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Sierra Nevada
and the Alpujarra
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The Sierra Nevada
is the biggest mountain massif in Europe after the Alps and has
fourteen peaks over 3,000m The range extends 70km
east to west and 20km north to south and at
Mulhacen 3482m, it
reaches the highest point in the Iberian Peninsula. The
range is bounded on the north by the Valle de Gaudix and to the South by the
Alpujarra, an extensive open valley area.
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These two valleys
provide an extensive network of valley walking through more pastoral
landscapes, often following water channels used to irrigate olive
and orange groves as well as a range of other crops. In the article. ''Secrets of Spain'', the Daily Mail
(11.1.2003) said that the Alpujarras was the best area in Spain for
mountain scenery
and described Orgiva as the ''charming capital '' of the area.
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 Las Alpujarras
became the last bastion of the Moors before their expulsion from Spain and has
been largely untouched by commercial tourism. Having few resources after
the Civil War, it was a very poor area of hillside peasant farms. It retains its
“Spanishness” unlike the tourist resorts of the coastal region but is
becoming popular with holidaymakers looking for a cultural or countryside
holiday.
The Life of Riley
is based in the spa town of Lanjaron which lies on the southern
slopes of the
 Sierra
Nevada. Close by is Orgiva made famous by Chris Stewart in his books Driving
over Lemons. The surrounding area is great walking country and an
ideal base for
exploring the more unspoiled areas of Andalucia. The local countryside is made
up of farmland with olive and orange groves whilst the higher mountains and
hills provide spectacular walking and trekking routes across a mixture of valley and
mountain.
 Mulhacen
(3482m) the highest point in the Iberian peninsula and can
also be the high point of your walking holiday.
Other 3,000m summits in the range include Valeta, Caballo and Alcazaba. Routes to the remote lakes and corries of the range
and some of the lower summits of the ''baja montana'' are no less satisfying and there are even rock ridges for those adventurous
enough to want to do some scrambling.
The Poqueir a
Gorge lies above the village and forms a backdrop for much of the walking
in the area. Within the gorge lie the three picturesque white villages of
Bubion, Pampaneira and Capileira. Higher still is the edge of the
Sierra Nevada national park which encompasses all the main ridges and summits.
The mountains of the range are breathtaking and due to the nature of the rock ,
seem to shimmer in the sunlight. Snow capped from late October until May the
mountains provide a spectacular vista set against deep blue skies. From
many of the higher walks we can look south into Africa and the Rif mountains of
Morocco whilst
looking north we can see Granada and the Spanish plain.
Places of
interest in the area
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The
mountain villages of Pampaneira, Bubion and Trevelez (the highest village in
Europe) lie above Orgiva and are tourist villages with gifts, crafts, cafes,
restaurants. They are on the local bus route.
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The
mountains of the Sierra Nevada national park are to the north.
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Granada
is 40 minutes by car to see the magnificent cathedral, shops, cafes and the
Alhambra Palace.
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Lanjaron has a spa complex, gift and craft shops,
cafes and restaurants. There is a tree-lined main street and a ruined Moorish
castle.
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Drive
into the Eastern Alpujarras and see the scenery that Gerald Brenan described
in South from Granada and that Augustus John painted.
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The
province of Almeria is a short drive away.
Travel
Granada
Airport approx. 1 hour
Malaga
Airport approx. 2.5 hours
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