Nerja to Torrox Lighthouse through the mountains.
Walking in Nerja. This is a fantastic little walk. I have graded this as more of a medium type hike, only because of the distance covered of approx. 13 Kilometres.
This walk will take approx. 3 hours. At the end is the Torrox bus stop to take you directly back into the heart of Nerja.
Start point is to find the old bridge situated on the west side of Nerja (Malaga side) situated between Super Sol supermarket and El Puente Restaurant.
Cross the old bridge, walking towards Malaga, and follow the road around to the right, passing the El Puente Restaurant to your right. Cross the roundabout and head up the hill. As a reference point, after about 100 metres you will see the BP fuel garage to your right.
Continue up the hill crossing the second roundabout, again as a reference point you will see Lidl supermarket to your left, just after the roundabout.
From Nerja, after about 1 kilometre you come to the third roundabout where you will see a metal structure above the roundabout. See photo below.
Turn left at this roundabout and head down the hill. Beware of vehicles coming up here as there is no footpath. I regard this as safe, but just be careful.
After approx. 5 minutes, having gone up and down the hill you come to a cross roads. Turn right here, passing the stables to your right, and heading towards the motorway.
Just before the motorway there is a junction. Turn left, keeping the motorway to your right, still walking in the direction of Malaga.
You now have the motorway to your right. Keep on this path.
After about 10 minutes you cross a river, via a blue sided bridge, to your right are the huge motorway supports. Here you need to cross under the motorway, using the second turning on the right, and follow the motorway, this time with the motorway to your left, still in the direction of malaga.
For reassurance purposes you will see a number of wooden poles, with red and white stripes on them (GR249). The GR249 is a Government sponsored walkway, this one going in a circular route from Nerja caves to Estepona, Approx. 600 Kilometres in length. We are following part of this path today.
After approx. 10 minutes you will see a path off to the right, above which is a large blue sign depicting the El Pino campsite, turn right here, and the hill climb begins.
After approx. 1 1/2 Kilometres of climbing, you come to a junction, where the path goes off to the left, see photo. Take the left path. Again for reassurance you will se the wooden (GR249) post on the left with a red and white ring around it. The post to the right has a red and white cross. The cross means do not take this route.
You are now on a dirt track, suitable still for vehicles. To your left at the bottom of the ravine you see the motorway, heading into 2 tunnels. In the distance, along your track you will see a 'V' shape within the mountains, with a dirt track on it. This is your route across the mountains. Dont worry, you cant get lost, and it is perfectly safe. (GR249 route).
After 10 minutes or so there is a fork in the path. If you have had enough by now then take the left fork, which will take you to Punta Lara, and civilisation. If still walking to Torrox (Most of the hills have now been climbed), then keep straight on.
After a couple of minutes you now cross through the V shape ridge you saw earlier. You are walking above the 2 motorway tunnels. Almost immediately after crossing the ridge the path splits. Take the left path.
Looking above and to your left you will see wooden wall strengtheners where the area was farmed in bygone days. The track here begins to get quite gravely, and care is needed whilst walking down the hill. Eventually to will see the exits of the 2 tunnels and the motorway is to your right.
Follow the path, over the next hill, and in the distance you will see the housing area of Torrox Park, straddling the motorway tunnels. The motorway is still your right.
The path becomes concrete again, and the road splits. Look for the red and white paint on the wall to the right hand path, See photo. There is a GR249 post to the left with the red and white cross. Keep to the right. See photo.
Following the path you come to another motorway bridge crossing a river. There is a road in front of you. Cross the road, and there is a path to the right which goes under the motorway, and down the hill. Again there are red and white markings on the wall, and a huge water outlet to your right as you descend down to the river. Just follow your nose and the red and white markings.
Eventually to get to the bottom and cross via a very old Roman bridge. This bridge is hard to spot as the grass over grows, but it crosses a small stream. As in all things in life there is good (Going downhill) and bad (Going back up). This is the last hill. Generally keep left to any splits in the grass track.
At the top, there is a path going left towards the sea. Follow this path.
Famous last words I know, but you cant really get lost on this bit. You will go under the motorway, again, and keep walking towards the sea. You will see the Torrox Light house in the distance. After approx. 30 minutes you come to a white building to your left (See photo), and need to cross the river at this point. I think this is the second sewage works you pass and on a good day you know about it!!
Having crossed the river, turn left, go under a couple of bridges, (With red and white stripes thereon) and you come to the light house.
