Sunday, July 29, 2007
Day Twelve; Marrakesh
After a breakfast of pain au chocolat and good coffee with fresh milk, we had our city tour, provided by a portly gentleman named Mustapha, dressed in a long robe. He took us by the Koutobia Mosque, and into the Souks, where the hustle and bustle of Marrakech is. He left us in a ‘pharmacy’ shop right in the centre of the Souks, with an amazing display of herbs and spices inside and out. We were treated to a sales patter by the owner, and a couple of the group accepted a massage.
All of us bought something; I got packets of a blend of 35 herbs and spices for cooking (everything in my kitchen now smells of them!) plus pots of hand and face cream supposed to work miracles. I suspect Mustapha was on commission!
Typical Tile Work in Marrakesh
The 'Pharmacy' Store!
He left us at a café where we had lunch, then all split up to go souvenir hunting. We walked across the main square- theDjemaa el Fna . It was a vast space, filled with stalls selling fruits, snake charmers, water sellers in traditional costumes, and henna tattooists. One girl approached us asking if we wanted a tattoo- of course, we all said ‘no’, but in one swift motion, she grabbed me, said I had lovely eyes (I had my sunglasses on!) and squirted a load of brown gunk onto my hand! I tried to pull away but she said “I do you lucky flower…now you give me present!” The mess on my hand looked nothing like a flower, so I gave her 5 Dirhams (31p!) she protested, but when it was clear that was all she was getting, she stalked off saying “Fuck you!” I was left with what looked like an allergic reaction on my right hand, it’s only just faded!
We went into the Souks for last minute souvenirs. What an experience!! A labyrinth of small dark alleys under a patchy corrugated tin roof, packed with stalls selling everything from carved wooden camels to cloths and chunky jewellery. Wherever we went, we were constantly pestered “You English? You look at my stall… lovely jubbly…” it was quite exhausting in the end, and we were glad to go back to the hotel for a coffee by the terrace!
The Souks 
The Main Square
Then home- knackered but happy!
All of us bought something; I got packets of a blend of 35 herbs and spices for cooking (everything in my kitchen now smells of them!) plus pots of hand and face cream supposed to work miracles. I suspect Mustapha was on commission!
Typical Tile Work in Marrakesh 
The 'Pharmacy' Store!After he collected us, we were taken to a museum which was a restored house originally belonging to a wealthy family. We also went to the Place Ben Youssef, which was a 600 year old school for training 14- 21 year old boys as priests.
He left us at a café where we had lunch, then all split up to go souvenir hunting. We walked across the main square- theDjemaa el Fna . It was a vast space, filled with stalls selling fruits, snake charmers, water sellers in traditional costumes, and henna tattooists. One girl approached us asking if we wanted a tattoo- of course, we all said ‘no’, but in one swift motion, she grabbed me, said I had lovely eyes (I had my sunglasses on!) and squirted a load of brown gunk onto my hand! I tried to pull away but she said “I do you lucky flower…now you give me present!” The mess on my hand looked nothing like a flower, so I gave her 5 Dirhams (31p!) she protested, but when it was clear that was all she was getting, she stalked off saying “Fuck you!” I was left with what looked like an allergic reaction on my right hand, it’s only just faded!
We went into the Souks for last minute souvenirs. What an experience!! A labyrinth of small dark alleys under a patchy corrugated tin roof, packed with stalls selling everything from carved wooden camels to cloths and chunky jewellery. Wherever we went, we were constantly pestered “You English? You look at my stall… lovely jubbly…” it was quite exhausting in the end, and we were glad to go back to the hotel for a coffee by the terrace!
The SouksLater, we met Ali and Assiz in the Djemaa el Fna and had dinner with them in a traditional restaurant on the terrace of a hotel, serving a set meal of traditional Tajines and a desert of huge chunks of red melon and Moroccan pastries. Plus the inevitable mint tea! We were sat under a huge, tent-like canopy, and said our goodbyes to the ever cheerful Assiz.
The Main SquareOur flight home the next day had been changed three times; Ali left us at the airport and there was a bit of confusion as it transpired that two flights had been merged into one- we ended up flying to Agadir before reaching Casablanca where we were to change to Heathrow. It meant that instead of the 2 ½ hours we were to have at Casablanca, we now had 20 minutes; just time for a quick look round the Duty Free and have a caffeine boost (me and Sandra).
Then home- knackered but happy!
Day Eleven; Toubkal Refuge To Marrakech
We had a bit of a lie in- an 8am start! I got dressed and hurriedly packed my bag as the muleteers dissembled the tents around us. We had a quick breakfast (our food is very healthy- salads, fruit and veg, plus couscous, pasta and rice) then descended the path back to Sidi Charamouch in the sun. It was a revelation to Heidi as she had been unable to appreciate the scenery on the way up!
Looking Back Towards The Refuge
Sidi Charamouch
Aremd
Shop in Imlil
Looking Back Towards The RefugeIt was a nice, gentle descent, and we stopped at Sidi Charamouch for another drink. I went to the rather smelly squat loos behind the shrine, and was rather traumatised to see a complete goats skin discarded nearby!
Sidi CharamouchWe carried on down the valley, one of the blokes had hurt his knee descending Toubkal so was taking his time. I stayed at the back to keep him company! Lunch had been prepared on a stony river bed, in the shade of a walnut tree, and after this, we said goodbye to our muleteers and cook, Omar.
AremdAll that remained was a gentle descent past armed to Imlil, where me, Sandra and Heidi grabbed a quick cuppa whilst we were waiting for our mules to bring our bags down tot the minibuses. Then there was the drive along the switchback mountain roads to the plains, in the bus I dubbed the ‘Marrakech Express‘. The sharp, jagged mountains gave way to flat plains and olive groves, and mules and donkeys gave way to cars and mopeds. It seemed a million miles away from the High Atlas. Marrakech is also very hot, lacking the cooling mountain breeze.
We arrived back at our hotel, and the first thing I saw was a Moroccan guy leaning casually against the check in desk, wearing an official Daraboud- Marathon des Sables jacket!!
Shop in ImlilWe found a nice French restaurant set in an open courtyard for dinner, which served alcohol- the selling of alcohol is prohibited within the old city walls, and some of our group felt the need to indulge! I had a pizza and chocolate pudding, which was delicious.
I shared a room with Sandra, and although the air conditioning was rather noisy, it made a difference sleeping on a bed with sheets!
Labels: Aremd, Imlil, Jebel Toukbal, Marrakesh
Internet Problems...
I have had so many problems this week, what with sudden computer crashes, and then the computer kept getting stuck trying to connect to t' internet.
Everytime I tried to shut it down, it either refused to reopen AOL or all of my icons on the desk top disappeared and the only thing I could do was to shut it down!
I tried reinstalling AOL which didn't work, so I left it a couple of days, switched it on just now and decided to see if it would connect- and it did! Of course, it may still crash at any moment...
