The scenic route

 If I don't keep the blog up to date it gets quite confusing remember what we saw or even where we were!

We left Granada and chose to see something different to Cathedrals and forts. It worked to some extent.

Lunch stop was Guadix to check out the troglodytes. Yes, the claim to fame of this area is the cave dwellers and rhei dwellings. It had a decent Cathedrala and fort but we didn't even bother.

A poorly cropped shot of the Cathedral. That's as close you'll get.

Roman ruins being rediscovered.

This area reminded me of Capadocchia in Turkey 

Ironically, what was (and still is) a per person's housing has become 'des res' as they are cheap, sustainable and cool in both senses of the word.

This particular house was lived in until the 70s.

Cave dwelling is common in the area as there are substantial clay cliffs for miles and miles, I believe as a result of this area being an inland sea then lake millions of years ago.

We then visited the Mesolithic Geology Park with it's centre in Gorafe. Aside from more troglodytes it is known for the large number of Dolmens ('rock tables', but burial chambers) in the area. 242 were counted in the definitive survey, though many have been lost (usually quarried for stones).

There's a fantastic view from the plateau. 

Looking down on some of the bigger dolmen. 

Similar to pics of the Grand Canyon, though not so deep.

A small dolmen with its lid missing. Many are in this state.

A megalithic village occupied the ridge at the back of the olive grove seen here. The tombs in this area were for their dead, over a long period of time.

The geology of the valley

Sunset on cliffs

Caves and modern cemetery.

Los Algarves, or rock caverns. There are apparently extensive galleries but no information about how to access them, so I guess this isn't sanctioned.

We were saving larger ones for tomorrow but Jude has lost a filling so we have to find a dentist open on a Saturday. We'll try to come back.