Andalucia Walks:
Follow these lovely trails through the Alto Genal.

Andalucia Walks, The Alto Genal by Diana Beach and Sandrine dos Santos.

Improve your stability and lessen wear and tear on your joints by using walking poles.

Only 16 km from Ronda, the third most visited town in Andalucia, and 45 minutes from the Costa del Sol, is an undiscovered little Eden - a haven for walkers, bikers, birdwatchers, and nature and culture lovers. Few people have heard of this surprisingly lush valley, home to seven tiny traditional white villages retaining their Moorish character. They are dotted amongst the mountainsides where limestone crags, almond and cherry orchards and sweet chestnut forests dominate, and where the río Genal flows. Except for the four species of eagles and other rare avian visitors, the Alto Genal Valley is possibly one of the least visited places in Andalucia.

The Alto Genal offers a wide range of easy to moderate walks, going from one village to another and ranging from 1 to 5 hours, with an incredible variety of scenery and abundant with wildlife. The routes are mainly linear but can be put together to create longer circular routes, such as the second walk described below. A cool drink or a lovely typical Spanish meal is never further than a couple of hour's walk away. Here are two walks starting from Cartajima, the highest village in Málaga Province and the ideal central base from which to explore the Alto Genal Valley

Andalucia Walks; Walk 1. Cartajima – Júzcar

Time: 1-1:30 hours, linear

Walking level: easy

Starting point: Cartajima.

At the entrance of the village, pass the swimming pool, take 1st right and follow the road down to the bottom.

Take the track signposted Júzcar. Just before the goat farm, turn right and follow the marked track going down to a dry river bed meandering through sweet chestnut forests and cherry orchards.

Cross the dry river bed and take the footpath opposite climbing gently to the left. Keep following the main path & the waymarks. This path will take you mainly through oak forests.

At the road, turn left and walk for about 100 metres. Turn right and take the steep concrete road down to the village centre, where you can seek refreshment at the two local Bar/Restaurants.

Andalucia Walks;Walk 2. Cartajima - Parauta - Igualeja – Cartajima

Time: 4-5 hours, circular

Walking level: moderate

Starting point: Cartajima.

At the end of Calle Capitán Cortés (a.k.a. Calle Ancha).

Take the track on the left signposted Parauta. Follow the main track down to two streams; the first one is normally dry. The path will meander through sweet chestnut forests and almond orchards which are well worth seeing when blooming in January.

Ford both streams and carry on straight ahead, passing a derelict mill on the left.

Stay on the main path which climbs gently through a walnut orchard and then amongst oak trees. The path then remains more or less flat until reaching Parauta.

Follow the street past a Pinsapo (rare indigenous pine) on the right and keep bearing right into the Plaza de la Constitución and onto the main street. After a short distance, turn hard right onto a concrete track signposted Igualeja.

The path then takes you to the other side of the hill and down into the next valley. At the bottom, ford the stream.

After 50m, leave the main track and take the waymarked path to the right, which meanders uphill between sweet chestnut trees.Just before reaching the brow of the hill, turn left through a makeshift gate. Carry on up close to the fence and follow the waymarked path bearing left until it joins a track. Follow the track up on the left, past gates and a white building. Keep bearing left.

At the crossroads, carry straight on, down and up, heading for the village, past lovely fruit orchards and arriving into Calle Tetona, Barrio Santa Rosa. Turn right and follow the street down to the centre. At the bottom, take the flight of steps on the left to see the birthplace of the río Genal, or carry straight on to visit Igualeja's numerous squares where there are several cafes and bars. Alternatively, take the path to the right before a small fountain, and follow the river Genal to continue the walk back to Cartajima.

Leave the river & follow the narrow path uphill. Once at the top, turn right on the track and follow it down and up until you reach a crossroads.

At the crossroads, over the crest of the next hill, carry on straight ahead and follow the sign for Cartajima. Follow the main track down, past two white buildings, ignoring tracks joining from both sides.The track stops at the second building. Make your way down and to the left of the building, ignoring the fenced area at the bottom, and carry on straight ahead to the stream.

Ford the stream and continue along the narrow path following a fence which then joins the Cartajima-Parauta track.

Turn left and follow the main track up to Cartajima.

Andalucia Walks;How to get there

The Alto Genal can be reached easily by either the Ronda-Algeciras A-369 road or the Ronda-San Pedro A-376 road. From the A-376, take the MA-526 road for Igualeja and Pujerra. From either road take the MA-525/MA-515 for the other 5 Alto Genal villages.

Andalucia Walks;When to go

Ideal times of the year to walk in the Alto Genal are: December - May, and September - October. November can be rainy but not always. The summer months are hot so early morning or late evening walks are advised. Spring is especially a great time to visit the area as it is ablaze with wildflowers and alive with butterflies.

For a further excellent selection of Andalucia Walks read Guy Walker’s very informative book-“Walking in Andalucia-The Best Walks in Southern Spain’s Natural Parks”

Back to Out and About in Andalucia.

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