On our way to Ouirgan in the Atlas Mountains, about 40k south of Marrakech.
After leaving the wind on the coast and the low 20C temps, we are now at around 1000m above sea level, no wind and mid 30s.

At first sight, the hills look barren and forlorn, devoid of habitation or capacity to support it, but how misleading that is.

Our hotel is located halfway up a hill, overlooking the town of Ouirgan and today we went on a hike further up the mountain, following water courses and donkey paths. For 2 hours we walked through villages of mud brick houses and plots of land cut into the scrub all fed by narrow irrigation channels, some hundreds of years old, cut into the rock to bring water from the snow melt at 3000m. Here was wheat, barley, corn and every type of vegetable imaginable. Garlics, courgettes, tomato’s and most of all, fruit trees of every description. Peaches, plums, apples, lemons, apricots, figs, olives, quince, pomegranate, juniper bushes, almonds, walnuts, carob and grape vines growing wild through these ancient trees, all of which were laden with new fruit. It was 2hr walk through a continual orchard and vegetable garden.
All grown to sustain the 200 or so people that live in each small village.
On top of this, our guide was picking wild herbs and flowers and explaining their usage, there seemed to be something for every ailment and condition. Basil for perfume and hair shampoo, peppermint for colds and headache, wild sage, coriander, camomile and of course mint, alpha, it just went on and on. Oleander leaves when spread across the mud brick roof and walls acts to waterproof it and stops erosion.
Add in the mules, cows, goats sheep chickens and ducks, I doubt that the locals ever have a need to go to town.
All in all, a lesson in sustainability and the folly of first impressions.

As for our hotel, it is serenity plus. Just the birds and the sound of a breeze in the trees, oh, and not forgetting the call to prayer from the mosque a couple of time a day.