The bees and honey of Colmenar

 

NEW THEMED WALK!

AND A TOTALLY NEW EXPERIENCE!

Price per person	€ 46 (includes minibus transfers to and from Colmenar; guided mountain walk through the spectacular Montes de Malaga Natural Park; rustic 4 course country lunch in a mountain restaurant; guided visit of the bee and honey museum; guided countryside field tour ending with a visit to the beehives, including a live and interactive beehive workshop in situ).
Day & Time	Refer to walking calendar (walking calendar)
Start Time	Nerja bus station, Nerja (map) at 08:45 and setting off at 09:00
Finish Time	approximately 19:00 at the main Nerja bus station
Group Size	Very limited number of spaces available in order to maintain group safety, good walker/guide ratio and a high standard and level of enjoyment for the group.
Walk Location	This excursion comprises two walks. The first walk is a walk through the Los Montes de Málaga Natural Park, starting in the Montes de Málaga and ending in the village of Colmenar. The second, but much shorter walk, takes us from Colmenar to a nearby countryside apiary.
Walking Time	Walk through the Montes: 3 hours approx. (includes stops for breaks, photos, etc.). Walk from Colmenar to apiary: 40 mins.
Walking Distance	Walk through the Montes: 10 kilometres (linear route). Walk from Colmenar to apiary: 1.5 kilometres
Level of Difficulty	2-3 B (rating explanation)
Height Gained	~600 metres
Height Lost	~500 metres
Risk of Vertigo	No
Visit to bee museum	1.5 hours approx.
Field tour + apiary	1.5 hours approx. (includes 1 km long field tour through countryside)
Recommendations	Hiking boots or walking shoes with thick socks are recommended. Trainers/tennis shoes not ideal but will suffice. Definitely no flip-flops, sandals or similar, please. Waterproofs and warm clothing might be needed depending on the weather on the day. Consider bringing a hat and sun cream. A decent level of fitness is required. Bring something to eat for the walk through the Montes de Málaga Natural Park, such as a sandwich or snack (biscuits, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, etc.), sufficient water and appropriate clothing for the prevailing conditions, altitude and the season.
Additional Gear	Camera, walking sticks, any special medication or medical counter-measures to treat against bee stings.
Highlights	A very lovely drive through the heart of the enchanting Axarquía region and its captivating scenery. Lovely walk through the very beautiful Montes de Málaga Natural Park. Fascinating visit to a bee museum and apiary. A typical and hearty 4 course Axarquían mountain lunch in Colmenar.
Facilities	Lavatory, food and drinks available at Colmenar.
Observations	Colmenar sits on top of a ridge at an altitude of 700 metres. The weather up in the high Axarquía can get a bit nippy during the winter, late autumn and early spring. It can also be slightly unpredictable as well, given that we are up in the mountains. Please therefore dress appropriately for the prevailing weather conditions on the day of the tour.  Important: please do not wear  open-toe shoes or open-foot sandals as we will be visiting an apiary with live bees. Shoes or boots that properly cover the foot are best. All participants on the field visit to the apiary will be provided with a professional beekeepers suit which includes protective head gear and gloves. Nevertheless, if you know that you suffer severe or life-threatening allergic reactions to bee stings, please take the necessary precautions and bring any necessary medications or the relevant antidote, such as epinephrine. Please refer to my facebook page or website for updates on the latest weather conditions between 48 – 24 hours prior to departure.

 

Historical background of Colmenar and its centuries-old beekeeping tradition

I don’t think there could be a more befitting village with a name like Colmenar and the outstanding beauty of its surroundings, that could have been chosen for establishing The Bee and Honey Museum of Malaga. In English, its name translates to “Apiary”; and with good reason (Spanish: colmena, colmenar = English: beehive, apiary; respectively).

Colmenar has been populated since the Neolithic period, as testified by the many archeological remains found at the nearby site of the Cueva de las Pulseras. During Muslim times, the Moors farmed on the fertile lowlands and valleys of the Axarquía, of which there is a lot around Colmenar. One particular Arab tribe, Banu Jusayn, settled in the area in what was then known as  “El Campo de Qamara” or “Fahs Qamara” (fahs is the arab word for plain). The area was famous for the quality of its wheat, but also for its honey.

On the gently sloping land surrounding the numerous hills around present-day Colmenar, there were many scattered Muslim-owned cortijos (farmsteads). In 1487, one particular cluster of six independent cortijos, namely the cortijos of Barrancos, Peñones, Jaral, Ramos, Cortijo de los Guajaras and Colmenar, was collectively renamed using the name of the latter, aptly depicting the plethora of beehives in the surrounding countryside, and thus confirming its renown and prestige for producing excellent honey, for which, by then, it was already very famous.

The early settlement of Colmenar was inhabited by “mudéjares” (moors or Muslims who did not convert to Christianity and remained in Iberia after the Christian Reconquista). During the reign of Philip II (1556 – 1598), the first significant change to affect the settlement was the sale of Colmenar by Hamet el Zuque, a wealthy mudéjar landowner and mayor of the neighbouring village of Comares, in order to finance an arab military expedition. From that moment onwards, the size and demographics of Colmenar would slowly change as the Catholic monarchs would impose greater pressure on the remaining mudéjares and moriscos (moors or muslims who had fully converted to Christianity) to either sell or give up their lands and leave. The beneficiaries of this demographic change were Christian families, speculators, and opportunists from northern Spain who were desperately encouraged and incentivised to recolonise the increasingly depopulated lands in Andalucía. Colmenar village could be considered one of Andalucia’s “younger” pueblos since it wasn’t formally established until after the Christian reconquest; and not until 1777 did it attain its status of an independent township.

