mountains of Nerja are in the most active seismic area on the Iberian Peninsula and experience major earthquakes roughly every hundred years. The most notable in relatively recent times was on Christmas Day in 1884 when a tremor measured at 6.5 on the Richter Scale hit, with its epicentre northeast of Canillas de Aceituno. It affected every village and town in the Axarquía, killing 745 people. Further tremors occurred in January and minor aftershocks were felt throughout the following year. The devastation was compounded by heavy snows in the mountains. The King of Spain visited the region, was taken ill and died soon afterwards. The most recent tremors were recorded in 1956 and 2003.
Nerja’s Balcón de Europa
Karst limestone
The limestone varies from white soft chalk to hard, blue calcitic rocks. In the area of Fuente del Esparto there are lenses of black limestone shales, while near Lucero the heat from the mountain building has turned the limestone into marble. There are no volcanic rocks in this region.
There are areas where the limestone is friable, reminiscent of the Dolomites, and other areas where they are Karstic, with holes cut into the rock by acidic solution. The entire area is dotted with caves of all shapes and sizes.
The mountains consist of a main chain stretching from La Maroma (2069m) in the west through Cerro Santiago (1646m), Malascamas (1792m), Cerro la Chapa (1820m), Lucero (1775m), La Cadena (1645m) to Navachica (1832m) and Lopera (1485m) in the east. South of the main chain is a series of foothills of which El Fuerte (1007m), Tres Cruces (1204m) and Cerro Atalaya (1255m) are examples. At Navachica the mountain range opens into a three-pronged fork with Cerro Cisne (1483m) on the eastern limb, Tajo Almendrón (1515m) in the middle and El Cielo (1508m) on the western limb.
A little history
Spanish history is extremely complex and very difficult to summarise so only a brief overview can be given here.
The earliest evidence of human beings in Europe was found in Spain. In a cave near Zaffaraya in 1933, bones were discovered that are believed to have belonged to Neanderthal Man, dating to 30,000 years ago. There is also evidence of prehistoric life in the Cave of Nerja. Near Fornes in the extreme north of the region there is a passage grave that has been dated to the Neolithic period. The Iberian Peninsula is known to have been visited by the Phoenicians and the Greeks before the arrival of the Romans, some 200 years BC. Hispania, as it was then known, was ruled from Rome for 600 years.
Roman aqueduct at Torrecuevas (Valley of Rio Verde)
From around 400AD to 700AD the peninsula was conquered by the Visigoths, who were subsequently replaced by the Moors. These Muslims ruled Spain until the early 13th century, when the Catholic Conquest began. In the Axarquía there was considerable Moorish influence. It can be seen today in the Alhambra in Granada. Mudegar architecture is widespread and all towns and villages with names beginning with ‘al’ betray their Moorish origins. The climate in Andalucía was ideal for the silk industry set up by the Moors. Even to this day we can see the Arabic features in the people of Andalucía more than in the rest of Spain.
During the Muslim period there were three main religious groups – the Muslims, the Christians and the Jews. Strangely enough the Jews allied themselves to the Muslims and lived in close proximity to them as their protectors from the Christians. After the Catholic conquest all people were required to convert to Christianity or face death or expulsion. The majority of the Muslims did so convert and were then known as Moriscos, but the Jews substantially packed their bags and left the country.
From late in the 19th century to the beginning of the First World War Spain was torn between disputes over the monarchy, a republic and dictatorship. During the Spanish Civil War and for many years after it in Andalucía, and particularly in the Axarquía district, there were many enclaves of republicans who resisted the dictator General Franco, and there were many bloody encounters. The mountains visited on these walks were ideal refuges for the Maqui, the republican sympathisers, to hide in.
Cabras montés
A good introduction to the history and culture of the region is La Axarquía – Land to the East of Málaga by Hilary Gavilan (see Appendix D).
Wildlife
The wildlife and plants of the Spanish hillsides are truly remarkable and very different from those of northern Europe. There are very few dangerous creatures about, and where there are they will be as nervous of you as you are of them.
The cabras montés are only found in the Iberian Peninsula and the vast concentration of them is in the Axarquía. You will glimpse them all the time but these wild goats with deerskin hides are very shy and will move away from intruders. They are extremely agile and will often be seen travelling up and down slopes at great speed. In the area around La Resinera, you may also encounter red deer.
Processionary caterpillars
Seeing wild cats, foxes and hares will be a rarity. Similarly, snakes are shy and infrequently encountered. There are many birds of prey to be spotted hovering in the skies, including kestrels, falcons, vultures and even eagles.
The most dangerous insects in Spain are processionary caterpillars. They make their woven white nests in the branches of pine trees and emerge in lines that may be several metres in length. However docile they may seem, they can eject a nasty poison from their hairy backs.
Plants and flowers
Flor de Jara
The mountain flowers come to life in the springtime, when many familiar species and others that are particular to the Mediterranean will be better seen. On the slopes of El Fuerte the exotic Flor de Jara thrives. This bush is related to Cistus – Rock Rose, and it likes lime-rich soil. Where the Spanish name for a plant or flower mentioned in the route descriptions is available it is given, and some of these are very interesting. For example, the poppy in Spain is an amapola (wet land); broom is lluvia de oro (rain of gold).
The most common tree to be seen on these walks is the pine tree. However, in the past yew trees predominated here. Sierra Tejeda takes its name from the Spanish word for yew, tejo. The yews were cut down because they were considered to be poisonous to livestock and pines were planted in their place to expand the resin industry. The demise of the yews is highlighted in the interpretive centres and a programme has commenced to replace some of them. The pines are well adapted to withstand drought. The red berried prickly juniper features on the Almendrón walk (Walk 6). Holm Oaks – the evergreen Holly Oak – have adapted here to survive the dry summers.
If you want to read more about Spanish wildflowers, two field guides are recommended in Appendix D.
Getting to Nerja
Nerja is 40 minutes by car from the city of Malaga. The airport at Malaga is one of the busiest in Spain with flights into it from almost every country in Europe. Easyjet (www.easyjet.com), Ryanair (www.ryanair.com), Monarch (www.monarch.co.uk) and British Airways (www.britishairways.co.uk) all operate regular