About Me

Hi! I’m Javier, and I’m the person behind Andalucian Walks, my great little walking business based in the amazing and still relatively undiscovered Natural Park of Sierras Tejeda, Alhama y Almijara. I have been living (and walking!) down here in sunny Andalucia, in southern Spain for quite a while now. In fact, I love walking and hiking so much that I recently made the decision to establish Andalucian Walks which I manage entirely by myself. I run my walks and hikes out of the villages of Nerja, Frigiliana, Maro and Acebuchal, better known in certain circles for sun, sand, sangría, paella, churros con chocolate, and fiestas; and least known as a virtual mecca for walking and hiking.

I am a native English speaker and fluent in Spanish, with enough French to take a Frenchman, or a mademoiselle, walking! I have a BSc degree in Fisheries Science, a Masters degree in Environmental Studies and Quality Management, and a Higher Vocational Certificate/Diploma in Workplace Health and Safety. More relevant to walking, I have a NNAS Silver Award in mountain navigation and I am a trained Mountain Leader (Summer Award) through the British Mountain Training Organisation. Similarly, I am currently preparing for my NNAS Gold Award (highest award) in mountain navigation. I am also a fully qualified First Aider.

I have been living and walking in Nerja and Frigiliana for more than 14 years now, and have also traversed and explored much of the Natural Park during that time. Over the years, I have had ample opportunity to meet many interesting people with a variety of occupations, experiences and interests, from which I have gained many long-lasting relationships and developed an extensive local network of friends and contacts.

I am proud to say that I am a one-man show and prefer not to present myself and my business as “we” and “us”, ultimately giving a false impression of who I am and what I do. Although I do run this business on my own, there is one thing that would justify my speaking in terms of “we” and “us”, and that would be the amazing support structure and tremendous network of good people who I inevitably rely on in order to make it all come together and work smoothly and effectively. The real “we” behind my business is the taxi and minibus drivers, the many hoteliers and accommodation providers, auxiliary specialist guides, local village and country folk who make various background inputs, and anyone else with whom I collaborate in one way or another and who, collectively, make my business what it is. Without them, I could not possibly do it on my own at all. They do all of this hard work for me and allow me to get on with what I really love and do best – walking in the mountains with you!

My business trades as Andalucían Walks and is a registered Spanish company and is fully licensed and approved for “Turismo Activo” (Active/Adventure Tourism) with the Junta de Andalucía (Andalucían Government) and operates under licence number AT/MA/00223. Andalucían Walks is also legally covered by public liability insurance and accident insurance.

Andalucian Walks collaborates with Viajes Turisticos, S.L. (C.I.A.N.: 291232-2; C.I.F.: B-92477371) for the management of its tour packages. Viajes Turisticos, S.L. is a Spanish-registered company and is licensed and registered with the Andalucian government to trade as a fully insured travel agent.

Andalucian Walks colabora con Viajes Turisticos, S.L. (C.I.A.N .: 291232-2; C.I.F .: B-92477371) para la gestión de sus paquetes turísticos. Viajes Turisticos, S.L. es una empresa española registrada y avalada por la Junta de Andalucía y con licencia para ejercer la actividad de agencia de viaje.