Peak Bagging and Long Distance Walking in the UK and Spain: María

Walk Summary

The only P600 that is less than a 20 minute drive from campsite to trail head of the five summits I took to be within a convenient group in and around the wider area of Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and La Sagra that could be picked off on journey south from Moncayo to the p600s in the mountainous coastal strip between Alicante and Gibraltar.
Well it turned out they where not such a convenient group with a lot of driving between trail heads, starting with Blanquilla, along many minor single track roads. On top of that María is situated 30km to the south in Parque Natural de Sierra de María Los Velez.

Parked this side of barrier behind Refugio Umbría de la Virgen

For future reference I probably would not look at these as a group of five but leave María as a drive past and pick off Blanquilla and Almenara on journey north or south, aiming to pick off Morro del Buitre, Sagra and La Atalaya as a single group based around Puebla de Don Fadrique or more centrally Huéscar. That said I did spend three nights at Camping Maria and though the weather was not brilliant the facilities and hospitality was much appreciated.

Maria summit straight ahead. Fence suggests no left access

Start of what is a straight forward ascent of María was from back of Refugio Umbria de la Virgen, looks like you could even stay here.
You could drive further but I was not confident the open barrier near the trail head would reliably remain open.
Security was an enduring feature of the days walk with high fencing on the left side of the ascent track preventing a more direct route. The end of the fence was the signal for me to turn left off the track to cut a corner of the track off, but red marker posts alongside the rejoined track suggests to me people are not encouraged to leave the track.

Substantial cairn at 2035m spot height east of María summit

Despite this I did avoid the multiple switch backs on the path on the ascent to Collado de Portalchico. Unfortunately cloud dropped from the collado restricting any views north or south on the summit ascent or indeed summit. Pictures of yet another trig pillar and summit rituals preceded direct descent to the SE giving a circular route but this would be a less straight forward ascent.
Early return home meant this was the most southerly summit of this trip but it did mean I could pick off La Atalaya as part of the return journey.

Walk Statistics

Walk Date - 18 October 2018
Walkers - Steve Smith

Accommodation - Camping Maria, María, Almería

Start Point - Trackside (N37°41'23" W2°10'55")
Start Time - 10:54

Finish Point - Trackside (N37°41'23" W2°10'55")

Finish Time- 13:54

Total Duration - 3hrs 00mins
Overall Average pace - 1.64mph
Total Distance Walked - 4.93 miles
Total Height Ascended - 688.00metres

Peaks visited

Spain/Portugal 600m Prominence Peaks (168S - 185S&P - 2165E)

María (31S - 32S&P - 61E)

Spain/Portugal 300m - 599m Prominence Peaks (1000+)

NONE