Antequera
lies in the very heart of Andalucía, 46 kilometres inland from
the Costa del Sol, just off the motorway network which links Sevilla,
Málaga, Granada and Córdoba. With Ronda and Marbella
also close at hand it is, truely, the "Crossroads of Andalucía"
A very pretty town, it is much more than just another sleepy, sun-soaked
'pueblo' of Southern Spain. Hugely rich in history, culture and heritage,
it retains an almost medieval air. Inhabited since the Bronze Age,
there are fascinating monuments everywhere: tombs which date back
to 2,500 BC, Roman baths, a 13th Century Moorish castle, Baroque churches
and Renaissance palaces remain to pay tribute to the strategic importance
of Antequera in days gone by.
The
town, and the vast fertile valley which spreads out beyond it to the
north, are overlooked by an almost vertical, 800 metre high, limestone
outcrop, La Peña de los Enamorados, "The Lovers'
Leep", where legend has it that two young lovers, a Christian
man and a Moorish woman, hurled themselves from the top rather than
renounce their illicit love.
To
the south, southeast and southwest of Antequera, deep in the heart
of the Province of Málaga, some of Andalucía's most
striking scenery and pretty villages are to be found:
Thirteen
kilometres to the south of Antequera, the landscape changes dramatically
as the rolling hills and fields of cereals, sunflowers and olives
suddenly give way to the Sierra de Torcala massive, Mars-like mountain of heavily eroded rock formations. The imagination plays tricks as giants, monsters and castles seem to appear
before your eyes.
Unique
in Europe, this dreamy, surrealistic landscape has inspired generations
of artists and film makers as well as climbers, walkers and nature
lovers. Rare birds of prey, Spanish ibex and wild orchids are just
some of the attractions. The sunsets are a bit special too.
El Chorro and the Lake District of Ardales |
To
the south-west lies an area of mountains, pine and eucalyptus
forests cut by wide river valleys, of which the Río Guadalhorce
is the most well known, a land of small farms, fertile fields
and rural villages. At the heart of the region lies the
white town of Álora built
on three hills rising above the river.
The scenery in the higher reaches of the valley, just to the
north of Álora, is dramatic. Garganta del Chorro is a huge natural gorge, 180 metres high, three kilometres long,
spanned by an ancient iron bridge. It offers some very challenging
rock climbing, walking and hang-gliding and is a favourite place
for the extreme sport set.
Perhaps the most spectacular feature is The Kings Way, a precariously
narrow catwalk which follows the length of the chasm, high up
on the sheer rock face and, thankfully, now closed.
A
dam at the head of the gorge has created Andalucía's
very own Lake District, three turquoise blue lakes bordered
by pine forests. This is an altogether more tranquil retreat, a place to swim,
fish and canoe or just to picnic by the lake shore or enjoy
a glass of wine and a bite to eat at a local taverna.
Wonderful
terrain for walkers, too, with shaded paths through oak forests and
olive groves and gentler, scenic routes along the shores of the lakes.
Some
13 kilometres north west of Antequera, the flat agricultural lands
yield up to Andalucia's largest natural lake, Laguna de Fuente
de Piedra, also know as "The Pink Lagoon" because it
is the only inland breeding ground of pink flamingos outside of Africa.
It's a shallow, salty lake, six kilometres long by three wide. Every
January sees thousands of these most elegant and exquisite birds arrive
to spend the Spring and Summer months in the all consuming activity
of breeding.
It's a spectacular sight as the flamingos stalk through the water,
grunting and trumpeting, while others glide, dive and splash down
again, landing almost on top of each other. It's also a race against
time, as the water in the lake gradually evaporates through the Spring
months. In a dry year the lake is often bone dry by mid-summer and
predators sometimes arrive before the young can fly.
To
the south and west of Antequera, La Sierra de las Nives (literally,
the mountains of the snows) is, some would argue, the most beautiful
National Park in all Andalucía. It is certainly one of Spain's
richest natural enclaves, now protected by UNESCO with Biosphere Reserve
status.
It
is not particulary high, averaging 1,100 metres, with Mount
Torrecilla the highest peak at 1,919 metres. Once best known as
a refuge for highwaymen and outlaws, the lack of human activity and
endeavour within the National Park has paid rich dividends for nature:
it now boasts an impressive array of both flora and fauna.
It's most prized treasure is the Spanish fir tree, an almost extinct
relic of the Ice Age. Some 2,000 hectares of these magnificent trees
are to be found in La Sierra de las Nieves. There are many others:
Andalusian oak, yew, maple, ash, chestnut and pine. It is also home
to a wide variety of animals including chamois, roebuck, wild cat,
otter and Hispanic goat. Golden eagles, sparrowhawks, kestrel, falcon
and vultures circle in the skies above.
There are a considerable number of caves within the
Park, and it is even more famous for its potholes. One of these, GESM
is the third deepest in the world, a mere 1,098 metres! Along with
some of the others here, it is still not fully explored and continues
to offer a real challenge for the world's best potholers.
Although there are no towns within the Park itself, its perimeter
is dotted with pretty villages, Alozaina, Casarabonela, Tolox, Guaro,
Istán, Monda, Ojén and Yunquera. Of Moorish origin,
they retain their narrow, winding streets and their Arabic-inspired
handicraft skills. They provide good starting points from which to
explore the landscapes and walking trails within the National Park.
With Ronda and its mountains beyond to the west and
Marbella and the beaches of the Costa del Sol to the south, this is
an area of splendid natural beauty and ancient heritage which offers
much for the visitor to enjoy.
Another
beautiful, thickly wooded Natural Park, situated just to the north
of the city of Málaga and bordering on the east with La Axarquía, Las Montes is remote and peaceful, a striking contrast to the
hustle and bustle of the coastal capital which is just five kilometres
away.
It's
a gentle, hilly area (the highest peak, La Reina is only 1,032 metres)
criss-crossed by streams which have carved small valleys, now extensively
replanted with pine trees to protect Málaga from the disasterous
flash floods which used to devastate the city. There are many ancient
Mediterranean species too, holm oak, corks and carib trees, making
it an ideal habitat for the chameleons and other protected species
of wildlife and birds of prey which reside here.
The lovely scenery, and some great views of the city and the Mediterranean
Sea below, can be enjoyed on any one of numerous walking routes through
the Park. Your day will only be enhanced by trying the excellent local
dishes at one of the country restaurants here, washed down, of course,
by a glass or two of the famous sweet Málaga wines which are
grown here. So, too, will your cholesterol level!
Not
everyone's cup of tea, but if you tire of all this rural bliss, try
Estepona and Marbella on the Costa del Sol. Estepona is a little
quieter than most of the Mediterranean resorts and still retains some
of its old, fishing village character. The same cannot be said of
Marbella, but if you want to check out what the beautiful people are
doing, with their designer shops and jet-set marinas, or just enjoy
the sparkling sun, sand and sea, this is the place to be.
