MIDSUMMER

We have just spent the midsummer riding horses through the arid desert country of navarra in Northern Spain. We went on a ride with a French family we had met earlier and a French guide. The horses were excellant and the countryside quite amazing - the following is an account of the 22cnd June - the second day of the ride.

The day was spent in a fantastic landscape of eroded stark hills and gullies, flat topped mesas and deep canyons. Very few trees and those that we did see were generally a very sparse looking conifer, the ground cover, however was wonderful, a mixture of Rosemary, Thyme, Spinifex and a wonderful array of desert flowers and prickly bushes. We constantly had the aroma of dry fresh herbs with us as we rode. We climbed on the horses to the top of a high rocky mountain with stomach churning cliffs all around - made a little more interesting by the presence of horses and unpredictable movements - views forever across the dry Spanish countryside. After that some excitement riding up and down through a hidden world of deep gullies and canyons - the horses are very sure footed thank goodness - all the time topped by a skye of startling blue -" Velasquez blue". A gallop across a wheat field and to the shepherd's hut which was our accommodation for the night.

After feeding and watering the horses we all climbed a little mesa behind the hut to enjoy the everlasting sunset of midsummer. Sitting there quietly we saw coming in the distance a large mob of sheep and goats. Two shepherds striding out in the lead with walking sticks and small back packs, a couple of dogs with them and a mob of over 1,000 sheep and goats following, bells ringing a multitude of different tones. Every now and then a few sheep would try some succelent pasture off the track, look up and see the mob moving off and gallop to catch up. The shepherds stay in the front calling the stock and if too many stray off the track they send the dogs after them. A wonderful timeless scene, our horses grazing below, the sheep and goats with the shepherds and dogs, sunset over the mountains in the distance and jet trails in the reddening sky - timeless and yet located in a multitude of times and places. The mob gradually disappeared over the nearest hill and the sound of the bells and the calling of the stock continued while the dust settled and the sun finally set, the moon and the first stars appeared.

The next morning I was sitting on the mesa again enjoying the early morning, clear skies and the clean air of the morning in arid country. Another shepherd came past with his mob of sheep and goats following - a smaller mob but the same effect - the shepherd in front with his dogs calling continually and the sheep and goats following, tinkling bells and bleating sheep. Looking over them to the endless desert and mountains I am reminded of the pace of change and at the same time the lack of change. They too disappeared over the hills followed by their sounds - shepherd calling, bells tinkling and sheep and goats calling.

Below I could see hungry horses and the camp beginning to move - time for another day on horses in the Bardenos desert.