After the Barcelona Ultra Trail race, I dropped John off to hitch his way home, and I managed to blag a seat behind my pilot friend on a flight down to Malaga, and then onto Casares. I had a relaxing few days staying in one of the yurts and some yoga medicine to treat a few niggles before the annual CXM Villa de Casares Race.
There are many kilometers of marked and unmarked trails to explore in the surrounding hills, and I had a nice run to the top of the Sierra Bermeja at 1,452m complete with snow-covered trig point and trees, followed by a day trip to scramble about Gibraltar rock complete with Barbary Macaques.
Casares is a beautiful Andalucian white village, with the sugar cubed houses stacked onto the hillside, topped by a 13th century Arab Castillo. On Easter Saturday each year, the Sierra Bermeja Trail Cub and Town Council organise a 21km trail race and a 14km “hiking” race. 10% of race entry fees go to the local charity Casares Memory School. My sister and husband George had done the race previously and raved about the trails, and the after-race food and beers sitting in the sunshine in the town square. However, having had one of the driest winters on record, with drought restrictions still in place when I arrived, the weather Gods decided to send some Scottish Rain to spice things up.
For the start of the races the rain decided to increase in intensity, however, it didn’t dampen the local’s enthusiasm or the local police who were out in force controlling the traffic. Around 150 runners (from a start list of 300) huddled under the marquees waiting for the off. A sharp steep climb out of the village square and onto the trails through cork, olive, and pine trees to a small refugio, I soon lost all sense of direction, but the excellent course marking and regular aid stations kept me on track. Great variety of trails, with some steep hands-on knees climbs with over 1,000m of ascent packed into the 21km route. Several (not usually there) river crossings added to the challenge, along with ankle-deep mud, and I wondered if this was training better suited to racing back in Scotland. The marshals all did a great job of making sure everyone made it back to the final climb to the top of the Castillo, before a slippery descent back to the village square. Definitely be back next year for this one.
Race info and results: https://www.dorsalchip.es/carrera/2024/3/30/VII_CxM_Villa_de_Casares.aspx
Graham Nash