Went to the gym Thursday and today, with Katie. I have been gradually building up the running to 10 minutes running, 2 minutes walking and another 15 minutes running, and concentrating on 6mph and above, today I did a lot of work at 6.3mph and above. Trouble was, I forgot to take my towel, so grabbed some tissue from the dispensers in the gym. It was a pretty poor substitute, but as least it was something to mop up the sweat.
I stuffed it into the drinks holder on the arm of the treadmill, and, whilst doing a steady 6.3mph pace, reached for it. I forgot that the emergency stop button was in the same area, and obviously accidentally pressed it as I suddenly went from 6.3mph to nil in the space of 0.2 seconds! I nearly ended up on the bike in front!!
I have also been going back on the ellipticals and increasing the tension, plus jogging on an increasing incline. Touch wood, the heel continues to be ok!
I am going to try a 5 mile slow run tomorrow night. Right now, I reeeaaally fancy some chocolate, and am desperately trying to resist the urge...
Everytime I tried to shut it down, it either refused to reopen AOL or all of my icons on the desk top disappeared and the only thing I could do was to shut it down!
I tried reinstalling AOL which didn't work, so I left it a couple of days, switched it on just now and decided to see if it would connect- and it did! Of course, it may still crash at any moment...
Went to the gym Thursday and today, with Katie. I have been gradually building up the running to 10 minutes running, 2 minutes walking and another 15 minutes running, and concentrating on 6mph and above, today I did a lot of work at 6.3mph and above. Trouble was, I forgot to take my towel, so grabbed some tissue from the dispensers in the gym. It was a pretty poor substitute, but as least it was something to mop up the sweat.
I stuffed it into the drinks holder on the arm of the treadmill, and, whilst doing a steady 6.3mph pace, reached for it. I forgot that the emergency stop button was in the same area, and obviously accidentally pressed it as I suddenly went from 6.3mph to nil in the space of 0.2 seconds! I nearly ended up on the bike in front!!
I have also been going back on the ellipticals and increasing the tension, plus jogging on an increasing incline. Touch wood, the heel continues to be ok!
I am going to try a 5 mile slow run tomorrow night. Right now, I reeeaaally fancy some chocolate, and am desperately trying to resist the urge...
Labels: chocolate, gym, running
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Midweek Update...
Not been up to an awful lot since Saturday's trek. Monday I ran 4 1/2 miles, and picked up the pace a bit, and touch wood; still no Achilles pain, soreness or creaking- it really feels as though everything has suddenly gone back into place, but I am going to be very, very careful with it...
Tuesday I did some weight training at home, and used my cross trainer for an hour whilst watching Diet Doctors... excellent motivation!
I am going to see a friend tonight, so I will bike there, not sure how far it is but there are a couple of decent hills! I am having to pick up the pace a bit as I intend to enter the Dovedale Dipper and also the Bullock Smithy, which eluded me last year (damn chest infection!!)
I am also, very slooowly, catching up with my holiday blog- it just takes ages to upload the photos!!
Tuesday I did some weight training at home, and used my cross trainer for an hour whilst watching Diet Doctors... excellent motivation!
I am going to see a friend tonight, so I will bike there, not sure how far it is but there are a couple of decent hills! I am having to pick up the pace a bit as I intend to enter the Dovedale Dipper and also the Bullock Smithy, which eluded me last year (damn chest infection!!)
I am also, very slooowly, catching up with my holiday blog- it just takes ages to upload the photos!!
Labels: achilles tendonitis, Bullock Smithy Hike, Dovedale Dipper
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Day Ten; Ascent Of Jebel Toubkal!
Today was the big one! We were all stumbling about at 5am for a 6am start; Heidi gamely decided to make the ascent, much to our joy. Sandra had originally intended not to make the ascent, but she was fit and walking well, so we talked her into it!
It was another sunny day, but fairly chilly as our valley was in deep shadow. We reached our path and began to climb… the path alternated between rough scree, high boulders and pretty much everything in between. As we ascended, our group strung out and we had regular water stops for folk to catch up. There were quite a few other parties climbing Jebel Toukbal, including a British group with Exodus, who we kept leapfrogging.
We had to walk up through a large patch of snow at one point, which was quite slippy. Finally the path zig zagged up to the saddle of Tizi Toubkal, and the wind hit us- it was really chilly. We had a most amazing view though… jagged and flat topped peaks poked up through the cloud. We climbed more steeply, and could see the summit with its odd iron triangle.
View From Tizi Toubkal
The High Atlas- From Jebel Toubkal Summit
We had bread, cheese and oranges at the summit, which is a brick, small square shaped enclosure topped with a black, metal pyramid shaped structure. There were a couple of other groups there, so when they moved, we had a group photo! It was actually a lot less windy and warmer on the summit than it had been on the pass below. It was great to be stood at the highest point of North Africa, at 4167 metres.
Me At The Summit!
Of course, what goes up must come down, and the descent was as horrible as I had feared! I stumbled and picked my way down, and my Achilles started to protest. We descended by a slightly different route, and as we walked through a small patch of snow, I grabbed a handful of snowy ice and stuffed it down my left sock!
Luckily, we kept stopping, and I ended up coming down just behind Sandra- it was such a relief to get back down and tuck into lunch! After lunch, I braved the trip to the showers in the new refuge, which involved a walk across rocky ground and a river crossing, but it was worth it to be clean!
It was another sunny day, but fairly chilly as our valley was in deep shadow. We reached our path and began to climb… the path alternated between rough scree, high boulders and pretty much everything in between. As we ascended, our group strung out and we had regular water stops for folk to catch up. There were quite a few other parties climbing Jebel Toukbal, including a British group with Exodus, who we kept leapfrogging.
We had to walk up through a large patch of snow at one point, which was quite slippy. Finally the path zig zagged up to the saddle of Tizi Toubkal, and the wind hit us- it was really chilly. We had a most amazing view though… jagged and flat topped peaks poked up through the cloud. We climbed more steeply, and could see the summit with its odd iron triangle.
View From Tizi ToubkalI found myself actually overtaking people as we had the last push to the summit. Then we were there; we all made it! Including Sandra and Heidi, who were understandably thrilled. And what a view- ridge upon ridge of high, rocky mountains. We were surrounded by the High Atlas, and Ali pointed out the mountain ranges of the Anti Atlas and the Jebel Sahro in the distance. I could just about make out the direction in which the Sahara lay.
The High Atlas- From Jebel Toubkal SummitWe had bread, cheese and oranges at the summit, which is a brick, small square shaped enclosure topped with a black, metal pyramid shaped structure. There were a couple of other groups there, so when they moved, we had a group photo! It was actually a lot less windy and warmer on the summit than it had been on the pass below. It was great to be stood at the highest point of North Africa, at 4167 metres.
Me At The Summit!Of course, what goes up must come down, and the descent was as horrible as I had feared! I stumbled and picked my way down, and my Achilles started to protest. We descended by a slightly different route, and as we walked through a small patch of snow, I grabbed a handful of snowy ice and stuffed it down my left sock!
