earlier blog: Zip World Velocity North Wales

Gateway to the Sierra Nevada – Discover Moorish Spain from Lanjaron

As a combination between the Ramblers Association and Adagio, the Gateway to the Sierra Nevada is a perfect way to explore this region of southern Spain, catering for everyone with different levels of walking ability.

Our base, Hotel Alcadima, was perfectly situated in Lanjaron high above the Castle and the distant wind turbines. Our first day started with a tapas lunch then a steep climb up to the remains of Lanjaron Castle on the edge of the town for a splendid view across the town, mountains and valley – hard walking but definitely worth it in the bright afternoon sunshine.

  

An interesting town, both in architecture and history, Lanjaron was clearly a significant centre of the region over the centuries. There are lots of decorative drinking-water spouts along the narrow streets, each with brightly-coloured flower and shrub displays, and examples of old linked houses, higgledy-shaped structures built to confuse raiders. We visited the local cookie shop, the Water Museum, the Honey Museum and a micro-brewery run by a father and son. Even a non-beer drinker can appreciate the distinctive aromas with hints of honey, marjoram or toasted malt.

Nigűelas is a pretty village with narrow cobbled streets, and although our walk today was a steeper climb than expected, once we reached the levada it was mostly level then downhill to finish the circular walk into town. The fascinating 12^th century olive oil mill, the oldest in Spain and now a Museum, shows how each family brought their olives for crushing by the medieval stone grinding wheel, grimly known as the blood wheel as the effort of pushing it made the hands bleed!

We were fortunate to visit the “secret garden” of Herr Műeller, beautiful formal gardens laid out in 19^th century French style, and were treated to a tapas lunch with wine and beer – a pleasant way to spend an afternoon in a glorious setting in the Lecrin Valley. In contrast, the coastal plains are rich in diverse agriculture with a hot, sunny “micro climate” earning it the name of Tropical Coast.  Sugar cane was grown here before it was introduced to the West Indies, but a local family – Ron Mantero - still produces rum here. We sampled a glass of their speciality thick, rich, chocolate drink with added rum. A great sacrifice in the name of travel writing, of course.

We followed the coastal path south past exclusive houses that seemed to teeter dangerously on the cliff edge. Then an extremely steep climb up to the 10^th century Moorish castle standing guard over the white-washed houses of Salobreńa, more challenging than previous walks, but unfortunately recent storm damage meant the Castle was closed to visitors. Disappointed, we set off down steps to the sea-side village itself. However, we soon cheered up when we reached El Penon Restaurant on the beach front of Salobreńa, a fantastic setting under shady umbrellas, in bright sunshine and the sea lapping the beach nearby.

We sampled their superb food and white Rioja, freshly prepared sardines cooked on the wood-burning barbecue, the delightful smoky fresh smell drifting around us. You can tell how good a restaurant is by the number of locals who use it, and this was certainly a popular place with large groups of family and friends.

Spain has a long history of battles between Christian and Moorish leaders, so you will find a ruined Arabic castle in nearly every town and no visit to the Sierra Nevada can be complete without exploring Granada, especially the Alhambra – the distinctive red stone giving it its name, built as a defence town with a splendid tower. Our trip included a pre-booked tour of the Alhambra Palace, a good 15-minute walk from the entrance gate, but half-day tickets gave entry to all three sections – the palace, tower and the gardens – to be completed by 2.00pm.

The finely-detailed Islamic arch and decorative carving in the Palace is as spectacular as you expect it to be and remarkably well-preserved. Although the outside is made up of plain, undecorated red blocks of stone, inside is symmetry and balance of intricate carvings, arches, verandas and long narrow pools that reflect the sky and buildings. Past the elaborate exterior of Charles V Palace – very expensive to build but never actually used by him! – to the steep winding steps of the Tower for stunning views of the sprawling city of Granada and the equally stunning snow-topped Sierra Nevada to the north (though only the tiniest sprinkle of snow in 2015). The summer palace on the hill opposite was built as a retreat from the heat, noise and bustle of the Alhambra, but with no fortifications was considered too insecure to safely spend the night there. 

Finally, the Nerja Caves is a spectacular geological site that should not be missed (entrance fee covered as part of our trip). It is amazing that these marble caves were found, by chance, in 1959 when a group of hikers were curious about bats disappearing down a hole! Carefully laid out as walkways with lots of uneven steps, lighting is kept intentionally low to avoid the development of algae that would ultimately destroy the giant stalagmite/stalactite structures. Unfortunately, the advertised “cave paintings” have not been available for public viewing for a long time, only researchers and geologists having access to them. 

Some sections of the itinerary involve quite a bit of uphill climbing, including steps, but there is no pressure to rush and regular stops are incorporated so that you can rest while finding out a bit more of the history. This is primarily a cultural tour that provides a great opportunity to get to know this part of Spain, its history, and the wide range of interesting attractions available. The November tour is a bit late for some things that were open to the September group, but there is still plenty to see and do to make it an informative and enjoyable holiday.