Nerja offers activities for everyone. Visitors can not only lie on the beach to get tanned – even though many tourists will love to do so for some days – but also can play water sports or enjoy the natural surroundings when going for one of the Nerja walks. Those interested in the culture and history of the area might be interested in visiting the Nerja monuments. But the ideal solution of combining nature with sports is to play a round of golf on one of the courses in the area.
The walking route we recomend is along the Chillar river, through narrow passages and along the Los Cahorros. It is a beautiful itinerary with long parts of it beside the river bed which makes your walk to a very relaxing experience. Beware that at some points along the way you will have to go through a stream which can reach knee level at any time throughout the year.
Those who want to walk this route can access it in two places. The easier one to find is the one through Calle Picasso which is located behind the Municipal Sports Centre. The street leads to a smaller pathway which ends at the river bed. The other access can be found at the El Playazo Beach.
Once on the way you will find yourself at the place where the Chíllar river and the Higuerón river meet. There is a hill separating both streams on which the La Cruz del Pinto is located. Just after the dry quarry here the river bed lowers a little, follow the lane which winds through the crops of the Chíllar river to arrive at the confluence with the river Higuerón. On the hill which separates both waterways, La Cruz del Pinto (The Pinto Cross), there is a dry quarry. Behind the quarry the river bed narrows and the crops also disappear. The walkway continues towards the La Tercera Fabrica and the Salto Grande.
Those who have decided to drive the first part of the trip will now have to continue on foot. The path winds itself between both rivers and kind of loses itself when reaching the beautiful Los Cahorros. Further inland and away from usual tourist spots, nature becomes more varied and interesting. A lengthy stretch along the river bed ends at the El Vado de los Patos pond (the Ford of the Ducks). Here you can go for a refreshing dip and get some rest as the walkway now starts getting more difficult.
Continuing along the way you will eventually reach the La Presa dam. From here the stream becomes wider and also a little faster. To make sure you are still on the way, you should soon find some house ruins in front of which a large apricot tree stands. The houses are located on the right hand side and on the left you will see a small eucalyptus forest. The dam itself is used as a reservoir and is situated to the right of the river.
At this point you could turn back but not the same way you came but along the irrigation channels that lead from the dam about 6.5 km into the valley. Follow them along their borders before (after about 3 to 4 km) you will pass through the Cueva de las Palomas. At the end of the canal you will find yourself back at the Tercera Fabrica. It is a great alternative for those wanting to enjoy breathtaking landscapes of the entire valley and do not mind that at times it can get a bit more difficult.
The route is from the beginning to the dam about 8 km long. Please note that you will require an entire day for this trip. Therefore make sure that you have enough to drink and to eat with you.
