A salutory lesson

Jultayu again Originally uploaded by itsjustanalias.

I joined the Grupo Naranco for a walk in the Picos de Europa, it was a walk I’d done before, the first I ever did in the Picos in fact. We started from lake Ercina, and walked through the fantastic limestone valleys up to a high mountain meadow. We had good weather up to then but behind us clouds had started to build. We had planned to go up to the top of Jultayu, another couple of hours and there was a good deal of discussion about whether we should. In the end 20 of us did, and we climbed the steep slope slowly, keeping a wary eye on the clouds, which disappeared for a while, only to return in force.

We made it to the top above the clouds and after a quick sandwich, turned round and descended. During the descent the heavens opened and everyone put on their wet weather gear while thunder rumbled around us. It was a tricky descent, limestone is rather slippery in the wet and there’s lots of it in the Picos. Once we’d descended from Jultayu we started off back to the bus, the rain kept on, but lighter. The problem was now the mud, the paths were rarely level and the mud was slippery. It took as much care to stay on your feet on the paths as it did to come down the mountain.

I was wandering along a little ahead of one group of people, a little behind another. As I got to the lake, the starting point, clouds came down. By the lake the path disappears and you have to cross a smooth grassy meadow. I was walking in a straight line for a car park I knew, so I carried on walking. Suddenly the ground sloped steeply upwards, I realised I wasn’t where I thought I was, and worse, I couldn’t see, or hear anyone. 200m from knowing where I was and I was lost. I shouted and listened: nothing. I was towards the back of the group so I knew they’d miss me pretty quickly so I decided to stay where I was and let them come to me when I was missed. They did, but it took half an hour because I couldn’t hear their shouts or whistles as I was further from the path than I thought. Eventually I heard a shout and responded. It was a good lesson in mountain safety… or rather the reverse, and a little embarrassing, so close to the finish.

Everyone was fine though, even though I had delayed them setting off for home, no pasa nada, they said, it’s the clouds around here, it’s your initiation, did you enjoy the rest of it? I did enjoy the rest of it and I spent the journey home discussing etymology and politics with a Jean Reno lookalike called Pompayu, who looks like he’s 55 but is 65, and likes to talk, which is fine because I like to listen (it’s good practice and my speaking is not up to deep philosophical stuff yet). Next one in two weeks… I’m hoping for good weather this time.