Road to nowhere....!!

A slightly disjointed post today, one with no real plan....not that we usually do plans anyway.

It started this morning with a trip to Pruna market, a small town about 10 kms north of Olvera. We went not only to have a look around the market but also in the hope of bumping into a lovely couple, Anne and Richard, whom we had met many times there and who had moved to Pruna several years ago from Newcastle. They were renting a property while waiting for a development in Pruna to be completed.

Sadly, a year or more ago Anne had contracted cancer and the last time we saw her, which we must say was six months or more, she was being treated at Ronda hospital as an out-patient. So today we were hoping to see them both and catch up with news.

After a walk around the market, we hadn't seen them so we walked the short distance to Alba's, a pleasant bar run by an english couple but it was closed so we headed out of Pruna to return to the bar on the way back. Pictured above is a pony and trap that passed us by at the market.
We left Pruna heading north towards Moron de la Frontera, our destination in my mind was a reservoir that I had looked at on Google Earth and as always on the computer the track looked OK and passable. So as we were more or less in the area the thought of finding it intrigued me.

We drove from Pruna for about 10 kms, taking a short cut off the main road that leads to the A-406 Villanueva de San Juan road. Crossing the junction, we headed onto the SE-8205, a secondary road leading to the village of La Puebla de Cazalla.

It must be our week for wildlife. This bull had just crossed the road in front of us and was giving us a look that said don't hang around too long.

Further along the road, this pig was happily wandering along, chomping on the goodies it in the undergrowth.

After 12 kms or so, I took the turning off the road that I had in my mind, towards the reservoir. The sign we saw gave us hope that we were going in the right direction, indicating that it was 6.4 kms along the track.

We ploughed on, literally, for about thirty minutes, driving down the track, passing many land slips and eventually stopping at a point that appeared to be in the middle of an olive grove. The way ahead looked like no vehicle had passed this way for months so an exploration on foot was necessary.
I walked along for about 300 metres with the dam of the reservoir tantalisingly in sight but the track was now completely rutted and impassable.
Nothing for it but to turn around and find another route.















We passed by these dead thistles lining the road, a lovely golden colour in the sun.

We did try to find another route to the reservoir but after twenty minutes driving there were no obvious signs so we headed back towards home.

This ruin is at the junction of the SE-8205 and A-406 but new owners appear to be in residence.

Returning via Pruna, we stopped off again at Alba's Bar to have a coffee and enquire of Anne and Richard. Sadly, we learned that Anne had succumbed to her illness and had recently passed away. Our thoughts and condolences go out to Richard. Anne was a lovely lady. Why is it that the good always go early ??.