Acebuchal

Price	€ 20
Day & Time	Every Tuesday starting at 10:00 (walking calendar)
Meeting Point	Nerja bus station, Nerja (map) at 09:30, and then at the Frigiliana bus stop, Frigiliana (map) at 10:00.
Minimum Group Size	None, but limited number of spaces available on each walk in order to maintain group safety and good walker/guide ratio.
Start Time	10:00 at the main Frigiliana bus stop, Frigiliana (map)
Finish Time	16:30 at the main Frigiliana bus stop, Frigiliana
Walking Time	5 – 6 hours (includes stops for breaks, photos, etc.)
Walking Distance	14 kilometres (linear route)
Height Gained	350 metres (from Frigiliana village)
Level of Difficulty	2B (rating explanation)
Risk of vertigo	No
Recommendations	Hiking boots or walking shoes with thick socks not essential. Trainers/tennis shoes will more than suffice. However, no flip-flops , beach slippers or similar, please. A decent level of fitness is also required. Bring something to eat for lunch if not having the mountain menu at the mountain inn at El Acebuchal. Also, bring sufficient water and wear appropriate clothing.
Additional Gear	No special requirements.
Highlights	Great views, pine forests, wild flowers in spring, visit to the fascinating village of El Acebuchal to learn of its interesting history, opportunity to savour game and wild mountain fare, practise one’s Spanish with a goatherd or friendly mountain folk?!
Facilities	Lavatory, drinks and food available at Frigiliana and Acebuchal.
Observations	This walk starts in Frigiliana at 10:00 at the main Frigiliana bus stop in the centre of the village (map). Walkers based in Nerja should meet me no later than 09:30 at the Nerja town meeting point (map). We will catch the 09:45 bus for Frigiliana and meet the Frigiliana group at the Frigiliana meeting point at approximately 10:00, when this walk will begin.
Map of walking area

The walk to the hamlet of El Acebuchal, also known as “The Lost Village” or “The Abandoned Village”, is a really lovely walk with the added advantage of the opportunity to have a unique experience of savouring authentic mountain fare at an enchanting mountain inn amidst the wilderness, seclusion and quiet of the magnificent Acebuchal valley.

The first part of the itinerary begins with a brisk walk through the village of Frigiliana followed by a somewhat energetic but relatively short-lived walk up a moderately steep hillside. But don’t worry! We will take our time going up the hill as there are enough excuses on this hillside for stopping, not the least of which is to appreciate the many interesting aromatic plants to be found here. We will make the customary stops to observe them and to have some water, take photos and engage in some discussion. Once at the top of the hill, the views are quite impressive, and well worth the effort in getting to the top. From our position on the hilltop, we begin a gentle ramble through a large olive grove, ascending a much lesser slope, before eventually arriving at the concreted forest road that will lead us to Acebuchal.

This is the point at which our off-piste adventure ends and where the second stage of our walk begins. The landscape changes notably to a much more relaxed stroll along gently undulating terrain and wide, well-maintained paved and unpaved forest roads. This part of the walk also takes us through the Natural Park and the predominant vegetation of pine forest. The Natural Park also contains a rich inventory of aromatic plants, and the area around Acebuchal and its approaches are no different. The hillsides here are covered in wild aromatic plants like rosemary, thyme, oregano, savory, lemon thyme, sage, mint and lavender, among others.

We are soon able to appreciate the lovely vistas from the highest point of our itinerary, where one has panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and the many lowland valleys that stretch down from the high sierra toward the coast. Continuing along our route, the road now changes into an unpaved, though well-maintained and wide forest trail, gently dipping and weaving its way through the pine forest along the lower slopes of El Fuerte. We circumvent one of our last remaining obstacles, one of the two pronounced ridges that defines the El Fuerte peak, and enter, for the first time, into the tranquil and pretty Acebuchal mountain valley as we make our final approach to the hamlet of “The Lost Village.”

Our arrival at our turnaround point, usually around 12:30, incorporates a stop for some hearty lunch at the hamlet inn. Here you will hear a little of Acebuchal’s history while having the opportunity to savour the absolutely wonderful country dishes that are all freshly made using mostly organically grown, local produce which includes the game from the surrounding countryside and mountains. On the menu there is wild boar, rabbit, venison, duck, lamb, goat and pheasant. The salads are fresh and bursting with flavour, the home-made breads are baked in a traditional oven and are unbelievably and mouthwateringly delicious, not to mention the home-made pastries, desserts, ice creams and the family produced olive oils which are all absolutely amazing! If but for the food alone, this walk is well worth it. Needless to say, for those of you who have met me and know me, it goes without saying that I absolutely love going on the Acebuchal walk!

After our well-deserved lunch and rest, we will begin our slow and reluctant return by retracing our steps to Frigiliana, taking in the different sights and sounds of mid-afternoon Frigiliana country life. The route is typified by a walk of alternating stretches of moderate hills and flat stretches along the quiet, paved country lanes and backroads of the pretty countryside. We casually walk down the country lanes through the patchwork of avocado and mango orchards, vineyards and olive groves. There is a good chance of coming across a goatherd, working oxen, a mule taxi or country folk on horseback going about their daily routines, among other delights. These typical countryside encounters usually provide an appropriate excuse for stopping for a short break, a few pictures and an opportunity to practise one’s Spanish with the goatherd who will be more than happy to discuss the goings-on of the day, if one is brave enough to do so!

We usually grudgingly lumber back into Frigiliana at around 16:00 – 16:30.

Note: If interested in having the lunch provided by the mountain inn, please let me know when making  your reservation for the walk. The lunch is highly recommended. The cost of the lunch is €10 per person and you can pay me on the day.