Menu
To see this page in your own language use the following translation bar.
Benahavís is located in the Sierra Bermeja, the red rocks are volcanic and not very suitable for agriculture. However, around the Guadalmina River there is a small outcrop of white and limestone rocks that at the time offered valuable resources for the locals.
This route is located in the Ladera del Romeral, a path that will take you to the weir that supplies the Río Verde reservoir and diverted up the path of La Higuera, which leads to one of the private entrances of La Zagaleta.
On this hill there were ovens for the production of lime, flour mills that milled the wheat planted in the hillsides and areas conditioned for livestock. They are old industries, which were the way people lived before the arrival of tourism. This trail offers a trip to the past of Benahavís.
The starting point of this route is a few minutes from the town, passing the football field. This path will take you to a walk upstream of the Guadalmina, a few meters from the beginning you will see a lime kiln, also called calera or calero, in which calcareous stones were piled up to obtain lime. The process to obtain it consisted of maintaining the stone at about 1000º or 1200º C. during ten or twelve days using firewood as fuel. These furnaces can be found in different parts of the province.
Following the path, you can see the vegetation of the natural landscape that is characterized by the presence of eucalyptus, pine, scrub, mastic, holm oaks, cork oaks to which are added some gall oaks.
On the slopes of the Rivera del Guadalmina a remarkable variety of riparian forests has been preserved, the predominant riparian vegetation is made up of reeds, fig trees, oleanders, algae, lichens, ferns and mosses.
As for the fauna, you might spot griffon vultures, other raptors, as well as wild pigeons and ducks. It is also possible to see wild goats, squirrels, frogs and water snakes.
Once arriving at the dam you can choose the route on the right, the path of the Higuera that climbs the Juan Miná canyon, and take you to the place known as "Malahiguera".
Its name comes from another older one: Majada de la Higuera. Here, near the bank of the Juan Miná stream and under the protection of the trees, the shepherds gathered their flocks during the night. Here were the traditional paths that the pastors used to move thier livestock with the purpose of taking advantage of the grasses or the montanera (fattening traditional of pigs with acorns during the autumn). Grazing was another of the traditional trades in Benahavís before the arrival of tourism.
This trail will take us to one of the private entrances of La Zagaleta where we will turn around to return to the dam where this trail ends.
At this point you can cross the dam or go around the Guadalmina reservoir and enjoy panoramic views of Benahavís. Highly recommended, an easy path for the whole family.
The Azud del Guadalmina, is a diversion dam to capture and transport to the Concepción Reservoir, in the Rio Verde of Marbella, the water of the Guadaiza River, through the corresponding tunnel conduits, with a capacity of 16 m3/sec and length of 9.5 km. This results in an increase in the supply to the reservoir of approximately 60% over the contribution of the Rio Verde itself.
© 2019 Graham G Hawker
Privacy Policy
