Marbella 4 Day Walking Festival - Day 3

Day 3 looked like it might be a bit tough. It was going to be another fine day and the route looked like there was plenty of climbing to do again. I set off pre-dawn with the 30km ladies again...

...to see them start and get to the front of the 20km queue again.

This was my route. It looks a bit whacky... but you will see why later!

We went past my hotel again and along the beach for a while before turning inland

This was a nice bougainvillea just before we started climbing in earnest.

Up we went.

But then there was a problem. There was a sign saying go straight on to the right, but that was clearly for the way back. Some people turned left, but then got confused when they found a sign pointing the other way.

We decided, in the absence of any other sign to go straight on up the hill. After a mile or so more we got to a crossing with no signs. What to do? Just then a van turned up. Were offered water and told to stay put until the worked out what to do with us. It turned out someone had tampered with the signs and the first 150 or so of us were caught out before it was spotted.

After about 15 minutes, while they figured out how to get us back on track, we were sent back down the hill we had just toiled up (aaargh!)...

...and joined up with the proper track. On the way we passed these funny turrets.

Later in the walk I got a funny sense of deja vu seeing them again... we were going down some of the later part of the route to get to our fellow 20km walkers. Then we started climbing again. Now, of course,we were within the pack of 20km walkers who hadn't been led astray.

At least we had nice views.

And then we got to our first (and, it transpired, only) piece of off road walking.

Then it was, at last, the first checkpoint.

And look who caught me up!

We walked together for a bit, but I told them not to wait for me. "It will be all downhill from here", said Chelle. Oh no it wasn't!

The Parque Pinar de Nagüeles was nice, although the route through it was a bit confusing. They had food, refreshments and a band.

Then we got to climb another hill through a housing estate like the one we went up and back down earlier. Some of us were really starting to struggle. It was even hotter than yesterday and we'd surely already done our quota of climbing.

At last we got to the last checkpoint and it really was downhill from here.

Alongside the street for some of the way were some citrus trees.

We went through the old town, which was nice.

I got to the finish about 2pm, more than an hour later than yesterday. But when I looked at my tracker I discovered i had done nearly 15 miles - 3 miles extra and, of course we had that milling about after being intercepted on the wrong track.

Sally and Chelle were there already enjoying a drink.

Lots of people were enjoying the music food and drink.

de Blaasbalgen were dressed in Orange today. Very dutch!

We wanted to eat again at the restaurant just beside the hotel and met there for drinks, but they were fully booked, so we ended having a curry (!).

And Cathy, Chelle and I ended up having a nightcap together in a little tapas bar... across the alley from where we had a drink the other night!

 

Another great day, but rather tiring. My feet were sore now and I had some blisters. Yes there were some nice bits and good views, but rather too much up and down and suburban roads... well the detour didn't help!

Here is a slideshow of my album of the day's photos...

..and you can see the album here on Flickr.

Details of my route can be found here on MapMyWalk.

Next Up - Day 4! Will I be able to make it to the end? I was wondering if I would be up to it...