We had heard that there was a camp site in the hills outside Velez-Malaga alongside Lake Vinuela. We needed to see whether we would be able to get onto the site and took a drive out. This turned into a fabulous afternoon, off roading unexpectedly around the edge of the lake and up into the mountains.

The campsite was not suitable for us, it was very steep and full of tight corners. However, we were so taken with the lake, or what was left of it, that we decided to talk a walk around. The lake is filled by rainwater and is well below capacity as you can see. It feeds local houses with drinking water.

Initial view of the Lake from the campsite.

View from the other side, note the “floating” canoeing pontoons (bottom left) and the dam (top right) way out of the water.

At every point you can see the “dry lines” on the banks.

So we decided to carry on to the mouth of the lake, along a dirt track, but never actually found the head.

And we kept going up and up….on a never ending and inescapable dirt track!

Are we dreaming? Is that two shepherds on horseback with their flock? Good God, so it is!

So we wait until they move….which they do eventually, moved by 4 unlikely sheep dogs.

As we cannot find any way off this road, we keep going. We realised how high we had got when looking back.

Another 3 miles on, we eventually join a B road only to find we had been going the wrong way!

After a few more miles, we come across a moutain side village, decide to stop and find something for lunch, pull into a parade and what do we find??? Arkwrights?? In Spain? On the mountain? Yep! A fully stocked British supermarket! We had to go in!! It might as well be ADSA, or Sainsburys! Fully stocked, christmas puddings and mince pies, Celebrations boxes, Cif cream and Fairy washing up liquid. But at twice the price! We bought some suet (yes, really!!) and baking powder!!! But, honestly, it was in the middle of a mountain side, totally out of the “norm”. A real shock after our 2.5 hour off road expedition!!! ‘,