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El Camino Viejo de Málaga


Distance:  8 km                           Time:  3 hours                                    Difficulty Rating: Medium          

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This route begins in exactly the same way as the Frigiliana- Nerja (1) route, before then following our own ‘Old Drover’ route in reverse. Thus from the start point of the roundabout just below the old sugar factory, take the ring road along to the roundabout at the entrance to the new village. From here you can continue on down the main Frigiliana – Nerja road until you reach the hamlet of La Molineta on your left.

              

             

However a slight deviation is possible, just above La Molineta, that cuts off a large corner of the main road (and avoids the fact that there is no pavement to walk on during this stretch), wherein you turn left just before the final sweeping bend, picture left. The track then winds down for something like 200 m, before re-joining the main road just before La Molineta. Rather than now head up the main road, which doesn’t have a pavement, we are taking you instead off to one side, also enabling you to take a very brief diversion off to your left, up to the site of an interesting old threshing floor, along the way. Thus turn left into the entrance to La Molineta,, and then almost immediately branch right, taking a track up past a concrete pole and two electricity pylons. Then, just before the first house on your left, you can take a very brief diversion off to your left. From the remains of an ancient threshing floor, there are some great views to be seen.

Then descend back to the track, turning left here, and continuing on uphill. On reaching the villa entrance gate on your left, picture left, turn right here down a smaller track. As you continue on down you will see the Frigiliana – Nerja road main road ahead of you, and you need to cross over at a bus stop seen ahead, Immediately to the right of this bus stop turn left past some rubbish bins and letter racks, into the urbanisation Las Lomas de Frigiliana. Here continue straight on keeping the entrance paraphernalia to your right. After a short while you will come to an interesting domed building to your right. Here you want to take the right turn, down what is signposted as ‘El Camino Viejo de Málaga’.

Continue on down this road, which eventually turns into a dirt track, and then rises upwards. As you approach the top, just past a stone-walled villa to your right continue straight on, heading on to what is a path running along the top of the ridge, with some splendid views to either side. Continue on, keeping to the centre of the ridge. The track becomes somewhat rocky, and, after heading downhill, joins the concrete road running parallel on your right.

Continue on down here, as the concrete road itself turns into a rough track, until you reach a junction with a pair of gates ahead of you bearing a representation of two dogs. Turn left here, taking the main, central, track that then winds off to the right uphill, in the direction of the motorway. The track then continues on for about a kilometre, going up and down, until passing through a concrete tunnel underneath the motorway. On exiting here, keep to the left. Following this along you will come to a further crossroads, where you need to turn left.This road now takes you up to the main Frigiliana – Nerja road at a roundabout with a distinctive spire on top. Go straight on here, crossing the main road, and taking a steep minor road downhill.

Follow this around, following the main road, and ignoring turns off to the left or right. Eventually. heading downhill slightly, you will see a turn to the left down a steep concrete track into the valley below. Follow the track down to the valley below, then climbing up to the right, until you reach a concrete road, at which point turn right. Continue straight on down this road to the valley below, ignoring any turns off. At the bottom you turn right, across the (possibly slightly wet) bed of the Rio Chillar, and then continue straight on up the hill. This road eventually brings you out on the main road out through Nerja. Turn left here, going straight ahead at the next roundabout, until reaching a further roundabout just past the Supersol supermarket on your left. A short distance past here is the end of our route, at the entrance to El Capistrano.