16 January 2017 – Orba Castle Recce

Although we have done this walk quite a few times, and led it more than once, we often have problems finding the correct route.  So we wanted to do a recce with my satnav and try to solve the problem once and for all.

Nick and Janet came with us to record the route themselves and to help out with my satnav training.   Nick records everything direct on his satnav.   I record the waymarks and Jan makes notes of the time and directions.   Despite this I managed to record two or three waymarks at one point.  

We were pleased to see that the almond blossoms are making an appearance.   We hope to offer an almond blossom walk when the valley is in bloom, and will need to do a recce for that as well.

Despite a clear and sunny day, the wind was very cold.  We kept up a good pace from Parcent to Murla, but were still chilled when we stopped for our banana break.

We managed to follow the correct signed route to the top, and to record it on our satnav.   But I am sure that it is not the route we have followed in the past.  I felt that this one was a little more difficult, but will use it anyway - or at least until we can do another recce of the old route.

In the past the track down was very difficult to find.   I was pleased to find that someone has marked it since our last visit, and we could find it with ease.   Again we recorded it on our satnav, so it should be even easier next time.

We were amused to see this sight as we passed through Murla.   It looks like the horse has climbed the wall!

I have never had the stats for this walk.   I guessed it was 12-14 km, and it proved to be 13 km.   I remembered that it took about 6 hours, and our drink at the cooperativea in Parcent extended this by another half hour.   But I was really surprised when Nick confirmed that we had climbed a total of 415 meters.