Sunflower Books: Landscapes of ANDALUCIA AND THE COSTA DEL SOL: WALKS AND CAR TOURS

Andalucía, 3rd edition, published 2nd January 2005, updated 20/04/08

(To visit the web page for this book on our main site, click here )

Updates for walks and car tours (drives) in Andalucía given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book and want to "upgrade" to the latest edition at half price, click here.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably in hard copy, by post, to Sunflower Books, PO Box 115, Exeter EX2 6YU (or if you prefer, by e-mail, to mail@sunflowerbooks.co.uk).

General: I thought you might be happy to get a positive feedback from a very enthusiastic user who has tried out (or repeated) walks 2, 3, 10, 11, 17 and 19 from the 3rd edition in April 2006 and can confirm that not only the walks are absolutely beautiful and perfect (as always), but also work exactly as described in the book. From our recent experience just some comments which are not exactly "updates", but which also other users might find useful: see comments for Walks 2, 3, 10, 11, 17 below. (User, 6/06)

Car tour 1 and picnic CT1d: Sad news. We were in Trevelez on 1/7/06, and the footpaths at the bridge, on both sides of the river looking upstream, have been closed by fencing, accompanied by firm notices. (e-mail, 7/06)

Walk 2: Although the "stronger" path crosses the stream at the 25 min point, do not cross it, but follow the "weaker" path downhill: when we did the walk, the stream was so "overflowing" that a little bit further downhill it was flowing along the path. (User, 6/06) + I don't think there was a supermarket in Dr Castilla (not Castillo) street. But there was a sign pointing right at the end of the street to "Supermercado". I thought maybe you meant that, went past it and ended up at the point where Walk 3 arrives back in Capileira. I suggest you say "walk to the end of Dr Castilla and turn left into a little square (Plaza Calvario)". (e-mail, 07/06)

Walk 3: The walk is exactly as described in the book, but if you do this walk for the 2nd time, try out the following: Instead of following the waymarked path described in the book it will be a very nice experience if you continue after the 3:35 point (Las Tomas) uphill following the sign to the Refugio Poqueira until the path crosses the Acequia Alta (you can not miss it) and then simply follow the Acequia Alta to the right, until you cross the waymarked path from the book again after the 4:17 point. (User, 6/06) + A suberb walk. (User, 4/08)

Walk 4: Just a week after receiving a letter saying that this walk was 'wonderful', we had a letter saying that at the 25min-point the "wide and pleasant path never became cobbled - in fact it was blocked and there was a handmade sign declaring 'Prohibido, no entrar' ". We think this user was not on the correct path, but would be interested to hear from anyone who has done Walk 4 at the end of April 2008 or later. (Sunflower)

Walks 4, 5: Both were wonderful (user, 4/08) [And presumably as described!, Sunflower]

Walk 6: We did this excellent walk a few days ago. I took along my GPS receiver (which many walkers are using these days), and thought that GPS waypoints would be a useful addition to the route. Here are the GPS waypoints for the Serpis Gorge walk:

Parking (0min):         N38°51.015, W000°19.424
Ruin (9min):             N38°51.141, W000°18.929
Tunnel #1 (30min):       N38°51.563, W000°18.077
Dam #1 (46min):          N38°51.793, W000°17.771
Track (1h14min):         N38°52.085, W000°17.114
Ruined bridge (1h23min): N38°52.426, W000°16.907
Tunnel #2 (1h28min):     N38°52.414, W000°16.702
Dam #2 (1h38min):        N38°52.507, W000°16.291
Tunnel #3 (1h41min):     N38°52.565, W000°16.234
Bridge (1h49min):        N38°52.738, W000°16.034
Tunnel #4 (1h55min):     N38°52.814, W000°15.783
Tunnel #5 (2h05min);     N38°52.693, W000°15.530
End (2h30min):           N38°52.941, W000°14.699

