Tassaout valley

We walked 2 days down this magnificent and fascinating valley as part of a traverse of the M’goun Massif [link to Traverse page] in October 2022.

Day 1 – From Tassagaiwelt down Tassaout valley

A luxurious lie-in to 7.30, emerging to a morning of light cloud and porridge for breakfast. Everyone is cheerful after good sleep and with an easy walk ahead. 

We walk along the contour towards the village, above almond terraces and below steep, unstable boulders. The village is poor and basic, but the school is freshly painted bright yellow and blue and implies hope for the future.

Across an expanse of rocky river fan, we join the road and start an enjoyable 4hr trudge down-river, above a vivid patchwork of little irrigated fields, orchards and trees, the far bank changing from red-purple slopes to orange cliffs, with gorges retreating away with their own little riots of colour between their cliffs. The river rushes cheerfully through the middle of the world it sustains.

The trees are just turning towards Autumn, so sport a multitude of greens and golds. Villages nestle on the hillsides above their precious fields. 

The cliffs get more dramatic as the valley descends, steadily, towards a mid-course gorge. Just above the turn of the river into the gorge, the hamlet of Imin Ikkis perches (at 2,100m) on a rise between two wide incoming rocky river-beds, our tents visible among trees beside some houses on the far side.

This is a very pleasant place, our table sitting smugly in an orchard in the shade of some young walnut trees. We eat a delicious lunch of salad and vegetable omelette mush. Cheerful, leisurely talks.

I draw a bit in the afternoon sun. Supper is soup and vegetable tagine.....