Walking

The Barranco Del Poqueira Walks:

The following eight walks can all start from the Cortijos Rey Fini or from places nearby:

There are 8 trails in the Barranco del Poqueira, set out by the Environment Agency. An overview of each route can be seen on the rough maps at the beginning of the paths and colour-coded posts mark the direction to go along the way. These routes enable you to make the most of the attractive scenery and enjoyable walks to be had in this Gorge. The itineraries are well marked.

Route 1

Straight from the cortijos up towards the mountain is excellent for walking with panoramic views of the south towards the mediterranean sea.

From The Cortijos follow the red marks directly up the mountain behind the cortijos. When you get to the boundaries where the pine forest begins, go directly up the rocks or turn right and follow a narrow path. After 500 yards or so you will see another semi derelict cortijo where the shepherd used to keep his goats. Just beyond this point there is a forest track. Go right and it will take you to Trevelez approx time 2 to 3 hours. If you time it right, you should arrive between 2 to3 when menus are served (set lunch of 3 courses including wine). After the lunch you can walk back using GR7 tarmac route to the cortijos.

Route 2

Nearby waterfalls Tajos Cortes, within walking distance from the cortijos.

As above, but turn left on the track at the top. This will take you to the waterfalls and picnic area. If you keep on this road you will reach Capilleira, Bubion and beyond. (Approx 6 hours). You may have a taxi back to the cortijos. Another option which is good especially if you have small children is driving to Trevelez, then just before the rubbish area take the left road, go 100 yards or so and then first turning up the forest track. This will take you above our cortijos. Keep on this road until the waterfalls Tajo Cortes. Just above the waterfalls there is a bridge on the road. Make sure you stop and look down into the deep gorges. If you are walking then you have three options; To continue to Capileira which is a further 4 hours walk, go down from here to the village of Pitres which is half an hour and then go back to cortijosreyfini which is a further 10 Kms or go back to cortijos using the same road you came from.

Route 3

Walkers on the nearby Camino Forestal above the cortijos.

You can go for a short walk, either down the hill to Portugos or up the hill following the river. If you are lucky you may even see one or two jabali on this route. You can continue on this road to Capileira (don’t confuse this with Capilerilla village). Here you can have an excellent local menu (including wine a menu costs between 5 – 7 euros). There is a good tourist information office here as well. Just before the information office you will find a lovely restaurant with a beautiful terrace inside. If you keep walking you will find lots of bars, restaurants and pizzerias. After lunch you can continue to Bubion and then join GR7 where it will take you back to the cortijos again.

Route 4 - From Trevelez (1476m) to Siete Lagunas (2891m)

The Fini family just below Veleta and Mulhacen at 3500m.

This is one of the most spectacular walks in the region with a long climb that takes you up to the beautiful high cirque (2900m), which lies just beneath Spain’s highest peak Mulhacen (3,479m). Take the path which departs from the left of the washing troughs in the upper part of Trevelez. Pass various farms and cortijos up to the Acequia Gorda (1 1/4 hrs). Follow the acequia until finding a badly-marked path, which rises to the Acequia del Mingo, on Los Posteros (1hr). Go along the Acequia del Mingo, crossing la Campinuela, until reaching a dyke on el Vertedero.

Skirt round the lower area of fencing to cross the river and walk up to below the Chorreras Negras, watching out for the waterfall on the way. Walk up to the right of the waterfall to Laguna Hondera (45mins). Just by this is the Refugio Natural de 7 Lagunas. The rivulets linking the seven lakes lead to Laguna Altera, the highest of La Canada. If you go up the highest hill there are some impressive views to be had of the northern faces of Muhacen and la Alcazaba. From Laguna Hondera you could go up Muhacen or the Alcazaba.

Route 5 - From Capileira (1436m) to el Veleta (3394m) via Loma pua

The view from Walnut cortijo looking into the Alpujarra valley.

