Andalusia – Day 4 – Alcaucín to Canillas de Aceituno

For this second day of hiking, the trail described in the Recto-Verso guide would take us to the top of La Maroma, the highest peak in Malaga province at 2069 metres. This would mean climbing up 1400 metres from Alcaucín and then descending 1300 to Canillas de Aceituno, our next stop. After talking it over, we decide that it would be too much (and possibly too risky) as we haven’t been able to do much hiking this summer due to various family commitments. The climb up would probably be doable, but that descent would be too much, especially on day 2.

Fortunately, there is an alternative. On leaving Alcaucín, we simply need to follow the GR242 that will take us straight to Canillas de Aceituno along the bottom of the mountain. The signs in Alcaucín say it’s a distance of just 5.4 km (it turns out to be more like 8), so easily doable before lunch. And so we opt for this alternative. There will be a couple of surprises along the way but it turns out to be another relatively easy day.

The breakfast at the hotel in Alcaucín sets us up for the day. Served in a dining room on the top floor with a fine view of the valley, it ticks all the hungry hiker’s boxes.

We set off shortly after, following a road out of the village, past the cemetery with its small chapel. It’s going to be another fine day, warm but with a refreshing breeze.

The day’s first surprise comes when the trail veers off the road to follow a barely visible path leading steeply uphill through some olive groves. The terrain under foot is unstable and that’s putting it lightly. There are a couple of spots where one awkwardly placed foot could send us into the gully at the side of the path.

In next to no time, we’re 150 metres higher than where we started and, after a final brief rise in the terrain, we find ourselves on a beautiful trail running more or less on the level at the foot of La Maroma. It’s a delight to be walking here on this sunny morning. The trail is easy to follow and sticks close to the woods that cloak the foot of the mountain.

After a while, the trail descends towards a few isolated houses where our arrival is greeted by loud barking from four or five large dogs that seem to be there alone. One even approaches to take a closer look at us but doesn’t appear at all aggressive, fortunately.

We are making good time and, as we don’t want to arrive in Canillas de Aceituno before the restaurants open at 1 pm, we take a break on an open patch of land with a fine view.

Just after this break, the trail descends steeply over very stony terrain to the bottom of a valley where there is a small spring hidden in the trees (the source of the Bermuza river), the Fajara cave (which can only be visited with a certified guide and proper caving gear) and a steep, winding trail that marks the start of our 300-mette climb up to Canillas de Aceituno and constitutes the day’s second surprise.

It’s a really tough climb at first, on unstable terrain, with stones slipping out from beneath our feet. However, as we go higher, the trail enters some woods and the climb becomes gentler on a path that continues to head uphill in long zigzags. We actually encounter four other hikers on this section, heading in the opposite direction to us and with so little gear that I’m not at all surprised to find a couple of cars parked at the spot where the trail emerges onto the road.

Odile has found this climb really tough and is far from delighted to discover that we still have another 75 metres or so to ascend to reach the village. This final section is along a quiet road, so no stones slipping out from under our feet, and we cover it pretty easily, arriving in Canillas de Aceituno at around 12:30. God only knows what at what time we would have arrived if we’d followed our official trail to the top of La Maroma. Even on the short cut, we’ve climbed 450 metres over the course of the morning, nothing compared to the 1400 up La Maroma, but honourable for a second day on the trail.

After resting for a while on a square with a terrific view of the valley, we head into the village itself in search of a spot for lunch. And, on the narrow street leading to our B&B, we find the perfect place, La Sociedad, where kid (young goats, not children) is the speciality. As we haven’t booked, they ask us if we mind sitting outside. Their beautiful terrace on a square behind the restaurant is perfect for us. We’re a little early as they don’t start serving food until 1:30, but the friendly waiters sit us down with a big bottle of sparkling water and menus.

Over the course of a leisurely lunch that lasts about two hours, we sample such local specialities as ajo blanco (a chilled almond soup), morcilla (black pudding), a delicious fish dish, and sautéed kid. The food is excellent, the waiters are friendly and, over the course of our lunch, the place fills to capacity with locals and tourists.

After lunch, it’s just a two-minute walk to our B&B. The Dutch owners, Peter and Sander, have sent us the details required to check in alone and, shortly after, we’re in our room where, after a refreshing shower, we surrender to the Spanish tradition of a siesta.

A few hours later, after a cup of tea in the pretty courtyard of the B&B, and a chat with Peter and Sander, we go back out to explore the village a little more. It really is a pretty little place, perched  high above the valley, with narrow streets lined with whitewashed houses covered with plants.

There’s even a communal wash house that is in such pristine condition we suspect it is still used regularly.

We return to the square with the view of the valley where we rested on arriving in the village. There are terrific views of the surrounding hills in the evening light.

After that slap-up lunch, we really don’t need dinner, so we end the day with a couple of glasses of wine and a few ham croquettes in a small bar on one of the village squares, watching local life unfold in a very relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. All the charm of Spain…