Walk to work

The farmers' had no choice this morning; too much snow had fallen overnight and not even the good old faithful Landrover could drive up a forest track covered in 50cms of snow.

Luckily a few farmers' had already passed by before I decided to make a return visit to San Mames (hermitage and barns). The walk up was pretty but tiring even though others had forged a trail. I got to help out with the feeding and watering of the cattle-the picture shows them drinking from the fountain. A treat, but one I was to regret upon returning home; everything had to be washed due to the lingering smell of cows' and cow manure.

It seems that the thaw is on though as icicles melted this afternoon. A shame, but better for people going to work tomorrow!

Posted by Jayne at 20:42 · 0 comments

Blanket of snow

Today, it really feels like winter has arrived; the countryside is covered in a blanket of snow and whatismore, snow is still falling. I love it, time to get wrapped up and head out for a good walk.

To my joy, the snow is fluffy and light and excellent for walking in. I made it up to San Mames, normally a 45minute walk from the village of San Juan de Plan. Today, I took the forest track, which is a bit longer but easier underfoot. There is a peacefullness in the air, and only two Landrovers pass me on the track as they make their way up to their "bordas" or barns to feed and water their cattle. I catch up with a few farmers in San Mames, invite them to a coffee from my thermos, then start to make my way down via the "camino" or path. I had a few minor falls, which made me laugh. Luckily, the solitude and beauty of the narrow tree lined path made it all worth while.

Thankfully, I had stocked the fire with plenty of wood before my departure, so I had a warm welcome. Perfect for spending a nice afternoon with a good book and good view.

Posted by Jayne at 14:23 · 0 comments

Tella by the Cinca Canal

A great winter walk especially if the sun is shining and the sky is blue. We started out in Salinas de Sin and did a loop walk ascending by the GR and the PR Canal de Cinca and descending by the GR19. Parts of this walk use the old path created for the construction and maintenance of the Cinca Canal, which carries water from the Pineta reservoir to the hydroelectric station in Lafortunada. After entering the PR Canal de Cinca section, the views are spectacular and the walk impressive as the path takes you through two small tunnels cut out off the limestone rock and then winds its way round the side of the mountain offering great views of the Cinca river. We were accompanied by abundant birdlife, fantastic scenery especially the rocky outcrops and the wonderful scent of the pine trees. After two and a half hours, we reached Tella for a picnic lunch and a magnificent view of the surrounding peaks; Peña del Mediodía, Punta Calva, Cotiella, Peña Montanesa, Sierra de Guara...

Posted by Jayne at 11:10 · 0 comments

Night of San Antón

For the night of San Antón on the 17th January, the villagers ¡n the Chistau valley took out their "trucos" or cowbells in order to walk round all the villages in the valley "trucando" or clanging their bells in unison. In former times, the intensity of the clang (size of cowbell) denoted the importance of the herd. The noise of the "trucos" had disappeared as livestock are now transported by lorry until a few years ago when the locals decided to recover this traditional fiesta. Now the procession starts in Gistain at around 11pm, and covers all the villages finishing in Saravillo in the early hours of the morning with a barbecue. In each village, the two shepards call people to join the procession by blowing on their horns, and of course there are drinks and nibbles galore after having toured the village streets. Something to be experienced at least once, especially the force and power given off by the impressive clanging of the bells.

Posted by Jayne at 17:19 · 0 comments

Flat for Sale

Spacious, sunny 2 bedroom flat for sale in the mountain village of San Juan de Plan in the Chistau Valley. The living room looks out on to "Peña del Mediodía" part of the Cotiella mountain range, and enjoys sunshine from early morning to late afternoon in both summer and winter. The kitchen is fully equipped and enjoys scenic views. The flat is being sold with carparking space and cellar. For information, please contact me on +34 690 039 999.

Posted by Jayne at 18:21 · 0 comments

Killing a Pig

Longaniza, morcilla and chorizo -sausage, black pudding and salami-these are the results of two days of long, hard work by a kitchen full of helping hands, mostly female. The first day is dedicated to the making of tortetas, a type of heavily spiced blood pancake and black pudding, and the second day to the sausage making. My impression on seeing this line up is of the small fortune it would cost to buy all this from a shop. In contrast buying an entire pig, if you're local and have the culinary know how, is relatively good value as long as you are prepared to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into some hard work. My mouth waters at the thought of these tasty home made salamis and hams.

Posted by Jayne at 21:29 · 0 comments