Leaving Capileira, head towards the river Poqueira and cross it at the Puente Buchite. Take the path to la Cebadilla (1 hr). Cebadilla can also be reached by car, following the road from Capileira towards el Veleta, going left after a riding school (picadero de caballos).

Once past the Central Electrica del Poqueira, and the pipes coming from the Camara de Carga (charging chambers), cross the river at the Puente Naute and begin the demanding ascent of the hill until reaching the Camara de Carga (1 hr). Continue going up along the ridge to Loma Pua, going over the Pico del Sabinar (2995m) (2 ½ hrs). Keeping the Tajos Del Tesoro on your right hand side, you reach la Cariguela, without going over the top of the Puntal del la Loma Pua. From here follow the route to Capileira. After about an hour you will pass the refugio de La Carihuela to the right, then go up the ridge to arrive at the summit of the Veleta (30mins).

Route 6 - From Capileira (1436m) to the refugio del Poqueira (2500m).

A breath taking view of the Sierra Nevada above Trevelez.
1. Take sendero 3 (path 3) del Poqueira to the Acequias Baja and Alta. Follow the Acequia Alta until below the Pena de Juan Alonso. Walk up the right side of the last gully to the Refugio. (time: 3 hrs)
2. Take any of the senderos del Poqueira to La Cebadilla. Go over the Puente Naute across the river and pick up the path which leads past the Cortijo Blanco to the Hoya del Capitan. Go up the right side of the Barranco across the Acequia Baja and then the Alta. Leave the path and walk up the right side of the gully to the Refugio. (Time: 3 hrs)
3. Drive out of Capileira along the asphalt track (which becomes a dirt track) to the Hoya del Portillo, where non-authorised vehicles have to stop. Walk down the track, passing on the left hand side the track towards the Rio Bermejo. Keep going to the next bend, by a firebreak. Take the path next to the Acequia Alta, which leads to another track on the Hoya del Leon. There is a very well-marked path between the Acequia Alta and Baja which you take to the sendero 3 del Poqueira. Follow this to reach the refugio. (Time: 2 ¾ hrs from the Hoya del Portillo).

Route 7 - From Portugos (1303m) to the refugio del Poquiera (2500m) (Time 5 hrs)

The view en route to Sierra Nevada and above the cortijos.

Take the path out of Portugos towards the Area Recreativa Rio Bermejo (1 hr). Cross the river and go up its right bank, avoiding the rocky spurs which would lead you away from the river, until you come across a path leading up to a firebreak. Walk up this path to reach the forest track above the Chorrerillas de Cortes. Continue along the path to come out at the track from Capileira to el Veleta. Walk down this to the next bend (1 hr 10 mins) and carry on to the refugio.

Route 8 - From Trevelez (1476m) to the Horcajo. (time 3 hrs)

If you walk straight from the cortijos and beyond the camino forestal towards Mulhacen you will find amazing views.

From the calle Real, next to the church of the middle quarter, take the dirt track towards the Rio Trevelez and follow it to its end (45 mins). Pick up the path on the right bank of the river to the end of the Acequia Nueva and cross it to get past the rainves of Los Crestones de los Posteros (1 hr). Continue along the left bank until past the Loma de Chordi and cross the river at the bridge. Keep going 5 mins on this bank until corssing back, then stick to the left bank to the place where the rivers untillas and Puerto de Jerez merge (1 hr 10 mins) at he Horcajo.

Also worth visiting is the Tibetan Buddhist Monastery of Clear Light, also known as O Sel Ling, the birthplace of the young Osel, who is supposed to be the successor to the Dalai Lama. It can be visited from 3 pm to 6 pm daily. To get there drive towards Orgiva and about 5 km before Orgiva you will find a chapel on your left. This is called Padre Eterno. Just opposite the chapel there is a road going up – drive up for several miles and you will see the monastery sign posted on your right.

