Sunday, 22 July 2012
Saturday, 21 July 2012
Bands
Last weekend we were in Benicassim watching bands like Noel Gallagher, The Stone Roses and Bob Dylan - tonight we are in Sella´s main square watching the Finestrat and Sella Bands - ALL FANTASTIC !!!
Monday, 25 June 2012
Monday, 11 June 2012
Hot Walks
Just got back from doing a 20Km circuit (12Km on foot and 8 on the bike) and believe me it definitely seems hotter than it normally does at this time of year - currently reading 30 degrees C on our thermometer at home. For the next few weeks it is a great time for walking around here as it is what I call butterfly time, with hundreds of them around you as you walk along.
I did a local walk that we call the Contadores Walk, but with a small modification at the far end of the Val d´l Arc, as I wanted to check out a small new section which will become part of the 1558 ZERO Walk that we are currently putting together.
Saturday, 2 June 2012
Diamond Jubilee Celebrations
All over the U.K. this weekend people will be celebrating the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.
CONGRATULATIONS - well done liz.
from villagehouseinspain.com
Tuesday, 1 May 2012
3 Day Walk
Just finished a 3 day walk that has taken us from the Sierra Aitana to the Puig Campana mountain - 43.43Km (26.98 miles) Total Ascent - 2230m (7316ft).
Sunday, 22 April 2012
Birthday Party
Click to enlarge
Saturday, 21 April 2012
The 1st Sella Feria de Abríl
The Feria de Abríl is a celebration that tends to be associated with Seville, but this year it came to Sella! With Tio Pepe, bunting, 'pescaitos' (little fried fish) and a good selection of loud Flamenco music the 1st Sella Feria de Abríl which was organized by this years fiesta commision was a great success. The event which started at 11:00 in the morning continued all day and into the evening, when most people then watched the Real Madrid vs Barcelona football match either on a large screen in the fiesta commision building or up at the pool bar.
New 2012 Sella Fiesta Commision T Shirts
We like the design of the new 2012 Sella Fiesta Commision T Shirts!
NOW AVAILABLE in various colours.
Thursday, 19 April 2012
Exhibition - Pirates, the thieves of the sea
Currently @ the Santa Bárbara Castle in Alicante.
How do you make a pirate angry? Take the 'p' out of him!
How do you make a pirate angry? Take the 'p' out of him!
Monday, 16 April 2012
Unexpected Encounter On The Ponoch Via Ferrata
Today I went with a couple of guys who are staying at Casa Blava to do the via ferrata on Ponoch. While we were sorting out our gear in the car park another car arrived. Two young Spanish ladies and a little fluffy white dog then got out. We bid them a good morning and they asked if we were going to do the ferrata, we told them yes and asked if they were planning to do it as well - we took their affirmative answer with a bit of a pinch of salt (they did not look dressed fo such an outing) and then asked if the little fluffy white dog was going to do it as well, to which we got an equally affirmative response. I still thought that they were joking until they opened the boot of the car and I saw that it was full of climbing gear (talk about never judge a book by its cover!) Sure enough, while we were enjoying a sandwich at the top of the route, who should emerge over the crest in front of us but a certain 'pink' lady, complete with little fluffy white dog very happily ensconced in her ruck sack!
Eric is dead jealous and thinks that he may be in love!
Tuesday, 27 March 2012
Sella Pool Bar Re-Opens
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
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!
Saturday, 25 February 2012
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)