Luckily, we kept stopping, and I ended up coming down just behind Sandra- it was such a relief to get back down and tuck into lunch! After lunch, I braved the trip to the showers in the new refuge, which involved a walk across rocky ground and a river crossing, but it was worth it to be clean!
We spent the remainder of the day chilling, and watching walking groups and mules walking up and down the track to Sidi Charamouch and playing cards, with the glow of satisfaction achievement brings! We were also completely knackered, so had an early night. I slept like a log!
Labels: Jebel Toukbal, Morocco, trekking
Day Nine; Aremd To Toubkal refuge
It’s mum’s birthday today (yes- June is always a very expensive time for me!!) so I manage to send her a text.
It was really misty last night, cold and damp. I could feel it when I went up to the terrace to use the toilet. Everybody was a bit concerned that this meant the weather had turned, which could affect our Toukbal attempt. When I woke, Sandra said that she had lain awake, listening to the pouring rain. I pulled back the shutters, to reveal another gloriously sunny day- she had been listening to the stream!
We set off up the valley, and pick up a fairly gentle mule track, much of it in shade. One of our party, Heidi, wasn’t well; she had severe stomach cramps and sickness. She alternated between striding off ahead whilst she felt better, and dropping back to walk with her husband and Assiz when the attacks came again. It must have been awful for her.
After a couple of hours of following the valley and gently climbing, we reached the shrine of Sidi Charamouch. It’s the sight of a shrine to a holy man, and locals will make pilgrimages there regularly. It’s a funny place, and very popular- we kept having to leap off the path to allow passing mules. The shrine itself is marked by a great white, hollow boulder, inside which prayer is held. There is a ‘Muslims only’ sign- us Infidels aren’t allowed in! The rest of Sidi Charamouch consists of a few ramshackle stalls selling drinks, clothes and the usual tourist goods. One stall had an ingenious system of piping cold water from the stream running through the hamlet to keep the bottles of drinks cool.
Sidi Charamouch
Mountain Scenery
Our Loo With a View!
Evening Light On Oukaimeden
It was really misty last night, cold and damp. I could feel it when I went up to the terrace to use the toilet. Everybody was a bit concerned that this meant the weather had turned, which could affect our Toukbal attempt. When I woke, Sandra said that she had lain awake, listening to the pouring rain. I pulled back the shutters, to reveal another gloriously sunny day- she had been listening to the stream!
We set off up the valley, and pick up a fairly gentle mule track, much of it in shade. One of our party, Heidi, wasn’t well; she had severe stomach cramps and sickness. She alternated between striding off ahead whilst she felt better, and dropping back to walk with her husband and Assiz when the attacks came again. It must have been awful for her.
After a couple of hours of following the valley and gently climbing, we reached the shrine of Sidi Charamouch. It’s the sight of a shrine to a holy man, and locals will make pilgrimages there regularly. It’s a funny place, and very popular- we kept having to leap off the path to allow passing mules. The shrine itself is marked by a great white, hollow boulder, inside which prayer is held. There is a ‘Muslims only’ sign- us Infidels aren’t allowed in! The rest of Sidi Charamouch consists of a few ramshackle stalls selling drinks, clothes and the usual tourist goods. One stall had an ingenious system of piping cold water from the stream running through the hamlet to keep the bottles of drinks cool.
Sidi CharamouchWe sat at a café, and had drinks- mine was a coffee made with powdered milk but still good. Then it was onwards and upwards; the path climbed up and round the mountainside, and the scenery became more rocky and wild, with splashes of gorse. We could see the refuge- there is an old, established one and a new one being built. However, they are apparently very crowded, and we stayed at a wild camp just below it.
Mountain SceneryWe sat drinking mint tea in the mess tent whilst our muleteers put up the tents. I ended up with one to myself- luxury! Our toilet consists of a small white toilet tent over a dug out pit, with flat stones around it for balance!
Our Loo With a View!We are surrounded by rocky peaks, soaring into the most intense blue sky, far brighter than any achieved in England in the summer (and certainly this summer!) After dinner, we had a short walk up the valley, where we could see the evening sun turning the distant bulk of Oukaimeden pinky- purple. Everybody’s thoughts turn to tomorrow- the ascent day!
Evening Light On OukaimedenLabels: Aremd, High Atlas, Jebel Toukbal, Morocco, trekking
Day Eight; Tizi Oussem to Aremd
We had a lie in today, and set off at 8am! It was very misty at first, but cleared to leave the usual sunshine. We left the village and climbed towards Tizi Mzik, passing a graveyard on the way. We wouldn’t have realised what it was if Ali hadn’t pointed it out, it was just an enclosed, rough piece of ground with various large stones acting as headstones here and there.
As we climbed, we entered the Toukbal National Park and saw barbed wire fencing for the first time. We reached the pass after a long gradual climb, and there was a stunning view into the valley beyond. We could see the passes we had crossed on the first two days walking. There were two lads selling fizzy drinks at the top, so I had a welcome bottle of Fanta.
View From The Pass
We had an ok descent (ok in that I could more or less keep up!) to reach the road to Aremd. We passed a group of Muslim ladies in brightly coloured attire; Ali said that they had been on a pilgrimage to the shrine on the path to Toukbal.
Ladies on a Pilgrimage
Imlil is a real frontier town; the main transport is the mule, there are mule hiring stations and kids riding mules and donkeys up and down the street. We had a coffee and cake at a café, and fed bits to a pregnant cat, who ate the wrapper too. Just then, we heard screaming; an open topped truck had pulled up nearby, and on top were a load of goats and sheep trussed up by their feet, screaming. As we watched, lads started to haul them off the truck and piling them on the floor outside the butchers. We all wished we hadn’t witnessed that!
We are all rather anxious as we settle for the night, as tomorrow we start trekking up to Toubkal base camp…
As we climbed, we entered the Toukbal National Park and saw barbed wire fencing for the first time. We reached the pass after a long gradual climb, and there was a stunning view into the valley beyond. We could see the passes we had crossed on the first two days walking. There were two lads selling fizzy drinks at the top, so I had a welcome bottle of Fanta.
View From The PassWe had an ok descent (ok in that I could more or less keep up!) to reach the road to Aremd. We passed a group of Muslim ladies in brightly coloured attire; Ali said that they had been on a pilgrimage to the shrine on the path to Toukbal.
Ladies on a PilgrimageWe reach our gite at Aremd, and as we had the afternoon free, a group of us walked to Imlil, where there were cafes and shops. The shop keepers were very pushy to say the least, you could see their eyes light up when they saw us “Ahh, you Eeenglish? Lovely Jubbly?” I did buy some silver bracelets, but suspect I paid over the odds.
Imlil is a real frontier town; the main transport is the mule, there are mule hiring stations and kids riding mules and donkeys up and down the street. We had a coffee and cake at a café, and fed bits to a pregnant cat, who ate the wrapper too. Just then, we heard screaming; an open topped truck had pulled up nearby, and on top were a load of goats and sheep trussed up by their feet, screaming. As we watched, lads started to haul them off the truck and piling them on the floor outside the butchers. We all wished we hadn’t witnessed that!
