Spanish tracks: "walking" the dogs in the Altiplano de Granada

[Tim Cullis]

Most days when I'm in Spain I take my dogs "walking" in the wonderful Castril Valley in the Altiplano de Granada. Our Cockapoo dogs (half Cocker Spaniel, half Poodle) are fabulously active and tremendously fit with all the exercise they get here. This video series starts with the descent into the valley on rough caminos (tracks).

(If your Internet connection is fast enough set the Youtube quality at 720 or higher.)



The route this morning covers just over 10km. Once down into the valley floor the camino surface is good quality, meandering through a ruined hamlet. The dogs tend to lead the way and on a good surface are happy 'cruising' along at 28 kph, with bursts of speed far in excess of that. They know where all the water sources are in the valley so they jump into an irrigation ditch for a drink.



Unfortunately the farmers sometimes plough out the tracks, which is when it's good to have a light-weight moto like my KTM 690 Enduro R! We then descend to the river.



After some exploration time for the dogs, it's back onto the camino running alongside the river. Fallen trees block the track so we have to divert through a grove of trees and then the dogs get to cool off again at the ford.



Now it time for the long haul uphill from the river at 740m (2350 ft) to the cave at 960m (3150 ft). The dogs are getting tired now so they are going slow at just the time I could use some more momentum!