The Mecina & Pitres Walks:

The following 5 walks are based around the villages known as the Taha de Pitres. They are all lower than Pitres and consequently a few degrees warmer. They are small traditional white washed hamlets and villages and very picturesque. They provide beautiful narrow tracks and pathways for relatively easy walking, although some of it is steep. The easiest way to reach them by car is to turn left coming out of Pitres heading towards Orgiva down a zig zag road which is clearly signposted to Mecina Fondales.

Route 1 - Mecinilla-Ferreirola-Fondales – Mecinilla (Approx. 1 hour)

Walks photo 1

Start off in Mecinilla and take the track signposted towards Mecina and Fondales. Walk through the village keeping to the left until you find a sign to Ferreirola and follow that track. When you enter the village turn right and then left and walk up into the main square where you will find the washhouse. Ferreirola has a natural spring of fizzy water which has a sharp taste to id due to the high iron content. Take a left past the church which takes you out of the village. Carry on through Mecina, turn left past the church and this will bring you back to Mecinilla and your starting point.

Route 2 - Mecinilla-Mecina-Pitres (Approx. 1 hour)

Walks photo 2

Start by the El Aljibe bar in Mecinilla. Take the road towards Mecina and the right hand turn to Ferreirola. Keep going past the graveyard and turn left by a football pitch. Stay on this road for approx 2 km until it forks. Take the left hand fork which climbs up approx 500 m until you see a track on the right with a yellow and white signpost. Go along this track which drops down until it crosses the river and climbs again the other side. It follows an irrigation channel for approx 60 m, then take a left past a refugio and up onto the main Pitres road. (GR421).

Route 3 - Mecinilla-Fondales-Ferreirola-Busquistar (Approx 1-1.5 hours)

Walks photo 3

Take the Fondales road out of Mecinilla. This will meet the Mecina Fondales road where you take a right and then left to carry on to Fondales. Walk through the village keeping to your left until you see a sign to Ferreirola. Follow this sign. On entering Ferreirola take a right and then left and carry on through the village into the square where the washhouse and fountain are. Turn right and carry on out of the village until you see a sign to Busquistar. Take this path which is well signed until it starts to climb. Here you must keep climbing and not follow the route signed to the river. The path bends to the left where you will see Busquistar in the distance. Carry on to the main plaza where there is a bar with good tapas.

Route 4 - Mecinilla loop (Approx 5 hours)

Walks photo 4

Out of Mecinilla take the Fondales track until it crosses the Mecina Fondales road and take a right and then left to carry on the same track for another 150 m until you reach the village. Carry on through the village until you see a sign to the river which you follow down through some woodland until you come to a footbridge over the gorge. Cross this and follow the track right climbing the mountain side. You will pass an old cattle station where the track forms a T junction. Take the left and carry on for approx 6 km. At the end of this track you will find a farm and the track goes to the left through a meadow before reaching lots of zigzags. From here on the track is very steep with loose rocks and sharp bends. Carry on down and cross the river. This is a nice place to rest awhile. Take the left hand track which will join the Ferreirola-Busquistar track. Follow this until you reach Ferreirola where you can go back to Mecinilla or Fondales.

Route 5 - Mecina Fondales-Pitres-Portugos-Busquistar-Ferreirola (Approx 4 hours)

Walks photo 5

Start by the El Aljibe bar and take the road out of the village into Mecina turning left up the mountain side. Here you have 2 options: follow the road up until it meets the main road (GR421) (approx 3 km) where you turn right for Pitres, or take the goat track 400m up which is signposted with small red squares and turn right at the top towards Pitres. From Pitres you can follow the road on to Portugos and Busquistar. About 1 km before you reach Busquistar there is a dirt track on your right which is sign posted with yellow and white. Go along this steep track which drops down the mountain side for 1000 m. It will eventually be crossed by the Busquistar-Ferreirola track – take the right and carry on for 3 km where it climbs down through woodland until it brings you to Ferreirola.

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