Mule in Imlil
Back at the Gite we had Berber coffee, made with powdered milk and spices, and pancakes. There had been a Berber wedding in the village that day, and we could see all the guests on one of the roofs at the top of the village.
We are all rather anxious as we settle for the night, as tomorrow we start trekking up to Toubkal base camp…
Labels: Aremd, High Atlas, Morocco, Tizi Oussem, trekking
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Day Seven; Aguersioual To Tizi-Oussem
It’s Father’s Day and my Dad’s birthday, so I manage to manoeuvre myself on the terrace until I get a sufficient signal to send him a text. God knows what the locals think of us with our mobile phones and vibram soled walking boots!
The night skies here are absolutely amazing… the clouds clear when it gets dark, and the vista is stunning. The sky is absolutely full of stars. Far more than you could ever imagine; we see nothing like this in the light polluted UK, not even in the country. Ali told us it’s even more stunning in the desert- guess I’m gonna find out in 2009...
Today was another 7:30am start, and I was concerned my bag wasn’t going to make it as it kept being left on it’s own. We descended through the village and over the river, which was another rather precarious crossing for those of us who are rather more vertically challenged, then climbed using a road, which was a lot gentler than some of the tracks we had used. We were climbing up through the valley, passing a village strung out on the slopes opposite, with the usual minaret tower and crop terraces. There were also lots of cherry trees with juicy looking cherries.
Heading Up To The Pass
Our mules passed us, and I was so relieved to see my bag! The road finally ended in a rough track, which took us to the pass of Tizi Oudite. A rather rough descent took us to our lunch stop on the hill side. We ate and watched shepherds herding large numbers of small black and white goats on the barren red hillsides before passing the time playing cards. Pudding was a nice surprise- Omar had bought lots of cherries from the village we passed earlier!
The night skies here are absolutely amazing… the clouds clear when it gets dark, and the vista is stunning. The sky is absolutely full of stars. Far more than you could ever imagine; we see nothing like this in the light polluted UK, not even in the country. Ali told us it’s even more stunning in the desert- guess I’m gonna find out in 2009...
Today was another 7:30am start, and I was concerned my bag wasn’t going to make it as it kept being left on it’s own. We descended through the village and over the river, which was another rather precarious crossing for those of us who are rather more vertically challenged, then climbed using a road, which was a lot gentler than some of the tracks we had used. We were climbing up through the valley, passing a village strung out on the slopes opposite, with the usual minaret tower and crop terraces. There were also lots of cherry trees with juicy looking cherries.
Heading Up To The Pass
Our mules passed us, and I was so relieved to see my bag! The road finally ended in a rough track, which took us to the pass of Tizi Oudite. A rather rough descent took us to our lunch stop on the hill side. We ate and watched shepherds herding large numbers of small black and white goats on the barren red hillsides before passing the time playing cards. Pudding was a nice surprise- Omar had bought lots of cherries from the village we passed earlier!
Shepherd with his Sheep and Goats
After lunch, we descended further to a village just above the river. It had become quite cloudy, and as we stopped to hear Ali explain something, a dog appeared and watched us from the rocky outcrop nearby.
We followed a rough ‘road’ to our village, Tizi-Oussem. All the villages seem to be built on hills, and this one was no exception. In fact, it felt almost medieval, with small archways and little stone bridges between houses. Three of us ladies went for a saunter, and were accosted by two teenage girls, who followed us, grabbing at our jewellery saying “Donnez-moi!” At one point, they blocked our path and we had to squeeze past. We didn’t exactly feel threatened, but it wasn’t comfortable either!
Brightly Coloured Woven Rugs Hung out to Dry
After tea and a shower which lost more water out of the hose than the shower head, our muleteers treated us to a traditional berber songfest, using plastic bottles and metal trays for accompaniment. They wanted us to sing in return, luckily one guy knows all the words to ‘Ilkley Moor Baht’at’ so he sang it while we joined in the chorus!
Tomorrow is a half day, when we complete our circuit and reach Aremd again…
We followed a rough ‘road’ to our village, Tizi-Oussem. All the villages seem to be built on hills, and this one was no exception. In fact, it felt almost medieval, with small archways and little stone bridges between houses. Three of us ladies went for a saunter, and were accosted by two teenage girls, who followed us, grabbing at our jewellery saying “Donnez-moi!” At one point, they blocked our path and we had to squeeze past. We didn’t exactly feel threatened, but it wasn’t comfortable either!
Brightly Coloured Woven Rugs Hung out to DryAfter tea and a shower which lost more water out of the hose than the shower head, our muleteers treated us to a traditional berber songfest, using plastic bottles and metal trays for accompaniment. They wanted us to sing in return, luckily one guy knows all the words to ‘Ilkley Moor Baht’at’ so he sang it while we joined in the chorus!
Tomorrow is a half day, when we complete our circuit and reach Aremd again…
Labels: Aguersioual, Morocco, Tizi Oussem, trekking
Lovely Summer Walk...
Today I decided to go for a longish walk, as I've been a bit lazy and unmotivated lately! (Did make the gym Thursday...) I have a copy of John Merrill's long circular walks in Nottinghamshire, and picked a 19 mile route round Gotham (not batman fame, alas- it's pronounced Goatam!)
I though it would be very wet and boggy underfoot, and guess what... I wasn't disappointed! I didn't take my camera with me as I thought it might get ruined, and I photocopied the relevent page of the walk to take so the book wouldn't get trashed. I did have a pack, and put waterproofs, a pair of trainers and 3 litres of water in it.
I parked up in Gotham, by the church; the first part of the walk wasn't too bad, but soon degenerated into a mass of slippery mud and ankle deep water. Following a path uphill, I was sliding all over the place and cursing the 'summer'- it was actually more like a mid winter walk!
A couple of times I lost the path and ended up on the road to early, and had to detour through East Leake as my path was completely flooded. As I passed the playing field, I noticed that it was completely submerged- I must have been crazy doing a walk like this after having a month's worth of rain in a day!
In fact, all the way round, part of me was sorely tempted to just give up and find the quickest route home, but no- I stuck to my plans and did what I set out to do- after all, the real test of character comes when things aren't easy, and there are obstacles to surmount; after all, I can't just give up in the MdS. Plus, getting used to walking in a little discomfort will pay dividends. (That's what I was telling myself anyway!!)
I followed what would have been, in normal July conditions, a lovely little path alongside the river. However, in July 2007 I actually found myself wading knee high in places! Nice... the conditions were obviously very favourable to stinging nettles too...
The whole area is on the flight path for the East Midlands airport, so there was something very eerie of hearing the loud hum of jet engines and seeing a huge jet appearing out of the clouds, landing gear engaged.
