To the west of Granada lie the Sierra Nevada, the highest mountains in Spain at over 3400m. Between them and the Mediterranean lies the mountainous region of the Alpujarras with its strong Moorish influences, whitewashed villages and wild rugged scenery. This is an area largely unexplored by outsiders until recently, slightly better known now as the setting for Chris Stewart's book “Driving Over Lemons”.
Staying in small traditional hotels and pensions, the route begins in the mountain village of Yegen and winds from village to village through a landscape of rugged mountains, oak and chestnut forests and terraced farms still tilled by mules. It is a land of wild flowers, mountain ibex, golden orioles and bee-eaters, just waiting to be explored. The walking is moderate and the walking days relatively short as it can be hot
Day 1 YEGEN Arrive in Malaga or Granada. OPTIONAL transfer to your first night's accommodation in Yegen. Yegen was the adopted home of Gerald Brenan whose travel book “South From Granada” was a classic of the inter-war years. Meeting and dinner with Jeremy and Jeni, your hosts for the walking tour. Your accommodation tonight is in a village inn with an excellent restaurant and chef as well as swimming pool and spectacular views across the countryside.
Day 2 YEGEN : CIRCULAR WALKS (5KM or 7KM) Details are provided for two different circular walks. One can be completed in the morning and the other in the afternoon and the walks give an introduction into the beautiful agricultural landscape of the area.
Day 3 YEGEN TO BERCHULES (14KM) An amazingly varied walk today, you travel through verdant valleys, moonscapes and traditional villages as you wind your way into Bérchules. Arrival and overnight at a lovely 2* hotel run by an English speaking mother and son team, offering rooms with terraces, an outdoor swimming pool and a lovely fireplace for the cooler months.
Day 4 BERCHULES TO TREVELEZ (10KM) A walk of around 5 hours will take you from Mediterranean Bérchules to the almost Northern European town of Trevélez, with plenty of time for sightseeing on arrival. The route passes through the chestnut region above the village and into open hillside before descending into the valley of the Trevélez river. The highest village in Spain, Trevélez is famous for its air cured ham and rich agricultural tradition, with many horses, goats, sheep and cattle roaming the hillsides. You will overnight in a family run 1* hotel, a favourite with walkers and situated high in the village. The restaurant is a highlight, with a wide variety of traditional and vegetarian dishes, with lovely views across the town.
Day 5 TREVELEZ TO BUSQUISTAR (14KM) Heading south on the west side of the valley, the highlight of this route is the wide variety of tree species that can be seen along the way. When in season, the orchids are also a delight and as the way-marking is quite good, you can follow the red and white posts and parallel lines, indicating the GR7 route towards Busquístar. The walk will take between 4 and 5 hours, plus any rest and meal stops you may like to take along the way. Your accommodation in Busquístar is in a charming rural village house and the town itself has a local restaurant as an option for dinner.
Day 6 BUSQUISTAR TO CAPILEIRA (11KM) Passing through valleys and an Oak wood, you will arrive in Barranco del Poqueira, a beautiful valley, popular with locals and tourists alike which offers splendid views of the Sierra Nevada mountain range. An optional 1 hour diversion from the track will take you to the very romantic spot known as La Mezquita, site of a Roman temple and once used for witchcraft ceremonies. Today, this lovely place is ideal for a quiet picnic. Your accommodation in Capileira is well situated in the busy village and has lovely gardens and an outdoor swimming pool, open from May to September.
Day 7 CAPILEIRA: CIRCULAR WALKS (3KM TO 16KM) You are provided with a choice of local walks of varying length. Walking distance from Capileira are the sister towns of Bubión and Pampaneira, offering a wide variety of restaurants, craft shops, an information centre and museums.
