Walking in the Alpujarras: A Short Guide for Renters
The perpetual snows of Spain's Sierra Nevada have carved deep gorges on their southern flanks as melt water from this high mountain mass finds its way out into the Mediterranean via the mighty Rio Guadalfeo. It is here, tucked into the sun-facing façade of these lofty slopes, that villages of whitewashed stone houses and cobbled streets have sprung up over the centuries, clustered around sheltered woodlands fed by these mountain streams. Many of these villages are linked by walking routes of varying degrees of difficulty, routes that take the walker through a plethora of natural environs incorporating open hillside, forest paths and riverbanks - a land of almonds and olives, grapes on the vine, oranges and lemons, carpeted with mountain flowers and dotted with natural springs and watering holes. What follows is a short guide to walking in the region around La Taha (Mecina, Mecinilla, Fondales [Mecina Fondales], Ferreirola, Pitres and Atalbeitar), the villages of the Poqueira gorge and beyond. This has been written with the amateur walker in mind, leaving the treks through the higher Alpujarras to those more experienced in these matters and the specialist literature.
Websites, Books, Guides and Maps There are numerous books about walking in Spain/Las Alpujarras-Sierra Nevada. These include include The Lonely Planet's Walking in Spain and Andy Walmsley's Walking in the Sierra Nevada There are also various maps available that walkers can use, though it can be difficult to get them in more remote areas of Spain, so it may well be best to purchase them prior to your departure. The 1:40,000 Tour and Trail map, by the British company Discovery, is a good place to start. But there are also the IGN (Instituto Geografico Nacional) maps on the 1:25,000 scale and the SGE (Servicio Geodrafico del Ejercito) 1:50,000 maps which show more footpath detail than the IGN ones - you should note that whilst the symbols are the same the key for these is in Spanish. Copies are available by mail order from the Map Shop (0800 085 4080 or www.mapshop.com) The website www.go4awalk.com currently offers 2 downloadable routes in the area with maps Go to the home page and click on "walk search by area" (you can also search by mountain/hill) and then on the "La Alpujarra, Sierra Nevada". This will give you two downloading options: (i) esn109 Two Bridges from Capileira, Las Alpujarras and (ii) esn125 Rio Trevelez from Mecina, Las Alpujarras.

Suggested Routes I: La Taha and around All of the routes outlined in this section (Walks 1 to 5) begin at Casa de las Ollas in Mecinilla, although they can, of course, be adapted should you be starting from a different point. Whilst some of the walks outlined below are fairly short, others (eg. walks 4 and 5) are longer and you may want to take a picnic with you to enjoy en route - you will need plenty of water for all routes, especially in the high season, although you will be able to fill up water carriers from the fountains and natural springs that are dotted along the paths.
Suggested Routes II: The Poqueira Gorge and its Villages These walks (Walks 6 to 10) generally require you to drive out and leave the car in one village before embarking on a round trip route. Some routes, however, begin in one place and end in another so leave enough time and be prepared to do the trip in reverse to get back to your car - alternatively time your walk to coincide with the (rather infrequent!) local buses or try your hand at hitching a ride. Again, as some of the routes are quite long, you will need to remember water and perhaps some sustenance for the way, notwithstanding the many village bars and restaurants en route.
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