Disaster struck about 3 miles from Gotham. I was following a bridleway, and according to the book and my map, the route should go straight on along a well defined track towards a wood. However, the bridleway sign was pointing to the left, in a direction I shouldn't have been going, and there was a 'private, no right of way' sign on the track. Weighing it up, I decided to chance it and go along the track, figuring it must have been changed recently. To cut a long story short, it petered out and I ended up wandering around in the woods for ages.
I finally found way out, and headed towards a farm track, figuring it would have to lead to a road eventually. It did- ages later- and I ended up with quite a bit of road walking. I arrived at the spot where I should have joined the road in the end, and decided to rejoin the route over Gotham hill for the last 2 miles.
I'm not sure of my time, but is was shamefully slow anyway. I reckon I ended up doing about 22/ 23 miles taking into account all detours, which is good, as it's the longest walk I'll get to do before the Dipper. I'm not aching much, and still felt I had plenty of 'go' in my legs at the end- in fact, I jogged the last track into Gotham.
I though it would be very wet and boggy underfoot, and guess what... I wasn't disappointed! I didn't take my camera with me as I thought it might get ruined, and I photocopied the relevent page of the walk to take so the book wouldn't get trashed. I did have a pack, and put waterproofs, a pair of trainers and 3 litres of water in it.
I parked up in Gotham, by the church; the first part of the walk wasn't too bad, but soon degenerated into a mass of slippery mud and ankle deep water. Following a path uphill, I was sliding all over the place and cursing the 'summer'- it was actually more like a mid winter walk!
A couple of times I lost the path and ended up on the road to early, and had to detour through East Leake as my path was completely flooded. As I passed the playing field, I noticed that it was completely submerged- I must have been crazy doing a walk like this after having a month's worth of rain in a day!
In fact, all the way round, part of me was sorely tempted to just give up and find the quickest route home, but no- I stuck to my plans and did what I set out to do- after all, the real test of character comes when things aren't easy, and there are obstacles to surmount; after all, I can't just give up in the MdS. Plus, getting used to walking in a little discomfort will pay dividends. (That's what I was telling myself anyway!!)
I followed what would have been, in normal July conditions, a lovely little path alongside the river. However, in July 2007 I actually found myself wading knee high in places! Nice... the conditions were obviously very favourable to stinging nettles too...
The whole area is on the flight path for the East Midlands airport, so there was something very eerie of hearing the loud hum of jet engines and seeing a huge jet appearing out of the clouds, landing gear engaged.
Disaster struck about 3 miles from Gotham. I was following a bridleway, and according to the book and my map, the route should go straight on along a well defined track towards a wood. However, the bridleway sign was pointing to the left, in a direction I shouldn't have been going, and there was a 'private, no right of way' sign on the track. Weighing it up, I decided to chance it and go along the track, figuring it must have been changed recently. To cut a long story short, it petered out and I ended up wandering around in the woods for ages.
I finally found way out, and headed towards a farm track, figuring it would have to lead to a road eventually. It did- ages later- and I ended up with quite a bit of road walking. I arrived at the spot where I should have joined the road in the end, and decided to rejoin the route over Gotham hill for the last 2 miles.
I'm not sure of my time, but is was shamefully slow anyway. I reckon I ended up doing about 22/ 23 miles taking into account all detours, which is good, as it's the longest walk I'll get to do before the Dipper. I'm not aching much, and still felt I had plenty of 'go' in my legs at the end- in fact, I jogged the last track into Gotham.
I did see loads of rabbits, a couple of stoats and a couple of hares, so was worthwhile!
So- not bad, although my ankles are on fire with nettle stings, and I don't think my shoes are going to recover!Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Grrr Problems!
I am trying to update my Morocco trek, but am having real problems uploading photos... 4 times out of 5, they won't upload, and I am getting an error message. I have just spent nearly an hour trying and have managed to upload two... god knows how I'm going to finish writing up my holiday! I freely admit I'm not the most patient person in the world an am having to control my natural urge to break something!
I have been really busy this week downloading music for a mate, amongst other things- plus, it's amazing how much time exercising can take, although I've not done an awful lot this week; didn't go to the gym Sunday, but I did run 3 1/2 miles Monday as instructed by my physio! The good news is, there was absolutely nothing from Mr Achilles- no sensation, no soreness, no 'creaking'- nothing!! I'm really hoping I've cracked it. I've ordered a little book on Achilles Tendonitis, and there are some great exercises in it for strengthening the Achilles, vital I think for when I increase mileage!
I have used my little cross trainer and stepper quite a lot the last two nights, well, I've built up a sweat anyway! Tomorrow I will go back to the gym, Friday I am going to see my mate but intend to run before I go.
Saturday I was thinking about a long walk, as the Dovedale Dipper isn't very far away! This might be the first year it's not hot and sunny for it...
In the meantime, I will persevere with the travel writing but there may be no photos!
I have been really busy this week downloading music for a mate, amongst other things- plus, it's amazing how much time exercising can take, although I've not done an awful lot this week; didn't go to the gym Sunday, but I did run 3 1/2 miles Monday as instructed by my physio! The good news is, there was absolutely nothing from Mr Achilles- no sensation, no soreness, no 'creaking'- nothing!! I'm really hoping I've cracked it. I've ordered a little book on Achilles Tendonitis, and there are some great exercises in it for strengthening the Achilles, vital I think for when I increase mileage!
I have used my little cross trainer and stepper quite a lot the last two nights, well, I've built up a sweat anyway! Tomorrow I will go back to the gym, Friday I am going to see my mate but intend to run before I go.
Saturday I was thinking about a long walk, as the Dovedale Dipper isn't very far away! This might be the first year it's not hot and sunny for it...
In the meantime, I will persevere with the travel writing but there may be no photos!
Labels: achilles tendonitis, problems, trekking
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Feeling A Bit Cr*p!
Feeling a bit crap today... this week, in fact. I haven't been very productive and have been craving chocolate etc...
I woke up with a bad headache today, and still feel quite groggy, so didn't make it to the gym...
On the plus side, I have taken the advice of my physio to build up running gradually. I went for a 3 1/4 mile run Wednesday, and a 4 1/2 miler yesterday. To my surprise, I didn't even have any feelings from the heel at all- no soreness during or after the runs- and no 'creaking'! Nothing...
So my next run will be back down to 3 1/2 miles, then I will push to 5 - 5 1/2 miles, and build from there. I did run for 25 minutes at the gym Thursday, with a lot of work at 6 mph and over, so not all bad, I guess. I could always take some TOIL time from work and go one afternoon...
Just haven't felt very motivated! I am also aware that I am taking ages writing up my holiday!
I woke up with a bad headache today, and still feel quite groggy, so didn't make it to the gym...
On the plus side, I have taken the advice of my physio to build up running gradually. I went for a 3 1/4 mile run Wednesday, and a 4 1/2 miler yesterday. To my surprise, I didn't even have any feelings from the heel at all- no soreness during or after the runs- and no 'creaking'! Nothing...
