Walking

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The landscapes of rural Andalucìa can be breathtaking and one of the best ways to appreciate their diversity and beauty is on foot.

La Majada Alta cottage and Loma la Parra country house are at the heart of the particularly outstanding walking countryside of El Valle de Abdalajis and El Chorro. With such a variety of routes and interesting landscapes you can be confident of enjoyable walking whatever your level of ability and fitness.

Adventurous walkers head for the mountains where you can walk for many hours following the steep goat trails that can lead you from El Valle de Abdalajis over to the lakes. Or climb up from the village to la sierra de Valle de Abdalajis, staying on the high ridges. Strike out for the peaks of La Capilla or La Huma at over 1,100 meters or alternatively descend towards El Chorro for lunch and return home by the valley road.

There are wonderful walks around the more gentle slopes of the valley with marked tracks to follow taking you past ancient farm houses where you will see gardens of peppers, tomatoes, garlic, onions, melons and open, unfenced, fields of wheat, barley and corn. You will find numerous circular routes with spectacular views of the mountains, to bring you back to the village or to your door.

Walk through the famous gorge of El Chorro to the unique ruins of Bobastro where centuries ago the head of the Christian who resisted the Arab invasion longer than anyone else in Andalucia, was finally taken and displayed at the gates of Granada.

Explore the pine forests between the limestone peaks at the foot of La Huma mountain and climb the Arab staircase to nowhere. A mysterious set of steps hewn into the rock uniting two valleys.

Leave your car on the road around the lakes and take the tracks and trails from the beaches to the plateau high above where the glider pilots launch and perhaps discover the long dried bones of animals picked clean by the eagles and vultures nesting in these dramatic cliffs. Some of these trails can be a bit of a scramble but no special equipment is needed and there is usually a choice of ways to get up or down.

For those of you who prefer a guide, there are some excellent people to help. Our neighbour, Antonio was born near La Majada Alta cottage and is a passionately keen walker. Although he does not speak English, he has led many people of various nationalities on his informal walks. Antonio does not charge for his services and heinvites people to join him at week ends and after work.

There is a sports shop in the village and one of the partners, Manolo, runs a programme of guided walks and he has chosen some surprisingly delightful paths. He would be pleased to tailor outings to suit a small group, whether for a morning, evening, or whole day to include lunch. If you are visiting in the Autumn, one of Manolo's highlights is his torch-lit walk at Halloween !!! Manolo speaks English and his partner is qualified to to give tandem flights by paraglider.

Below is a picture of Manolo in his shop..

Manolo in his shop

In much less than an hour you can drive to the protected area of El Torcal natural park. You can immerse yourself in these un-worldly limestone formations by following the marked trails which are colour coded to help you choose a route which best suits your ability.

Park your car at El Chorro railway station, cross the bridge and head up into the hills directly in front of you. Find a suitable track and wend your way into this sparsely poulated area of old farms abandoned a generation ago due to lack of water and poor access by car. A walkers paradise.

A little further away is the big mountain and quaint village of Casarobonela. Have breakfast in the village, head off up the mountain tracks and just keep going as long as you have the energy. It can sometimes be quite cool up there even in the summer.

Carratraca is another village on the route of the "pueblos blancos" and is the home town of Antonio Banderas. Enjoy the village and for a gentle walk follow the trail running alongside the stream below the village.