NERJA WALKS. MEDIUM LEVEL. White monument on the Hill, Virgin Del Carmen, Patrona De La Armada

Nerja walks.  

White monument on the Hill, Virgin Del Carmen, Patrona De La Armada

Simple to medium walk

This is a fairly easy walk with the exception of 2 bursts of energy sapping hill walking. In total it will take about 3 hours with the prospect of a cold beer at the end. Then catch the bus down from Frigiliana to Nerja. 

I dont advise you do this walk in reverse as it would involve boulder scrambling, easy coming down, not so easy going up.

Walk duration approx. 3Hrs.

The start point is also the best place to park your car.

There is a parking area in Nerja under the ‘new’ road bridge, close to the main ALSA bus stop, known as the 'dust bowl.'

If you drive up the hill, along Avenida Pescia, crossing over the new bridge, to your right you will see the ‘Dustbowl’ car park. Just as you cross the bridge there is a slipway to the right. Turn down there, and head right. You will find a hill to your right at the rear of Mercadona that leads to the car park. Sounds confusing, but is fairly easy! Park there.

The Rio Chillar is easy to find, it runs under the bridge! Turn right here away from the sea (Obviously!)

From here follow the route of the Rio (River) Chiller towards the hills. Passing under the road bridge in central Nerja. It is important you keep to the right hand side of the Rio Chiller. Once under the bridge you will pass a foot bridge to your left. Stay on the right of the Rio Chillar. After a few minutes if you look above you there are a number of cave houses which are still lived in. After about 15 minutes the whole area opens up almost into a plateau. You will see a road/path crosses the rio at this point going uphill from both sides. In the distance you will see the A7 motorway bridge high across the valley. You will be heading for that bridge. After about 10 Minutes, go under the bridge. 

Keep walking with the Rio Chillar to your left. It is important that you keep the Chillar to your LEFT after walking under the motorway bridge. If it is dry you will see where the river bed is. Carry on walking straight along this route. After approx. another 10 minutes you come across a white building, next to a white compound which operates as a car park during the summer months. Just past the white building is the entrance to the Natural park, there is a barrier in front of you. You will see the road, prior to the barrier bears sharply to the left, almost doubling back on yourself, and goes up. 

Follow this road for about 30 minutes. It goes into a slight undulating slope, past houses initially to the left, then both sides. There is nowhere else to go. Just follow the road. After about 30 minutes, the houses end and there is a fork in the road, see photo, take the right fork. 

Keep walking up, until you come to what is a 3 way junction. See photo below. One road to the left, one unmade path in front of you, and to your right, a Natural park sign depicting Parque Natural. The sign has 'Pinto' scratched onto it.You will turn right and walk up the hill through the wooded area. 

This part will take about 20 minutes. You will see a number of rocks marked with green paint on them. The route does change slightly according to the amount of fresh rain. But you are going up. Just try to follow either the green paint or the Cairns (Piles of rocks) which act as markers. 

Once at the top you will see the monument with fantastic views of the local area including Frigiliana and Nerja. The monument was erected by a sea captain who survived a terrible storm at sea. So grateful was he for surviving the storm, the monument is there for all to see. 

Once you have got your breath back and had a drink go to the back of the monument where there is a clear path down the other side. This part of the walk is great in that there are no houses, or signs of civilization except for the power cable towers, which is where you are heading for. 

As you approach the power cable tower you will see the pathway joins a couple of others. You need to go straight on/slightly right, taking the lower path. 

There are green paint spots to guide you. Carry on walking along the lower path for about 5 minutes and you will past (On your right) a disused building. The path will now drop down to the river bed. It looks worse than it is, and a short scramble gets you onto the river bed. Sometimes dry, sometimes wet, consider taking a pair of crocs or light shoes for this bit.

Turn right onto the river bed. After about 200 metres you will see a green arrow on the righthand bank. 

This is the are where you leave the river. Walk along the bank for about 50 metres, and join  the concrete path. Turn left. 

The road climbs here, rather steeply, into Frigiliana which is about a 3 minute walk.

Go and drink a beer. 

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).