Avians Along the Ditch.

by tim 24. April 2012 15:50
24.4 Tuesday.
El Cuervo de la Sevilla to Las Cabezas de Dan Juan.
Anne and Ray become taxigrinos for the day. Readers of previous accounts may remember this is a term (sometimes derogatory) for those peregrinos using local taxis to transport luggage or persons to the next place "en camino" without the walking. Annes boots were not kind to her yesterday.
We start start earlier as it was hot yesterday by our finish time and the three
of us are walking as it starts to get light at seven. We find a side road shortly after reaching Lebrija and our morning coffee this leads eventually to our "ditch" a large irrigation canal flowing from the Rio Guadalquivir just south of Seville to water these flat lands for miles on its east side. It is a magnet for birds of all sorts. We see black winged stilts, avocets and pratincoles again, a pair of harriers probably Montagues or Hen harriers and a host of warblers including one with very loud harsh call probably a Grasshopper warbler of some type plus the usual grey wagtails and goldfinches. Betsy finds a snake recently run over on the dirt track at the side of the canal probably a Horseshoe Whipsnake. We leave the canal which is flowing quite strongly into the fields and strike towards Las Cabezas across dirt tracks where our route is indicated by the yellow arrows on rocks and finally enter the town via the local tip.
We strike uphill to the obvious church at the top of town seen from a distance where we have agreed to meet Ray and Anne they are there Anne has bought a pair of sandals that seem more comfortable than her boots. We go to the bar at the back of the church where we hear they do rooms. The beer is very welcome but it is the wrong church! Down the hill again to the parish church of San Roc (he of the bad leg, he must be patron saint of taxigrinos). We find the bar and are shown palatial apartments opposite, there is even a washing machine and cooking facilities worth the 20euros pppn.
29km seven and a half hours.
Link to where we are on Google Maps

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