Dona Mencia, Cabra......and a lot of goats!

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Our next trip away in Bertie took us inland from the Costa del Sol to a town on the edge of the Sierra de Subetica , a national park we had visited on a walking holiday with our club and wanted to explore some more. We found a lovely aire just outside the town of Dona Mencia along side a disused railway line, and we had it all to ourselves! After parking up,we decided to have a walk along the old railway line, tossing a coin to decide whether to go left or right. We opted for left and headed off towards the next station at Zucheros. The views were stunning and I don't think i'd heard so much birdsong on a walk, usually because there are 55 of us and the noise we make would probably scare off a rather ugly troll under a bridge! We even heard two nightingales! Just before the bridge over the gorge, we passed a goat farm, holding our breath. On reaching the next station, we took a breather on the bench, only to find the goat herder was talking his chums out for a stroll.....and were heading our way. More breath holding as we found ourselves surrounded by a stampede of hungry goats. Made for great photos tho!

Retracing our steps back to Bertie and a very welcome pint of clara at the restaurant which is now in the old station at Dona Mencia. Think we walked about 9 km, in the heat!

After a good nights sleep we set off into the town, about half an hour away and had a lovely wander around, trying to find the old castillo. We asked quite a few people, including an interesting conversation with the local police about the difference between the British and Spanish police.....but many conflicting directions as to the whereabouts of the castillo! We finally came across it, more by luck than judgement. Sadly all that was remaining was a tower and a section of wall that had been erected in the 10th century by the Moors and then reclaimed in the 15th century by the Christians. It had been a fortress, and grain store, and a mill in it's time.

Back to Bertie and then on to our next stop just 25 km away in a town called Cabra.....which incidentally means goat in Spanish! We parked on another aire on the outskirts of town in a car park next to the auditorium and a lovely park with a restaurant right next to a stream and fountains, which became our breakfast stop for the next two mornings.

The town centre was about 20 minutes walk away and again spent a lovely lazy day wandering around the street and exploring the old barrio, with, yet some more ruins of a Moorish fortress. Spain is littered with a rich history and we are going to enjoy exploring it!

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