So my next run will be back down to 3 1/2 miles, then I will push to 5 - 5 1/2 miles, and build from there. I did run for 25 minutes at the gym Thursday, with a lot of work at 6 mph and over, so not all bad, I guess. I could always take some TOIL time from work and go one afternoon...
Just haven't felt very motivated! I am also aware that I am taking ages writing up my holiday!
Labels: gym, motivation, running
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Day Six; Oukaimeden To Aguersioual
It’s yet another hot and sunny day, and I had managed to burn my arms, wrists and the backs of my shoulders, so slathered on the sun cream all day. After another lovely 7:30am start, we said goodbye to Mrs Happy (I swear it’s the first time I saw a smile on her face!) and head back up to Tizi Oukaimeden and the pass we reached before climbing Jebel Oukaimeden yesterday.
We descended for ages on a long, red, gritty undulating path with the usual fantastic views. We wound through stunted juniper trees and crossed a barley ‘meadow’ resplendent with poppies and pretty purple flowers. It was steep going at first- I lagged behind- but became easier.
Views Descending Tizi Oukaimeden
Prickly Pear Cactus Flower
We reached the village of Aguersioual, or cactus ville as I dubbed it- there were bushes and bushes of prickly pear cactus everywhere we looked. Me and two others went for a wander and found that the main road to Marrakech ran opposite the river. It was a bit of a culture shock after so many days on rough tracks, and it was a novelty seeing traffic which didn’t bray!
Our gite has a terrace looking out over the village with a disconcerting view of a rubbish dump below complete with dead cat. The loos are the usual squat-and-bucket affair but the shower is adequate. Our route tomorrow takes us over the road and to the other side of the valley.
View of Jebel Toukbal From The Terrace
We descended for ages on a long, red, gritty undulating path with the usual fantastic views. We wound through stunted juniper trees and crossed a barley ‘meadow’ resplendent with poppies and pretty purple flowers. It was steep going at first- I lagged behind- but became easier.
Views Descending Tizi OukaimedenWe crossed another small pass and had dates and candied nuts, then another undulating descent brought us to the village of Amskere. We walked down through the village accompanied by the usual children, goats and women laden with bunches of long grasses. Down by the river, our cook, Omar, and the muleteers had prepared lunch and taken the packs off the mules so they could rest. We had loads of free time, so I got my book out of my bag and lounged on the cushions by the river whilst the others dozed.
After lunch, it was quite difficult to get going again, and we had another long ascent to Tizi Aguersioual. This was after crossing the river, which was tricky, I needed a hand as I am cursed with short legs and little sense of balance! We could see and hear people on the slopes opposite us, Ali said that they were planting trees. We reached the pass to find one of our muleteers waiting for us. He walked downhill with us for a while, chatting to Assiz, before taking off at a run down a wild and rocky path following the stream; we could hear him making bird calls as he descended!
Prickly Pear Cactus FlowerWe reached the village of Aguersioual, or cactus ville as I dubbed it- there were bushes and bushes of prickly pear cactus everywhere we looked. Me and two others went for a wander and found that the main road to Marrakech ran opposite the river. It was a bit of a culture shock after so many days on rough tracks, and it was a novelty seeing traffic which didn’t bray!
Our gite has a terrace looking out over the village with a disconcerting view of a rubbish dump below complete with dead cat. The loos are the usual squat-and-bucket affair but the shower is adequate. Our route tomorrow takes us over the road and to the other side of the valley.
View of Jebel Toukbal From The TerraceLabels: Aguersioual, Jebel Toukbal, trekking
Day Five; Oukaimeden
Jebel Oukaimeden
Me at the summit!
Descending from Jebel Oukaimeden
Sunset from Ridge
Day five was an official rest day... with an optional walk! Just a gentle stroll up to the summit of Jebel Oukaimeden, at 3262 metres! We had the luxury of a lie in (8am start) and all but one of us decided to undertake the climb (he had very sore feet so decided to rest them).
There is a ski lift up to the summit, which only runs in winter or a lot of us would probably have been tempted to take this option!
After an initial gentle climb to the pass, the path branched left straight up the side of the mountain- it was a very steep climb, and became steeper as we went higher. The were quite a lot of large rocks and loose scree to negotiate, but finally the path levelled out slightly and we reached an old, abandoned ski lift building. There was a breathtaking view, from the ridges of the High Atlas to the plains leading towards the horizon and Marrakesh.
The path continued to zig zag to the summit, still fairly steep but easier walking, being more gravelly and less loose and rocky. I found myself towards the front and felt it easy to climb. There is a ski lift on the summit, with associated machinery which did spoil the view somewhat. Just below the summit is a cafe with a terrace, which was closed (shame, could have done with a cuppa!) We could see across to the dome of Jebel Toukbal, and wandered to a secondary summit for a view down into the valley, where we could see the route we had taken on our first walking day. The pass we crossed seemed very small in comparison! Ali told us that our wild camp on Toukbal was roughly the same hight we were now at.
The descent, although mercifully a different route to our ascent, was very steep and loose- I ended up at the back, picking my way down. We did see a tiny greeny red scorpion scuttling for cover under a rock. The descent seemed endless, and I was so releived to reach the road back into the village.
We had our usual salad lunch, and nice hot shower, and chilled in the sun outside the refuge. We were waiting for Mrs Happy to make an appearance, and when she did, we pounced on her and asked for coffees and cokes. Honestly, she made such a song and dance, you'd have thought I'd asked her to climb jebel Oukaimeden, naked!
We had another optional walk up to the oddy shaped, serrated ridge behind the village to watch the sunset. We sat chatting while the surrounding rocks and hills turned a rich red as the sun slowly sank behind a bank of cloud, it was strangely atmospheric.
We had chips and fried aubergine for tea- a real luxury and voted best meal of the week!
Labels: Morocco, Oukaimeden, trekking
Monday, July 09, 2007
Feeling Like John Wayne...
The reason I'm feeling like John Wayne is because I had a riding lesson in Blackpool yesterday, and my legs are now aching like b*ggery! I rode Bobby again, and he kept cantering on the wrong leg (it does matter which leg they move first, but I can never tell when they move the wrong one!) We finally got it right, and completed a circuit of the school, rather fast! Katie took the following action pic...
Had a nice, relaxing weekend, and didn't do much apart from a couple of gentle strolls and going to the pub, not exactly strenuous! In fact, I am premenstrual so have had to go to the garage for chocolate and crisps, shameful!
Tomorrow, I am going to get back into training!!! (And write more up about my holiday!)
Meanwhile here are the final results for the Holme Pierrepont Grand Prix...
Race 1, 10k; 59 mins 24 secs
Race 2, 5K; 28 mins 09 secs
Race 3, 4 miles; 36 mins and 52 secs
Race 4, 5 miles; 46 mins and 21 secs
Overall; 2 hours 50 mins and 46 secs. I just beat my colleague by 14 seconds, so good overall effort from us all I think!
Apparently it was one of the wettest race series ever, I can well believe that!
