Órgiva to Lanjarón walk (revised October 2013)

Posted by con jamón spain ⋅ October 16, 2013 ⋅ 3 Comments

Filed Under Andalucia, Órgiva, Lanjarón, Spain, Spanish nature, Spanish wildlife, Walking in Spain

Here’s a lovely walk over the mountain paths from Órgiva to Lanjarón. It takes around two and a half hours.

The GR-142 (Las Alpujarras route), running 144km between Fiñana in the province of Almería to Lanjarón, is the main part of the walk. Some of it is part of the 1900km GR-7 route (Senderos de Gran Recorrido) which goes from Spain to Greece.

Starting at the larger BP petrol station on the edge of Órgiva on the way to Lanjarón, head out along the A348. Fifteen minutes later you reach Venta Maria restaurant on the right. A little further on the path is clearly marked on the right – Las Barreras (photo location A – see below).

Walk for another 15 minutes keeping to the well-worn track until you reach the first main red/white marker on a rock (photo B). There is a burnt umber cliff to your left. Walk another five minutes until you reach the ‘F*ck rock’, again, on your left (photo C).

Just after this turn left and the path loops round where you see the first wooden marker post. Ascend and a minute later there’s an old ruin with another marker post to the right. Make sure you keep heading up. It can be tough this bit.

After another 15 minutes of steep ascent the views back to Órgiva are breathtaking – literally. A stream trickles to your right. In the distance you can see a hazy Alboran Sea towards Africa (photo D). Continue for another 15 minutes and an orange rock will appear high up which you need to head for.

Once reached (photo E), bear right and follow the upper track for another 20 minutes. The path – based on old mule trails – takes in olive terraces, narrow paths lined with wild thyme and rosemary and a tranquil, ancient almond grove (photo F). It’s a favourite stop for a rest. Note the bee hives, like post boxes, perched high up on the rocks to the right.

The gentle ascent (photo G) eventually flattens out and you come across a direction sign (photo H). For Lanjarón, head towards the distant mountains, keeping the sea – and vast reservoir and Rules dam – to your left.

It’s fun spotting the GR-142 markers. They’re sometimes obvious – like the red and white painted marks on wooden posts – but are mostly faded brushstrokes on tree trunks and rocks, often hidden by vegetation.

You reach a tarmac road which gently descends – it’s an idyllic walk. It’s here we saw our first pomegranate tree. We’d become a bit blasé about oranges, lemons and figs growing so copiously. Pomegranates, with their fruit bursting out and glistening in the midday sun, were new when we first did this walk.

After 15 minutes, the winding road reaches a concrete arch with a view of Lanjarón, framed like a picture. From here you can turn either left or right and head down to the town, another 15 minutes or so.

Walking to the west of town, the 1450 or 1700 bus gets you back to Órgiva in 15 minutes (but check on the Alsa website).