de Málaga TOPOGRAPHICALGR-249 GUIDE This guide is one of the end products of the IDARA European Project; it is sponsored by the Diputación de Málaga within the POCTEFEX program financed 75% by FEDER. © PUBLISHING AND COORDINATION: DIPUTACIÓN DE MÁLAGA EQUIPO GRAN SENDA DE MÁLAGA C/ Pacífi co, 54 - Edifi cio A 29004 MÁLAGA PUBLISHED BY: EDITORIAL LA SERRANÍA, SL C/ Tomilla, 55 29400 Ronda (Málaga) www.laserrania.org TEXTS AND COORDINATION: C. Carlos Guerrero Barragán ENGLISH TRANSLATION: Eva Bratek ENGLISH TEXT EDITING: Sue Eatock PHOTOGRAPHS: C. Carlos Guerrero Barragán & Diputación Provincial de Málaga First Edition: June of 2014 ISBN: 978-00-0000-000-0 Legal Deposit: MA-000-2014 THIS COPY IS NOT FOR SALE Printed in Andalucía by: Imagraf Impresores The guide at hand is meant to resemble an imaginary conversation held between the author and you, the user of the GR-249 path, during the entire time the book was being written. In the end, this text serves no purpose unless it can answer questions or predict what information might be needed and this has been the greatest focus of the work on the guide. On the other hand, the guide is also a chronicle of the results of the work performed by a team of people who designed, built, sign-posted and maintained the path. Without their efforts the path would not exist. We hope to be able to show how this path teaches us certain essentials and we also hope to pass on the deep love and respect we all feel towards our land, the land which in a way is closer to you now as well, thanks to this newly-created footpath. Welcome and join in the adventure of La Gran Senda de Málaga - The Great Málaga Path. INDEX PRESENTATION....................................................................................................... 9 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE................................................................................... 10 BASIC INFORMATION ON LA GRAN SENDA DE MÁLAGA................................. 20 USEFUL ADDRESSES............................................................................................ 22 MAPS........................................................................................................................ 25 I.- La Gran Senda de Málaga on the eastern Costa del Sol ............................ 66 1 Málaga – Rincón de la Victoria.............................................................................. 70 2 Rincón de la Victoria – Vélez Málaga.................................................................... 80 3 Vélez Málaga – Torrox.......................................................................................... 90 4 Torrox – Nerja.......................................................................................................... 98 II.- The GR- 249 through The Natural Park of Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama 106 5 Nerja – Frigiliana..................................................................................................... 110 6 Frigiliana – Cómpeta............................................................................................... 116 7 Cómpeta – Canillas de Aceituno...................................................................................... 124 8 Canillas de Aceituno – Periana......................................................................................... 132 III.- “The Limestone Arch” and La Gran Senda de Málaga ....................... 138 9 Periana – Alfarnatejo (Pulgarín Alto)............................................................................. 142 10 Alfarnatejo (Pulgarín Alto) – Alfarnate......................................................................... 148 11 Alfarnate – Villanueva del Rosario........................................................................ 154 12 Villanueva del Rosario – Archidona......................................................................... 160 IV.- The Gran Senda de Málaga through the vast olive groves ........... 166 13 Archidona – Villanueva de Tapia............................................................................... 170 14 Villanueva de Tapia – Villanueva de Algaidas............................................................. 176 15 Villanueva de Algaidas – Cuevas Bajas.................................................................. 182 16 Cuevas Bajas – Alameda....................................................................................... 188 17 Alameda – Fuente de Piedra................................................................................. 194 V.- In the land of lagoons ........................................................................... 200 18 Fuente de Piedra – Campillos........................................................................... 204 19 Campillos – Campillos (Embalses del Guadalhorce)....................................... 210 VI.- Desfi ladero de los Gaitanes Natural Reserve ................................. 216 20 Campillos (Embalses del Guadalhorce) – Álora (Estación de El Chorro)... 220 21 Álora (Estación de El Chorro) – Ardales........................................................ 228 VII.- The Turón River and The Sierra de las Nieves .................................... 236 22 Ardales – El Burgo.............................................................................................. 238 23 El Burgo – Ronda................................................................................................ 244 VIII.- From The Guadalevín to Guadiaro Rivers ..................................... 252 24 Ronda – Estación de Benaoján......................................................................... 256 25 Estación de Benaoján – Jimera de Líbar.......................................................... 264 26 Jimera de Líbar – Benalauría............................................................................ 272 IX.- The Genal River ........................................................................................... 280 27 Benalauría – Genalguacil...................................................................................... 284 28 Genalguacil – Casares...................................................................................... 292 X.- The western Costa del Sol and the coastal mountain ranges ....... 302 29 Casares – Estepona........................................................................................... 306 30 Estepona – Marbella.......................................................................................... 316 31 Marbella – Ojén.................................................................................................. 326 32 Ojén – Mijas....................................................................................................... 334 33 Mijas – Benalmádena........................................................................................ 344 34 Benalmádena – Alhaurín de la Torre................................................................ 352 35 Alhaurín de la Torre – Málaga................................................................................... 360 PRESENTATION 8 GR-249 Gran Senda de Málaga PRESENTATION Presentation opoguía” is a new term in the Spanish have been transformed by human activity and “ language formed by the Greek words yet manage to maintain a balance between T“topos” meaning a place and “guía” protected areas and areas which have no meaning guide. This type of guide is not only legal protection but offer certain environ- designed to physically guide you but also mental values. Moreover, agricultural areas to describe the geography, topography and and some urban areas are vital to allow an toponymy of places it takes you to. Topography understanding of the use of the land and the describes the special features of the terrain layout of the Gran Senda, as is the historical and toponymy is a study of the origin and footprint of different times left along the meaning of local place names. paths, unpaved tracks, drover´s roads and The goal of the Topographical Guide of The narrow lanes. Gran Senda de Málaga is to describe each of The diversity of environmental units and the Stages of the path while interpreting the landscapes of the province is refl ected in the territory through analysis and explanations, series of 35 Stages proposed in the guide, treating the path as a sum of many places. placing side by side the perception of the In this sense the present work, additional physical environment and its cultural aspects to being a technical guide to the 35 Stages in a suggestive mix of questions, emotions of the itinerary also offers a detailed des- cription of its natural values, pointing out the and understanding which one experiences relevant elements which are interesting from when following footpaths and taking in the an environmental or a cultural point of view. surroundings: the vegetation, climate and The guide has a dynamic and open style different seasons; walking at dawn, dusk or and maintains a uniform structure when midday. This kind of interpretation can be describing each Stage of the itinerary. The found in the careful execution of this guide. contents are accessible to anyone who wants Coordinating and technical supervision of to take on this walking project and explore the “Gran Senda de Málaga “: the most diverse landscapes of the Málaga Juan José López Rosa province. An obvious advantage of this project Saturnino Moreno Borrell is the various formats of the guide available Jacinto Segura Moreno to the walker. Sandra Trujillo González Málaga is a