just below the cross. Oops. Nasty steep steps, with a bit of cable for a railing, and a (several hundred feet) drop at the side. I was the last to go up, but managed, even though I was shaking like a leaf. Next, we had to climb around a small tree (nothing to hang on to, and then cross another even scarier bit. No chance!

Ed meanwhile, had gone ahead, found the cross, scabbled down and found the cache. Having found the last few, he thought he should wait for everyone else... but no-one came! Tracey and I bottled out of the last few feet, so only Mark appeared at the very top! The boys filled the book in, while I took a (very) deep breath and managed to get myself back to a spot that felt a lot safer!

Going back down seemed easier, until we realised how slippery the loose soil was. I fell down three times, laughing my head off! Half way down, Mark suddenly shouted for Tracey to STOP. She nad nearly trodden on a snub-nosed viper. One of the venemous snakes in the area.

The climb up and back took us about 3 hours, but it was certainly worth it. At the base was a beautiful picnic area, swimming pool and bar. It will be a good place to visit in the summer.