Istán lake Gwen walk Jan 2022

Istán Gwen walk 2022 with Rachel & Simon …new extra part crossing lake /stream twice at the riverbed!!…steep ascent other side of lake (instead of coming up the cement road)

ISTAN WALK Jan 2020 / & 2022!

*NB. it is 40 mins of tricky drive from Acosta to Istan parking!!
Apparently lots of other walks other side of valley/ road track to the falls we went before with the Buddies

** there is another quicker car route in & out of Istan = the rural cement road -BEFORE reaching the Ermita flat car park (parking for Giles house) …take a Right hand road forking up steeply
It comes out at the top of Ermita (you can park at the top, on grass on Left) …or continue up & round the back of the hotel - this way into the 2nd P parking.
A good way to come home as it cuts out the corner & downhill (but narrow & steep coming up that way)

Entering Istan - Take the SECOND ‘P sign’ - Right hand fork uphill to high up town Car park ‘P’ - then Left into parking at the T junction… (where all the new walking signs are)
*(OR can try the first ‘P sign’ -which takes you to upper leverl/ where the hotel is)

Start walking downhill down the road thru the town past the water feature/gulley on your Right -
OR try the other way round! (Below)

*Jan 2022 (saved in my Wikiloc walks)
-other way round -away from town, & up to the hotel first, & followed the same cement road round the back & right…then it comes out at the Mirador on Right & the Ermita! Views great!
Then walk down to the main road, & immediately across it here is a path- take the right path as if going downhill to Giles house….but not all the way (on one wiki map you can drop down to the lake/Giles house) …path then later forks Right away frm Giles.

Ends up at the lake bed -a tricky stony grab/jump into the bed itself at the bottom.

Then a NEW Route back up the valley
(instead of taking the steep/ wide cement road we came down in 2020)
….must cross the RIVER -twice!!
Across river/stream up to the house/land area….keep going toward the back of the lake towards the mountains …
Half way down -Across river again there is a brown mud/earthy path…
Takes you gently along, then up more steeply to the very top -high mirador! Quite hard work/climbing - but worth the views at top -at the very top, go immediately RIGHT to the mirador /water fountain /seats for pics!
Then go back left, & towards the town on top layer/level….into the town, past the town cemetery, & the central church
Fork right, then left….up again …brings up to the water feature /washing gulleys & back up to the central parking.
A good place to eat is on the road back up towards the hotel -a large restaurant with flags outside, take the steep steps …

Old route 2020….
At the edge of the valley -You hit the wide steep road/pathway down into to the valley
(Another Cement road)
Continue along here…down to the RIVERBED…take the RIGHT hand route which steeply drops onto the BED itself…then follow upwards again -grass bank going on the LEFT side
This path takes you back up to the tip of the hill -great views

Follow back across the main road at the ERMITA….follow wide path upwards….takes you behind the newly refurbed hotel. Then many walking signs…This part is 2 & 1/2 hours

**The VERY steep Picacho peak is another 1 hour 15mins!

Then a walk downhill beyond the hotel/football grounds - back to the car park, keeping Right -overlooking the ISTAN rockery feature on your Right