In addition, here is an update: At approximately 2h10min (N3852.859, W00015.114) there is a barrier across the footpath. A small landslide has consumed most of the footpath, however it is still passable with care but the path is only about 18 inches wide. At approximately 2h15min (N3852.878, W00015.088) a tree has fallen across the path, however you can pass under it to get to the end. In addition, take plenty of water for this walk, its all uphill on the way
back and in 30°+ heat we consumed over 3 litres. (e-mail, 07/06) + We thoroughly enjoyed Walk 6 ­ friends of ours had told us about it in advance, and they not only said how wonderful it was, but they also warned us that the start was difficult to find, and how right they were on both counts! Eventually we sorted out what was what, but it wasn't apparent at first. The Maitena visitor centre is closed, unsignposted, unlabelled (and very unloved, too) and it was only after a lot of casting around that we managed to identify it. As well as being hard to spot, it has no room to park any cars. The tramway isn't clear at first either. To all intents and purposes it is a surfaced road (and the last stretch of the public road leading up to the visitor centre is itself on the line of the old tramway). It's only by noticing the straight alignment, the profile of the tunnels and the shallow gradients that you see it as an old tramway. An alternative start might be like this (especially if you're driving from Güéjar Sierra). Park beside the road across the river from the Maitena restaurant and walk along the road, following the river on your right upstream. At this point the road follows the line of the old tramway. You can either stay on the road and pass through two short tunnels, or take the path off to the right in about 100m; this path follows the riverbank and avoids the tunnels. Shortly after the path rejoins the road, the road itself crosses the river, to the old visitor centre, but turn left before the bridge and pass through another tunnel, and continue, passing the old Estacio on your left. (e-mail, 4/08)

Walk 7: I found the path frequently very difficult to follow, especially when going through woods. I sometimes went in the right general direction without a path, at the cost of close acquaintance with spiny bushes! (e-mail, 7/06)

Walk 9: Another wonderful walk (user, 4/09) [and presumbly with no trail-finding problems; Sunflower]
>
Walk 10: You can easily make this an excellent full day walk by simply continuing beyond "La Civila" on the perfectly waymarked path to the peak of "Cielo" - the views are incredible. It takes approx. an additional 3 hours to get from "La Civila" to the peak and back. (User, 6/06)
>
Walk 11: Be careful with the blue pipe at the 3 min point - it is there, but very easily overlooked. If you have time left, follow the Acequia you cross at the 2:40 point to the left (attention: in parts there may be a danger of vertigo) for approx. 20 minutes - you'll reach a reservoir which we found to be one of the most beautiful picnic places we have ever seen. (User, 6/06)

Walk 13: Page 96, IMPORTANT CHANGE: the bus comes at 08.50 and the bus stop is now in the village, 100 m west of the Puente Don Manuel. The first part of the walk is good (as far as the shrine at the 1h30min-point; the second half is along roads and through very ordinary villages (e-mail, 02/06)

Walk 17: This walk was so well signposted and waymarked that we almost did not need to use the description in the book. (User, 6/06)

Walk 20: The turning for Quejigales is now between Km 13 and 14 on the A397. On the walk, from the information panel at 16 min the path is marked with cairns and blue paint. I followed these, not noticing a junction, and when I eventually emerged from the trees discovered I had arrived at the two neveras shown to the South of Cerro Alto. Is this a new path? Presumably there must have been a junction with the path I was supposed to follow, in which case you
need to give clear instructions for that junction (the cairns and blue paint path was always easy to follow). I went back along the Camino de las Nieves to climb Penon de los Enamorados. Are you sure the heights on your map are correct? Cerro Alto looked much more than 4 metres higher. (e-main, 7/06) + I walked route 20 (in the reverse order) in October 2007 then viewed the online update. I am not surprised that the updater failed to find the correct path at (16min) and ended up on a track straight towards Cerro Alto. From about (31min) the path is indistinct and overgrown and the route ahead is unclear until the trough at (1hr20min). As an experienced mountain walker equipped with map, compass and altimeter I was able to navigate the correct route but I suggest that the authors reappraise this walk before including it in future editions. (User, 1/08)

Walk 21: The CAIRN mentioned on page 129 is just a collection of 4-5 stones now, and not a good marker. When you see the FENCE on top of the wall ahead, I suggest the text reads: "150m before the wall, the path is edged with stones and continues to a clear junction with a small cairn". (User, 4/06)