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The Wild Asparagus Hunters are Out and About

It´s that time of year. Cars parked in odd places, the solitary person - usually a man, popping up above a bank or from behind an olive tree. The hunters of the wild aparagus are here. The plentiful rain scattered with a day or two of sunshine has brought them out in droves. Some have their route, others instinctively know where to go. They appear, walking back to their cars, with a huge bundle of foot long green spears of asparagus. And off they go, probably not to be seen for another year - or another week if the rain continues. No matter how hard the shoots try and hide the older men hunt them down with stick in hand, to fob off the spiky old growth, and uncover the tender new stems of wild asparagus. Everyone has their favourite way of cooking them but the most common seems to be in a Tortilla - the thick Spanish potato omelette to which you can add anything that comes to hand - or is hunted down. My one or two shorter stem finds don´t come close to the experienced hunters catch. I...

Walk in Sierra Sur de Jaén

Circular walk around El Regüelo chapel in the Sierra Sur de Jaén. On the JA 3302 from Fuensanta de Martos to Castillo de Locubin this walk starts from the lay-by of Casa Rural El Regüelo. It´s an easy walk with some scrabbly parts and a stream that depending on the time of year may need jumping. It did today.

Allow an hour for this 3.3 km walk with lovely views.

Leaving Casa Rural El Regüelo parking space on the JA-3302 behind head towards the river and olive machinery. Just before the river turn left up the track behind the olive plant.


Follow this track for 0.8km then turn into a left-hand track downhill, if the chain is across just step over it. Stay on the track over a dry stream bed then up hill until km 1.2, there are three possible tracks to take here, choose the middle track uphill.

At 1.35 km take a left turn at the pile of gravel. The olive groves are now on your left and a valley drops away to the right. The path stops at 1.6 km, turn right heading downhill, the track bears left with a bank and olive groves on the left. The white chapel is now visible ahead.




A little scabble down leads to an empty flat patch,this is km 2.3, turn left heading downhill then climbing upwards. At the summit turn right and you can see the two distant peaks of Sierra Ajillo on the left and Sierra Caracolera on the right.

The track ends here, keep straight ahead to the edge then turn right going downhill then turning left at km 2.6. Go over the dry stream bed keep right and heading downhill towards the houses.

Cross the stream (may involve some jumping or feet wetting) and up to the path where you turn left. Turn left at the road and now you´re back in El Regüelo hamlet.



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