Goldmine

Friday November 2nd…We drove to Los Escullos, parked just past the Castillo de San Felipe, and walked about 10 km through a spectacular volcanic terrain, with the sea on our left, towards San Jose.

Past an abandoned Guardia post.

Until one of us decided it was time to turn back.

We had lunch at a tiny village called Las Isleta, a couple of km up the coast from Los Escullos.

Overlooked by 2 long inactive volcanoes, called Los Frailes. Frailes apparently means Friars in Spanish. But we couldn’t see the connection. Nia said it was more Madonna than Friars.

After lunch we headed to Rodalquilar. This is an abandoned goldmine high in the mountains, surrounded by the old mining town. There are derelict buildings, over and through which you are free to wander, and a mining museum which we missed owing to turning up at Siesta time (afternoon).


Nia above the goldmine.
We drove back along the old mining road (we stopped half way….there is a large pile of gold just behind me on this pic).
And past fields of prickly pear cacti. These bad boys were fruiting.