Walking and Trekking in the Sierra Nevada. Richard Hartley
Chorrillo at 2700m, making it very convenient for access to day ascents to Mulhacén, Siete Lagunas or Alcazaba. The regular service starts from mid June, but earlier in June and from midway through September until the end of that month there is sometimes a single service morning and evening – although only if enough people have booked (most likely to be on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays).
Note that in 2017 the national park were trying to scale back this service and its furture remains a long-term doubt. It’s absolutely essential that you check times locally and reserve in advance: tel +34 958 763 090 or +34 671 564 406, or email [email protected]
Traversing the hillside towards the valley of the Río Seco (Route 9)
Car hire
Any internet search for car hire at the major airports serving the Sierra Nevada (Granada, Málaga and Almería) will reveal a massive range of vehicles available for hire throughout the year. There are some very enticing and cheap options available – especially during the off-season (winter) months. It’s always important, though, to check the small print very carefully to ensure that you understand what is and what isn’t covered within the rental agreement.
It’s easy, albeit quite expensive, to hire 4x4 vehicles suitable for dirt and forest tracks. Some of the dirt tracks in this guidebook are suitable for saloon cars (and these are highlighted in the text), but it’s very important to make sure your car hire agreement doesn’t specifically exclude forest trails and dirt tracks.
Dirt road and four-wheel drive access tracks
Forest roads, dirt roads and off-road tracks are used to access some route start-points, mainly in the south of the range. In winter these are normally passable in 4x4 cars and only at times when higher snow levels permit. In the summer months, with dry ground, most are passable with care by ordinary saloon cars – especially the track to Hoya del Portillo from Capileira. The worst is usually the Mirador de Rinconada, which often necessitates a 4x4 vehicle.
The routes in question are as follows:
Route 5 – Hoya del Portillo above Capileira
Route 10 – Puente Palo for Tajos de los Machos, Cerrillo Redondo
Route 11 – Peña Caballera, Cerro de Caballo trailhead
Route 12 – Mirador de Rinconada, Cerro de Caballo trailhead
Routes 19 and 20 – Casa Forestal de la Cortijuela
Route 28 – Loma de los Cuartos, Peña Partida (optional)
This is not, however, a definitive subject. As and when local town halls have monetary budget for road reconstruction, the tracks tend to be leveled and cleaned of all potholes, bumps and rocks. On the popular tourist tracks such as access to the Hoya del Portillo above Capileira, this is done annually – normally after the spring rains. Some tracks may have to wait years for money to be spent on them.
Notes are given in the route text where necessary, but it is advisable to ask locally before you arrive. There are some 4x4 services locally that will transport you (for a fee) to or from the trailheads; this is especially useful for some of the end-to-end, linear walks.
For transport to the above routes (and free advice on state of the track), email [email protected]; for access from Nigüelas to Mirador de Rinconada (Route 12) in an eight-seater Land Rover, tel +34 696 710 769.
Accommodation and bases
Looking back from the main summit of Boca de la Pesca to the second summit and ascent route (Route 15)
Accommodation in towns and cities
The internet is awash with accommodation choices, from high-quality hotels to budget hostels and camping. There’s something to suit all pockets. It is not the intention of this guide to name or recommend hotels, hostels and villas; the best advice is to visit www.booking.com, www.hotels.com or www.tripadvisor.com, where you’ll find a wealth of information and reviews to suit every budget and requirement.
In the following area summaries, timings indicate length of journey by car.
Granada area
Granada is extremely convenient for the Cumbres Verdes and Dílar valley routes (20min; Routes 13–20), the ski area/Hoya de la Mora (30min; Routes 21–24) and the Vereda de Estrella trailhead (40min; Routes 25–28). Some hotels alongside the main ski road to the Sierra Nevada provide good and higher alternatives to the city if you intend to do some walks from this side.
The Alpujarras
This area is very close to the southern approaches and trailheads into the range, and there is a good range of hotel, apartment and villa accommodation in most towns and villages.
The town of Lanjarón – Puerta de la Alpujarra (‘Door to the Alpujarra’) – is just 10min from the main A-44 Granada to Motril motorway, and is useful for the Cerro del Caballo (Routes 11 and 12) and access to Puente Palo (Route 10). It is also a spa town, so plenty of treatments are available to soothe your aching limbs after completing the Tres Miles Integral (Route 31)! Órgiva is a further 15min drive away.
You need to travel further into the Alpujarras if you prefer smaller towns and villages and/or wish to get closer to the majority of the routes in this guide that start from the south. The three ‘white villages’ of the Poqueira gorge – Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira – cling to the hillsides below Mulhacén and provide close access to plenty of routes. Allow an hour for the journey to these villages from the A-44 Granada to Motril motorway exit for Lanjarón.
Trevélez is a further 20min along the road, passing through Pitres, Pórtugos and Busquístar. Below the road, the delightful and sleepy villages in the Taha de Pitres, consisting of Mecina, Fondales and Ferrierola, can provide a very relaxing place to rest after the rigours of the mountains. Trevélez itself is a substantial tourist town and has good accommodation options. Trevélez is a start-point for ascents to Siete Lagunas, Mulhacén, Alcazaba and excursions up the Río Trevélez.
Bear in mind that this is still a very traditional area so most towns will have at least one major annual fiesta during the year. At fiesta time accommodation will be difficult if not impossible to find so should be booked well in advance.
Many hotels in the Alpujarras shut down for winter and can be closed from the end of autumn until just before Easter. Some will just close for January and others will close for Christmas and New Year, when family becomes more important than paying guests. Bear this in mind when planning a winter visit.
NOTABLE FIESTAS
Trevélez – Fiesta of San Antonio (13 and 14 June); Saint Benedict (11 July); Mulhacén pilgrimage to the Virgen de las Nieves (5 August); cattle show (19 and 20 October).
Capileira – Fiesta de la Virgen de la Cabeza (last Sunday in April); also a second fiesta for the same saint during the second week in August; romería (pilgrimage) to Mulhacén (5 August); Fiesta de la Castaña (beginning of November).
Órgiva – San Sebastian (20 January); procession on Maundy Thursday; Fería Hecho en la Alpujarra (Holy Week); Fiesta Virgen de la Fe (14 June); Fería Grande (end of September).
Lanjarón – Fiesta de San Juan (around 21–25 June) – carnivals, processions and the world’s biggest water fight!
Jérez del Marquesado
There’s not too much in the way of accommodation in Jerez del Marquesado – just a couple of hostels – but the major town of Guadix is just 30min up the motorway towards Granada.
Campsites