Had a nice, relaxing weekend, and didn't do much apart from a couple of gentle strolls and going to the pub, not exactly strenuous! In fact, I am premenstrual so have had to go to the garage for chocolate and crisps, shameful!Tomorrow, I am going to get back into training!!! (And write more up about my holiday!)
Meanwhile here are the final results for the Holme Pierrepont Grand Prix...
Race 1, 10k; 59 mins 24 secs
Race 2, 5K; 28 mins 09 secs
Race 3, 4 miles; 36 mins and 52 secs
Race 4, 5 miles; 46 mins and 21 secs
Overall; 2 hours 50 mins and 46 secs. I just beat my colleague by 14 seconds, so good overall effort from us all I think!
Apparently it was one of the wettest race series ever, I can well believe that!
Labels: Blackpool, Holme Pierrepont Running Club, horse riding
Friday, July 06, 2007
Not At Work Today...
Woke up with a really bad headache and felt quite sick, I reckon it's a combination of dehydration and tiredness. Tiredness as I don't seem to be able to get myself to bed much before midnight (not a good idea when you have to get up at 6am) and dehydration from last night's race.
It was the last race in the Grand Prix series; a 5 miler held at Colwick Park in Nottingham. I got there and parked up quite early, and the heavens opened. It was teaming it down! There was a St John's Ambulance guy in the car next to mine, and he said "They must all be mad!" mind you, everytime we have seen him, he's been puffing away on cigarettes which I think is far madder!
My colleagues arrived, and we waited til the last possible moment before dashing to the loos and start. Fortunately, the rain had slowed to a much lighter pace by the time we started, although we found ourselves ploughing through huge puddles and quite a lot of mud! I think that the views would have been quite good if it was clear.
I had been a bit concerned as my Achilles had felt quite sore from Tuesday's race, and I could still feel it a bit, but luckily it was ok- slightly sore afterwards but it wore off, and I can't feel it now. In fact, the race seemed easier than Tuesday's race, although my breathing was quite ragged.
I finished in, I think, 46 minutes 21 seconds, which I was happy with, as it's faster than my usual 10 minute miles, especially as I haven't run for a long time. One colleague came in just after me, and the other managed to knock 2 minutes off her last year's time, so we were all happy.
There was a presentation after, and we all put our running numbers into a box to be drawn out for spot prizes, which was a nice touch- one colleague won a £25 voucher for a local running shop, and I won a £5 voucher! (she wouldn't swap...)
The overall times aren't online yet, I think it will be close between me and my colleague!
Got to drive up to Blackpool later with Katie, my brother-in-law is away cycling in the Alps so we are going for a girlie weekend with our older sis, as long as my head improves!
It was the last race in the Grand Prix series; a 5 miler held at Colwick Park in Nottingham. I got there and parked up quite early, and the heavens opened. It was teaming it down! There was a St John's Ambulance guy in the car next to mine, and he said "They must all be mad!" mind you, everytime we have seen him, he's been puffing away on cigarettes which I think is far madder!
My colleagues arrived, and we waited til the last possible moment before dashing to the loos and start. Fortunately, the rain had slowed to a much lighter pace by the time we started, although we found ourselves ploughing through huge puddles and quite a lot of mud! I think that the views would have been quite good if it was clear.
I had been a bit concerned as my Achilles had felt quite sore from Tuesday's race, and I could still feel it a bit, but luckily it was ok- slightly sore afterwards but it wore off, and I can't feel it now. In fact, the race seemed easier than Tuesday's race, although my breathing was quite ragged.
I finished in, I think, 46 minutes 21 seconds, which I was happy with, as it's faster than my usual 10 minute miles, especially as I haven't run for a long time. One colleague came in just after me, and the other managed to knock 2 minutes off her last year's time, so we were all happy.
There was a presentation after, and we all put our running numbers into a box to be drawn out for spot prizes, which was a nice touch- one colleague won a £25 voucher for a local running shop, and I won a £5 voucher! (she wouldn't swap...)
The overall times aren't online yet, I think it will be close between me and my colleague!
Got to drive up to Blackpool later with Katie, my brother-in-law is away cycling in the Alps so we are going for a girlie weekend with our older sis, as long as my head improves!
Labels: Blackpool, Holme Pierrepont Running Club
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
Day Four; Iabessene To Oukaimeden
We set off on yet another glorious day- it was getting to be a bit boring!! We ascended to Tizi Mzlee, up a strangely red coloured ridge. We found ourselves walking through red dust, almost like gritty sand... good practise for the MdS maybe...
I was worrying about the descents, but it was actually quite gentle. We could see villages farther up the valley, clinging to the hillsides, then we passed over a smaller ridge towards the head of a valley.
Looking Back On Our Route
We descended through some small juniper trees, bypassing the village of Agounss, which Ali informed us meant 'head of the valley'. There was the usual tall minaret tower, and as we drank water we heard the call to prayer echoeing across the valley.
There were a couple of small boys herding little black and white goats, with their dog. Funnily enough, we didn't see many dogs throughout the villages.
After a break, we had another long, slow, zigzagging climb up to the pass of Tizi n' Ouatter. It was quite a climb, but more gentle than I expected. The retrospective views were amazing, so I kept stopping to take photos and catching up again! We had several rest stops, and spend a few minutes trying to photograph a little black lizard on a rock.
We had a surprise at the top of the pass. We could see the village of Oukaimeden far in the valley below- out night's stop- but it was suddenly very cloudy. One side of the pass- the way we'd come- reamined perfectly clear and sunny. But the other side- where we were going- was quite cloudy. The cloud crept along the ridge, but could not seem to pass over to the other side. Weird!
Ascending Tizi n' Ouatter
Clouds On The Other Side Of The Pass
I was worrying about the descents, but it was actually quite gentle. We could see villages farther up the valley, clinging to the hillsides, then we passed over a smaller ridge towards the head of a valley.
Looking Back On Our RouteWe descended through some small juniper trees, bypassing the village of Agounss, which Ali informed us meant 'head of the valley'. There was the usual tall minaret tower, and as we drank water we heard the call to prayer echoeing across the valley.
There were a couple of small boys herding little black and white goats, with their dog. Funnily enough, we didn't see many dogs throughout the villages.
After a break, we had another long, slow, zigzagging climb up to the pass of Tizi n' Ouatter. It was quite a climb, but more gentle than I expected. The retrospective views were amazing, so I kept stopping to take photos and catching up again! We had several rest stops, and spend a few minutes trying to photograph a little black lizard on a rock.
We had a surprise at the top of the pass. We could see the village of Oukaimeden far in the valley below- out night's stop- but it was suddenly very cloudy. One side of the pass- the way we'd come- reamined perfectly clear and sunny. But the other side- where we were going- was quite cloudy. The cloud crept along the ridge, but could not seem to pass over to the other side. Weird!
Ascending Tizi n' Ouatter
Clouds On The Other Side Of The PassOur intrepid cook, Omar, was waiting for us at the top of the pass, with a colourful salad lunch. There was the usual pop seller there too, with his donkey. Sandra wanted to take his photo, but he was going to charge her 15 Dirham. Sadly, the top of the pass wasn't very clean; there were toilet paper and turds strewn around, which is a great shame.
