The Cavall Verd ridge has been tempting me to walk along it ever since we arrived in Costa Blanca.  The twin peaks of this ridge rise up at the head of the Jalon valley at the eastern end, high above the village of Murla and have an outline that is unmistakable from near and far.  The name of the full ridge is Serra de Penyal and Cavall Verd is actually only the eastern end and has much historic background.

Ancient legend has it that a mystical Moorish knight on a green charger (Cavall Verd) rode up the mountain to help the Moors during a huge battle.  These people had taken refuge in the castle of the Penyo Roig as the king had ordered the final expulsion of all Moors to Africa.  In 1609 the king sent in his troops and a huge battle took place.  Eventually the Moors surrendered and were deported to Africa from the nearby port of Denia.

I checked out the maps and guide books and found the perfect circuit which could be started from any of the three mountain villages of Benimaurell, Fleix or Campell.   The decision to do the ridge and of where to start was made easy by the fact that Mark wanted to explore a nearby canyon from this Benimaurell, an activity involving some long abseils which was definitely not dog walking territory and so this provided me with the perfect opportunity for a long walk out in the mountains.  A friend, Susie was also able to join me and Don making it a much more sociable and enjoyable walk.

The route up onto the ridge took in well-marked paths and tracks up the north side of the mountain.  We could clearly see the col we were aiming for, just to the right of the twin peaks which I mentioned previously.  The only disappointing part of the walk is that we would not actually walk over the twin peaks as the biggest one Penyo Roig is a huge rocky summit and only accessible as a rock-climb.   So the walk along the ridge starts at the col beneath this spectacular lump of rock and we could easily see why we would not be walking up it!

From here the ridge is roughly 5km long and between 700 and 800m high with far-reaching views of the sea and other mountains.  It feels wild and much of the walking is on bare limestone, with the path appearing now and then through the flora and rock. There are a couple of short rock steps but these are aided by fixed ropes and don’t present much difficulty – my four legged friend Don scrambled up and down them with ease, and he has been known to refuse to go up anything too steep!  There was a little wind which gave a pleasant temperature for the walk and the sun came out from behind the clouds every now and then.  This was good as it kept the rocky path nicely dry for us.  It is a walk I would avoid if there was cause for it to be wet or damp.   

We walked through low growing flora on the ridge such as rosemary, thyme, gorse (in flower), rock roses and dwarf fan pans, and were treated to the tall spires of some early flowering white asphodels happily growing amongst the limestone.  We also saw kermes oaks and quite a few small pine trees on the ridge. 

We were cautious of the pines as most of them contained processionary caterpillar nests some of which were close to our path, and were alarmed to find some caterpillars on the path.  Usually this wouldn’t happen until between February and April.  The processionary caterpillars are a major pest in the area as the hairs on them can cause severe irritation to humans and mammals.  They are from the pine moth which lays its eggs in the trees.  The caterpillars build nests and when ready during early spring, climb down the trees to the ground and form a line, head to tail, hence their name.  They are especially a problem for dogs who naturally inquisitive animals and one hears upsetting stories of dogs dying from these poisonous insects.

The peak at the end of the ridge is Penya Alt, 850m high and our path then led us down the southern side through pine trees, past a col and below another rocky ridge which has a cross on its summit, the Penyons de la Pereta.  On reaching another col at the end of this ridge we crossed back onto the northern side of the ridge heading back the way we’d come and were instantly treated to the wonderful sight of terraces of almond trees already clothed in pink blossom.  Again this seems early as mostly one wouldn’t expect to see them in flower until February.    We could also now see the mountain village of Benimaurell, our starting and finishing point down below and our route traversed the lush northern slopes of the mountainside.   One last steep track down and we were walking through the narrow village streets and as is often the case there appeared to be no-one around!  However, hoping to find somewhere for some refreshments in the village we opened the door to a bar which looked very much closed from the outside and were surprised to find it busy with families out for their Sunday lunch! 

Having been a fan of buffs for many years I was excited to recently be offered a merino wool buff from KitShack for me to review.  An offer that  I couldn't refuse!

A Buff is a multi-functional piece headwear made from a seamless tube of stretchy fabric which is lightweight to wear on the head or around the neck in a variety of ways, all year round. They've been around a quite a few years with a number of designs available making them suitable for everyone including one for dogs!

Living in the Lake District and spending much of my time outside working, climbing, walking or fell-running, whatever the weather, I find the buff is probably my most used accessory.  It is versatile, lightweight and compact so I rarely go outdoors without one either on my head, around my neck or at the ready in my rucksack or bum bag.  I have had several over the years including the Original, the slim fit and a fleece buff.  Even my dog Don has one and is quite content wearing it!

They come in many colours and designs and I chose one in a patterned orange colour, different from the usual pinks and blues which I wear but it is really lovely to have a change.  I have found the merino wool is lovely and soft and non-itchy.  It is slightly longer than the original buffs and feels a little roomier which can add to the warmth on cold days.   As I have a fairly small head I was concerned that it would slip off easily but this hasn’t been a problem and it has felt secure on my head, even when running. 

My Uses:
1) Headband. For walking and running it keeps my ears and head warm.   It’s great for fell or trail races when you need to keep your bumbag or rucksack as light as possible as it can be used as a hat too.  When running in the summer I get pretty warm and have found that putting a cold, wet buff on my head is a super way to cool the body temperature down quickly.  Merino wool has the added benefit of being fast drying.  If I don’t want it on my head any longer I can easily put it around my wrist rather than stopping to put it in my bag
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2) Hairband.  I find it extremely useful for keeping my long hair out of my eyes especially when windy and I’ve not had any problems with it slipping off, even when running. 

3) Neck warmer.  For me a buff is preferable to a scarf – I love its simplicity and it’s so quick to pull over your head, plus its super comfortable.

4) Balaclava.  When very cold I like to use it under my woolly hat for extra warmth to my face and neck and I often wear it under my climbing helmet – it fits really well and gives that extra warmth when it’s cold at the crags!  And if the midges are about then I’ll pull it up around my face too!

I was worried that the merino wool buff would not be suitable in warmer weather but I have worn it many times over the past few weeks whilst I have been in Spain, walking, climbing and running in the Costa Blanca mountains.  It has been comfortable even in the warm winter sunshine and I’ve found in addition its helpful at keeping the sun off my head.  

I would recommend the merino wool buff as a ‘must have’ for anyone who works or plays in the outdoors.  For more information see http://www.kitshack.com