GR 247 hike

A splendid long walk today on the Bosques del Sur route. The Mediterranean scent of hot sun on pines and spectacular limestone scenery - the photo shows my picnic view. Early on I saw lots of woodpeckers, near the top large birds of prey - eagles or vultures.

Ineffably sad ruins at the top.
Old vines, figs, walnuts, crop terraces and ruined buildings. The whole area was forcibly depopulated in the early 1970s as part of the reserve management. The people all relocated to a functional new village, Coto Rios, where I'm camping.