Walking Holidays in the Alpujarras
The Alpujarra, is in a corner of Andalucia, which it often seems
time forgot! It skirts the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada
Mountains, the highest in mainland Spain, boasts stunning scenery,
hot sunny weather and is a wonderful area for walking. During the
spring and autumn months the surroundings are particularly
beautiful; in spring the land is carpeted with a vast array of wild
flowers and blossom adorns the fruit trees which are dotted around
the slopes. In autumn leaves turn golden brown, the fruit ripens and
trees are laden with the years harvest.
The area is characterised by steep valleys scoured by rivers and
streams hurtling down the mountainside from the snow covered slopes
above, many of which rise to over 3000 metres. Traditional farming
has left a legacy of terraced valley sides, dotted with small
buildings or cortijos, which were the summer residence of village
farmers.
The Alpujarra was one of the last outposts of the Moors when they
ruled Spain many years ago. They left a legacy of attractive
villages, built in a style unique to this part of Spain, together
with many miles of acequias, a complicated system of irrigation
which remains to this day. One of our favourite walks is a circuit
of the Taha gorge.
The Taha is a particularly special region of the central Alpujarra, characterised by stunning scenery, largely unspoilt villages, and
typically Spanish farmland. Walking can be enjoyed at all times of
the year, particularly when the weather in high mountains is less
appealing. The Rio Trevelez has scoured it’s way on route to the
sea, to form a rocky gorge. The result is majestic scenery;
steep-sided rock faces, over which goats can often be seen or heard,
seeking out a meal, and in the past the water from the river has
been used as a source of power; the remains two water mills are seen
in the valley.
 Walking a circuit of the gorge, we are are given glimpses of the
mountains surrounding Trevelez, Spain’s highest village. Although
the Taha is comparatively low lying, the rocky environment is in
many ways similar to that of the mountains, giving the impression of
remoteness and grandure. The scenery on the southern side gradually
changes, to become more Mediterranean, as the limestone replaces the
volcanics of the valley. Here we can enjoy almond and olive groves,
hear the insects buzzing and laze in the balmy shade of pine trees.
There is evidence of mining along the road above the gorge; mercury
was mined in the area, although usually on a small scale. If you
have a torch, you can poke your head onto one of these, however be
very careful, they are likely to be dangerous!! The woods provide a
pleasant respite from the heat of the sun in summer, and can be a
good picnic spot.
Paths zig-zag steeply towards the valley floor, at times quite
vertiginous and giving brilliant views of the gorge and villages,
they demonstrate an amazing feat of Roman engineering. At the right
time of year, you can either enjoy a ‘snack’ from the occasional fig
tree, whose aroma will great you along the way, or marvel at the
water spilling over the valley sides to the torrent below. After
around an hour of downhill walking, you come to a bridge, again
almost certainly Roman in origin, alongside which are the remains of
a mill, powered by the water of the Rio Trevelez, which has scoured
out some striking rock formations in the rocky gorge.
Beyond the river, the path turns left and begins to climb steeply,
to the first of the Taha villages. The vegetation on this side of
the valley is very different. Small plots of farmland interspersed
with chestnuts, a variety of fruit trees, give a lush, green
appearance to the landscape. Many of the fields are beautifully
tended, and give a flavour of what farming might have been like in
much of Spain until recent years. As well as crops, some plots have
sheep, goats or horses, often guarded by a dog or two. On one
occasion we stopped to watch a dog, who had taken time off from
‘guarding’ to jaw fight with one of the goats, just as our two dogs
back home do – they had obviously become his pack!As you enter one village, you pass a pretty water fountain, and a
newly renovated house, with lovely wooden door. Many of the houses
in the Taha villages have been recently renovated, and the local
council has been awarded an internationally recognised certificate
for it’s environmental management. It is worth taking time to
explore the maze of alleyways, noting the variety of tiled plaques
used to name streets and alongside water fountains or wash houses,
and some of the picturesque flower and plant arrangements which
adorn balconies, and porches. One village has an interesting
‘fuente’, decorated with poems describing lovers as they loiter
while collecting water.
Many villages in the Alpujarra have a bar or two, where at the end
of a walk, you can enjoy sitting outside for a refreshing beer and
tapas (or if you choose to linger even longer, a meal) particularly
if there are good views across the valley from the outside tables,
where you can share the experiences of the day, and enjoy the
setting sun. If you're interested in arranging a walking
holiday in the Alpujarras you should contact Jeremy and Jeni through their
website
www.walkalpujarra.com/ |
Flights to Spain
It's hard to keep track of all the new flight services to Spain. On our
flights to Spain page
we've listed some of the most popular carriers and companies offering discount
deals.
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Spain Car Rental
Car rental in Spain is big business. To make sure you get the best deal you MUST book the car on
the internet in advance. The competition between all the car rental
brokers is such that you can get some excellent deals. We've provided some
advice on car rental in
Spain with a few of the most reliable and best value online brokers who
offer deals from all over the country.
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