Another surprisingly gentle ascent took us through a deserted village which is only used in summer, to a road. The road gently wound round to Oukaimeden, and our night stop for two nights.
Oukaimeden is a ski resort, and is a larger, more modern village, with a couple of hotels, one of which looks very out of place. There are a few 'shops'- hatches in the wall, through which are sold a whole variety of goods. We all agreed, though, that we weren't keen on Oukaimeden- it lacked the feel of the High Atlas and felt very commercialised.
Our gite was run by a french lady who was quickly named Mrs Happy (yes, that is sarcasm!) It was more upmarket than we had been used to, with proper rooms, bunk beds, lovely showers and proper toilets! We could even get coffee... me and Sandra wrote our diaries drinking milky coffee and eating chocolate- bliss!
Labels: Iabessene, Morocco, Oukaimeden, trekking
Day Three; Ouanskera to Iabessene
Today was yet another scorching hot, clear sunny day, as we set off from our gite at 7:30am. It was going to be a longer day's walking; yesterday's was a shorter day to break us in.
We climbed slowly up the valley, and passed through the village of Tachedirt, the highest of the villages in the area. Already people were up and herding livestock to the fields. The children were congregating outside the school- the orange building in the photo below.
Tachedirt Village
We had a long slog up to the pass- Tizi n' Tachedirt. Our route was an interminable zig zag up to the top of the pass at 3,200 metres. We had a few drinks stops, and one enterprising local had set himself up selling bottles of pop in the shade of a large rock. I bought a bottle, which was most welcome at the top of the pass! The hill sides were very rocky, with splashes of yellow gorse. We watched three women from the village wander back down the track laden with long grasses.
We reached the top of the pass, and stopped for dates, nuts and the loo- (men go that way, women go that way) there were most spectacular views.
View from Tizi n' Tachedirt
After this, we had a long slog of a descent- I stayed at the back; descending over steep, loose stones is definately not my forte! We stopped for a lunch break by a stream and chilled for a bit. Fortunately, the gradient of the descent evened out after this, and as the path curved around the mountainside, we could see our night stop- Iabessene.
Iabessene Village 
Iabessene and Crop Terraces
We climbed slowly up the valley, and passed through the village of Tachedirt, the highest of the villages in the area. Already people were up and herding livestock to the fields. The children were congregating outside the school- the orange building in the photo below.
Tachedirt VillageWe had a long slog up to the pass- Tizi n' Tachedirt. Our route was an interminable zig zag up to the top of the pass at 3,200 metres. We had a few drinks stops, and one enterprising local had set himself up selling bottles of pop in the shade of a large rock. I bought a bottle, which was most welcome at the top of the pass! The hill sides were very rocky, with splashes of yellow gorse. We watched three women from the village wander back down the track laden with long grasses.
We reached the top of the pass, and stopped for dates, nuts and the loo- (men go that way, women go that way) there were most spectacular views.
View from Tizi n' TachedirtAfter this, we had a long slog of a descent- I stayed at the back; descending over steep, loose stones is definately not my forte! We stopped for a lunch break by a stream and chilled for a bit. Fortunately, the gradient of the descent evened out after this, and as the path curved around the mountainside, we could see our night stop- Iabessene.
Iabessene VillageI liked Iabessene. It had a really nice, relaxed feel to it, although Ali told us we were 4 hours by mule from the nearest medical facilities. There was no electricity, but a surprisingly good shower.
The houses were built up into the hillside, in such a way as the roof of somebodies house formed a terrace for somebody else. Mine and Sandra's room opened up onto such a roof terrace. I nearly sent one of our party, an American lady, over it- she wanted a photo, and I was doing the usual British joke of saying 'back a bit...back a bit' when there is a large drop. Only she hadn't heard of the joke, and took me literally!
Today's mint tea was accompanied by gorgeous pastries, which we filled with honey and jam, and made a complete pig of ourselves, well, we had burnt it off!
Iabessene and Crop TerracesLabels: Iabessene, Morocco, Tachedirt, trekking
An Update...
I've neglected this a bit lately... been really busy! I will post the rest of the account of my holiday... honest...
This Grand Prix has taken quite a chunk of time, as I've had to hang around after work for the races. Results for the first two races are; 10k; 59 minutes 24 seconds, 5k; 28 minutes and 9 seconds. Not bad for me, especially as I have only just started to run again.
Last night's run was a 4 miler at Ruddington Country Park. The rain just about held off (crap summer so far!!) but there were huge puddles. I just ran through them in the end, but had visions of doing a Dawn French, jumping into a puddle and disappearing up to my neck!
I think I set off slightly fast as was suffering a bit during the last mile, but still managed to overtake folks. Think my time might have been just under 37 minutes, it will be a PB anyway as I've not raced 4 miles before! One colleague got in at just over 36 minutes, which was fantastic, and the other had a PB at 45 minutes.
My heel has been rather sore since though. Saw my physio yesterday, who advised me to ice it, and build up gradually. She has basically discharged me. We have the last race tomorrow- 5 miles- which is quite a lot for my ankle after yesterday. I think I will start from 5k next week as suggested and gradually build up- but still keep up the gym work and the walking.
Funny yesterday- somebody reported a carrier bag left on the stairs, and we couldn't find who owned it. Just as we were debating whether or not to report it as a 'suspicious package', we found out my boss had dumped it there whilst she popped to the loo- it was her breakfast! She nearly lost it in a controlled explosion!
This Grand Prix has taken quite a chunk of time, as I've had to hang around after work for the races. Results for the first two races are; 10k; 59 minutes 24 seconds, 5k; 28 minutes and 9 seconds. Not bad for me, especially as I have only just started to run again.
Last night's run was a 4 miler at Ruddington Country Park. The rain just about held off (crap summer so far!!) but there were huge puddles. I just ran through them in the end, but had visions of doing a Dawn French, jumping into a puddle and disappearing up to my neck!
I think I set off slightly fast as was suffering a bit during the last mile, but still managed to overtake folks. Think my time might have been just under 37 minutes, it will be a PB anyway as I've not raced 4 miles before! One colleague got in at just over 36 minutes, which was fantastic, and the other had a PB at 45 minutes.
My heel has been rather sore since though. Saw my physio yesterday, who advised me to ice it, and build up gradually. She has basically discharged me. We have the last race tomorrow- 5 miles- which is quite a lot for my ankle after yesterday. I think I will start from 5k next week as suggested and gradually build up- but still keep up the gym work and the walking.
Funny yesterday- somebody reported a carrier bag left on the stairs, and we couldn't find who owned it. Just as we were debating whether or not to report it as a 'suspicious package', we found out my boss had dumped it there whilst she popped to the loo- it was her breakfast! She nearly lost it in a controlled explosion!
Labels: 4 miles, Holme Pierrepont Running Club, road race
