Hiking route to: Peñón de los Castillejos

The hiking route that leads to the Peñón de los Castillejos takes us through the easternmost part of the Sierra de Nerja . We will go through a fertile valley full of almond trees, olives and vines. Formerly this territory was used as a traditional cultivation area, although currently we only find subtropical crops.

It should be noted that the Peñón de los Castillejos (932 meters of altitude) is popularly known for its extraordinary location. Area formerly used by the military and guerrillas.

The directions to follow by road are as follows: Once we leave the district of Maro behind, we continue towards Almuñécar. Once we have passed kilometer 298 of the N-340, we will begin to contemplate the green areas that give life to the Río de la Miel Valley. If you have done other hiking routes through the Sierra de Almijara, this one in particular will surprise you with its green and bright tones. This landscape is surrounded by a multitude of white farmhouses, although the upper parts of the mountain remain intact.

We continue on the road until we come across a lane that will appear on our left. Easily identifiable, since it is at the same height as the sign that indicates that the road we were traveling on will come to an end.

It is at this point that the walking route can begin. Although if you prefer you can also continue by car. You must bear in mind that the lane is not in optimal conditions. Despite this, you can continue by car without problems.

In the event that you choose the first option (continue on foot), from here we recommend you park your car in one of the roundabouts that is close to the lane we should continue on. The rest of the route is a 9-kilometer stretch along a path full of detours that lead to private properties. We continue straight on until we reach Los Cortijos del Nacimiento (properties very close to the source of the Río de la Miel ).

Once we have passed a small stream we will have two alternatives to ascend to our destination. The first one is to take a path that will appear on our left. Through this lane we will have reached the Peñón de los Castillejos in less than an hour. The second option is to continue straight until we turn left to reach the base of the rock. In this case we will contemplate its eastern face. We will ascend to the summit guiding us through the landscape. Once at the top of the Peñón de los Castillejos we can enjoy wonderful views of the Río de la Miel Valley, the province of Granada, and of course, the coast of Granada. The points of interest that we will see from the summit will be: Sierra Nevada and Peña Escrita.

It should be noted as a curiosity that a few meters from the top of the rock we will find several cisterns (old natural water deposits). Some of them very well preserved.

The return to the road from the starting point (N-340) can be done through the previously traveled lane. After traveling the 9 kilometers in length of the lane we will have reached the area of Cantarriján, belonging to the town of Almuñécar. The journey from Almuñécar to Nerja is short. The journey by car lasts approximately 20 minutes.