Glad we delayed our side trip!

 The wet weather has returned to Andalusia.

We were supposed to head up to Olvera yesterday,  rent a bikes and ride the Via Verde (reclaimed rail line).  We had booked a B&B in Olvera for 2 nights. The B&B owners Sherri and Peter alerted us to the forecast of inclement weather and offered us the option the delay the trip for a couple of nights.  It was very nice of them to do that.  After checking the forecast we changed our reservation and we are going to Olvera tomorrow.

  Below is a photo taken yesterday, from the doorway to the patio. 

  Not quite the same view as you have seen before!

Yesterday it rained pretty much all day.  We spent most of the day indoors getting caught up on various administrative chores. planning ahead for the week after we leave Gaucin, booking a room in Barcelona, watching a couple of movies and drinking cheap wine.  We only went out once, to pick up a few groceries.

Today, the weather is much better. Thank goodness! We have been able to get out and explore the area some more on foot. After our regular climb to the castle we headed to the outskirts of town to see what we could find.  There is a nice path along the edge of the highway. We had followed it west, This time we went east. Hence more photos of Gaucin from another angle. I'm not sure how many of these you really want to see but here are a few more anyway.

The mountain in the background in"Hacho".  I have just been doing some research to find out is there is a trail up it.  I discovered that there is a trail and found direction on line.

While searching for information about a trail I discovered more information about the "via ferratas" that are located in the area.  A "via ferrata" in English, is called an "iron way".  It a set of steel hand/foot holds and fixed cables that are attached to the rock walls of the mountain. These fixtures create a route up and around the mountain that you can follow.  There are two via ferratas in Gaucin.  One is located on the castle mountain and the other on Hacho.  Pictures tell a better story. I borrowed these for the internet.

The first 3 photos are of the  Via Ferrata Gaucin, on the castle mountain. It starts from just below the south entrance to the castles and ends near the south-west point, not much below the elevation of the starting point. It looks to be primarily a transverse route.

This photo was taken on the Via Ferrata Hacho

I don't think that we will be trying these routes too soon!   But now that I found a trail map for the hike on Hacho, we might give that a go.   I'll leave the Via Ferrata for Dave. I think that he would enjoy them more that I would.

Here are the rest of the Gaucin area photos...

The Paco Pepe Restaurant

This is the view approaching Gaucin from the east. The castle is visible on the hill.

This photo looking north toward the mountains through which we will be travelling on the way to or from Olvera.  Actually there are two routes, around or through the mountains.  We will go around the mountains going to Olvera and come back through.  Either way the roads are winding and one does not make good time.  Hey! Who's in a hurry anyway.