The Sella Pool Bar (to be found near the village swimming pool, as you are leaving the village) will be re-opening this week on Friday (30th March).
GOOD LUCK
to Jaume & Daniela
Tuesday 27 March 2012
Sunday 25 March 2012
NEW LOCAL GEOCACHE - Cova del Diví
When the Moors (after 800 years of occupation) were finally banished from Spain in 1609, many of them believed that their expulsion was only a temporary measure and that they would soon be allowed to return. Because of this, and also because of the speed at which they were forced to leave, this meant that they had very little time to get themselves organized. As a consequence some of the wealthier Moors decided it would be safer and easier to hide their valuable possessions, which they would then be able to retrieve on their return, but as history tells us, this anticipated return never happened.
Over 150 years later, in the 1770s, a local Sella man and farm labourer went to the market in Alicante to sell his cherries. While taking refreshment at an inn, he overheard a conversation between two Moors who had just arrived from Algeria. They were studying and trying to make sense of a crude and ancient map. The Sella man however recognised the landscape drawn on the map straight away, it being of the area of his home town of Sella and in particular, the location of a cave situated in the Divino Mountain. The cave could be identified by the position of the sun's rays at 8 in the morning. The Sella man said nothing to the two Moors and hurried home. With his mule, he headed out to the location described on the map which, being a local, he knew very well - The Divino Cave. There, after a long search, he found it, a large wooden chest, the corner of which was just visible, as it lay hidden in the depths of the cave. The chest contained precious metals and stones of unimaginable value and the life of this humble farm labourer and more significantly those of his his children and grandchildren were changed forever.
So, the question today is, if you set out on a 21st Century treasure hunt, will you find a geocache, or just maybe you'll find some real treasure that was left behind all those years ago?
For more information at geocaching.com CLICK HERE
Tuesday 20 March 2012
Monday 19 March 2012
Saturday 17 March 2012
Puig Campana - Roldans Notch (El Tall de Roldán)
For as long as I care to remember whenever I have looked up at the Puig Campana mountain my focus has always been drawn to the notch and I have always said to myself, one day I'm going to stand in that bugger - well today was the day!
Terry Gifford and I left Sella at 08:30 this morning. Because we had pretty much no knowledge of the route, we had decided to carry a full climbing rack - just in case! This meant that we were both carrying packs that weighed in just short of 10Kg, which when you are just about to board a Ryanair flight feels heavy enough, let alone when you are about to do a total ascent of 1327m (4354ft)!
Map of the Route
Height Profile
We had perfect weather for our little excursion - blue sky and sunshine. We came up from the North side, parking just below the refuge. We then went up to the coll and then dropped back down into the gully for about 200m before starting our scramble (grade 2) up to the notch, which we reached 3 hours after leaving the car. We spent about half an hour in the notch which is an amazing place to be, it's sides towering about 200ft above you and stunning views towards the coast and then with a quick spin of the head equally stunning views inland. We returned by the same route which took about 2 and a half hours.
We don't know anyone else who has been into the notch but would be interested to hear from you if you have.
We don't know anyone else who has been into the notch but would be interested to hear from you if you have.
Me celebrating in the notch with a tot of brandy!
Terry feeling victorious!
Everest Conquered - Sort Of!
As you may know I have been monitoring my total 'total ascents' since the begining of the year (see: Total Ascent 2012) I am pleased to tell you that yesterday, 17 March 2012 at 10:03:21AM whilst walking on the Puig Campana this figure reached 29,035ft - the same height as Mount Everest!
Thursday 15 March 2012
Geocache - Cova de L'Aigua
Eric, Leonard and I had a great walk today, up onto the Peña de sella then down to the Cova de L'Aigua (water cave) where we found the geocache. We then returned to the top of the Peña and continued with our circular walk. Oh, and Leonard is Mr. Leonard Cohen - he wasn't actually with us, but accompanied us via my iPod!
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