There are plenty of bars here. The bus station is back a bit and to your right. Being Spain there is no bus ticket office or timetable, so you may wish to download from Alsa buses the timetable as the buses are infrequent. You can pay on the bus. There is also a can rank nearby.
Great fun, just enjoy.
This and all my walks are simple, solitary walks, but if you want something a bit more sociable interaction, informative about local areas, history and and in depth to varying degrees you cant do better than go walking with John Keo walking tours. John, and his brother Graham, operate out of Nerja and Frigiliana. The link is http://www.hikingwalkingspain.com/ . Well worth the day out with these 2. Give them a try. I did, it was one of the best things I did (I don't work for John, he is just very good).
Just before the motorway there is a junction. Turn left, keeping the motorway to your right, still walking in the direction of Malaga.
You now have the motorway to your right. Keep on this path.
After about 10 minutes you cross a river, via a blue sided bridge, to your right are the huge motorway supports. Here you need to cross under the motorway, using the second turning on the right, and follow the motorway, this time with the motorway to your left, still in the direction of malaga.
For reassurance purposes you will see a number of wooden poles, with red and white stripes on them (GR249). The GR249 is a Government sponsored walkway, this one going in a circular route from Nerja caves to Estepona, Approx. 600 Kilometres in length. We are following part of this path today.
After approx. 10 minutes you will see a path off to the right, above which is a large blue sign depicting the El Pino campsite, turn right here, and the hill climb begins.
After approx. 1 1/2 Kilometres of climbing, you come to a junction, where the path goes off to the left, see photo. Take the left path. Again for reassurance you will se the wooden (GR249) post on the left with a red and white ring around it. The post to the right has a red and white cross. The cross means do not take this route.
You are now on a dirt track, suitable still for vehicles. To your left at the bottom of the ravine you see the motorway, heading into 2 tunnels. In the distance, along your track you will see a 'V' shape within the mountains, with a dirt track on it. This is your route across the mountains. Dont worry, you cant get lost, and it is perfectly safe. (GR249 route).
After 10 minutes or so there is a fork in the path. If you have had enough by now then take the left fork, which will take you to Punta Lara, and civilisation. If still walking to Torrox (Most of the hills have now been climbed), then keep straight on.
After a couple of minutes you now cross through the V shape ridge you saw earlier. You are walking above the 2 motorway tunnels. Almost immediately after crossing the ridge the path splits. Take the left path.
Looking above and to your left you will see wooden wall strengtheners where the area was farmed in bygone days. The track here begins to get quite gravely, and care is needed whilst walking down the hill. Eventually to will see the exits of the 2 tunnels and the motorway is to your right.
Follow the path, over the next hill, and in the distance you will see the housing area of Torrox Park, straddling the motorway tunnels. The motorway is still your right.
The path becomes concrete again, and the road splits. Look for the red and white paint on the wall to the right hand path, See photo. There is a GR249 post to the left with the red and white cross. Keep to the right. See photo.
Following the path you come to another motorway bridge crossing a river. There is a road in front of you. Cross the road, and there is a path to the right which goes under the motorway, and down the hill. Again there are red and white markings on the wall, and a huge water outlet to your right as you descend down to the river. Just follow your nose and the red and white markings.
Eventually to get to the bottom and cross via a very old Roman bridge. This bridge is hard to spot as the grass over grows, but it crosses a small stream. As in all things in life there is good (Going downhill) and bad (Going back up). This is the last hill. Generally keep left to any splits in the grass track.
At the top, there is a path going left towards the sea. Follow this path.
Famous last words I know, but you cant really get lost on this bit. You will go under the motorway, again, and keep walking towards the sea. You will see the Torrox Light house in the distance. After approx. 30 minutes you come to a white building to your left (See photo), and need to cross the river at this point. I think this is the second sewage works you pass and on a good day you know about it!!
Having crossed the river, turn left, go under a couple of bridges, (With red and white stripes thereon) and you come to the light house.
There are plenty of bars here. The bus station is back a bit and to your right. Being Spain there is no bus ticket office or timetable, so you may wish to download from Alsa buses the timetable as the buses are infrequent. You can pay on the bus. There is also a can rank nearby.
Great fun, just enjoy.
This and all my walks are simple, solitary walks, but if you want something a bit more sociable interaction, informative about local areas, history and and in depth to varying degrees you cant do better than go walking with John Keo walking tours. John, and his brother Graham, operate out of Nerja and Frigiliana. The link is http://www.hikingwalkingspain.com/ . Well worth the day out with these 2. Give them a try. I did, it was one of the best things I did (I don't work for John, he is just very good).
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