Nevertheless, and even before the establishment of the original settlement by the Banu Jusayn Arab tribe, the village has always maintained a fine tradition of bee husbandry and honey production. At one point, the village and its surrounding land became known as the Colmenar estate where exquisite honey was produced. Today, Colmenar still maintains its status as one of the premier honey producing regions in the province of Málaga. Even today you can buy honey made in the Colmenar area along with fresh, locally milled flour – both white and whole grain – including lovely raw, brown sugars.

In the very old days, bee husbandry used to be practiced using very simple materials and rudimentary tools. Nascent bee farmers would make use of any available material that the natural environment would afford so that they could attract bees and engage in more effective and efficient husbandry. Beehives would often be constructed from the bark of the alcornoque (cork oak tree) by taking advantage of its naturally curled shape once removed from the trunk. From this basic raw material, a hollow cylindrical “hive” would be fashioned. The hive would usually be completely smothered in adobe to strengthen and protect the underlying cork structure and to keep the bees inside safe and dry. These basic but highly functional beehives measure about 2 – 3 feet in height and 1 foot in diameter with a sealed standing end, a small entry hole at the bottom for the bees, and a cork lid. Sometimes hives would also be made of hollowed out tree trunks. You will see examples of these old and very interesting bee hives and other fascinating exhibits in the museum.

 

Spectacular scenery and unbeatable walking

Stand in Colmenar, look in any direction, and you will realise that you are surrounded by natural beauty on all fronts. It is situated amidst absolutely beautiful and stunning scenery, strategically positioned at the confluence of four geographically distinct and spectacular mountain frontier regions: the verdant and inviting Montes de Málaga Natural Park, the rugged and unforgiving Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama Natural Park, the quaint and picturesque Axarquía region, and the breathtakingly beautiful, elevated mountain outcrop region of the Sierra de Camarolos and Sierra Gorda. The experience is like no other, akin to being in the Istanbul of Andalucía, such is the beauty of this amazingly geographically diverse little corner of the Axarquía.

Colmenar is also the capital of the very special Montes de Málaga Natural Park, a mellow mountain region covered in dense pine forests, with elegant, placid valleys dotted with impressive colonial style lagar houses, not to mention its numerous rivers and waterfalls. Colmenar lies on the northern perimeter of the Park and makes for a great starting point from which to explore this region. Though on a geographical crossroads of sorts, Colmenar still represents the epitome of the characteristic countryside of the Alta Axarquía, typified by rolling hills and valleys, upland pastures and beautiful undulating countryside covered in olive trees – lots of olive trees. By contrast, the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama Natural Park standing in the distance on the other side of Lake Viñuela is one of the most dominant natural features of the Axarquía, not least because its highest peak, La Maroma (2068m), which is the highest mountain in the province of Málaga, can be seen from almost any position in the Axarquía. Driving up to Colmenar through the Axarquía, this monumental mass of rock constantly reminds you of its presence. The final mountain frontier region is the Sierra de Camarolos and its subsidiary ranges, an area of shallow dales and gentle hillsides dominated by distinctive, sheer limestone outcrops – this is the natural environment in Andalucía like you have never seen it.

If all of the aforementioned wasn’t impressive enough, Colmenar sits atop a gently sloping ridge in the high Axarquia, amidst a stunning backdrop of arresting karstic features. Everywhere you look, there is a fascinating and soothing complexity of contrasts and colours: the striking grey wall of vertical cliffs of limestone in the far distance; the green hues of sliding mountain meadows that eventually descend and subtly transform into wide open valleys blanketed in a shimmering sea of olives; and the rich, earthy-red, yellowy soil of the recently ploughed pastures, olive groves and orchards – it all combines to create a truly beautiful and memorable experience.

 

Guided mountain walk through the spectacular Montes de Malaga Natural Park

For our customary walk, we will venture into the beautiful Montes de Málaga Natural Park accompanied by a local naturalist, mountain guide, author and historian. The walk is a relaxed stroll through the undulating terrain of closely positioned hills and hillocks from which we are afforded numerous opportunities for appreciating the captivating views, not just of the Montes, but also the panorama of the sweeping upland and mountainous areas in the surrounding distance. One of the first exciting encounters on our walk begins when we enter an area with a high incidence of ancient cave and rock paintings. The paintings date to about 5000 B.C. and correspond to the Neolithic-Chalcolithic period. Observing these ancient paintings you will see how prehistoric people would have etched, engraved and stained the rocks with ancient schematic art interpretations. Leaving the rock paintings behind, we continue our walk through the Montes enjoying the scenery and occasionally passing by farmhouses on the way. We follow good paths through moderate terrain, occasionally navigating through sometimes rough ground. Your guide will talk about the history, geography, geology, flora and fauna and local culture. The scenery and vegetation come alive in the spring and autumn. Many wildflowers and flowering plants contribute their colour to the landscape after the rains of the winter; as does the natural pastel hues of the characteristic rich-coloured earth.

After our lovely walk, we will head over to one of the favourite local lunch spots in Colmenar where we will enjoy a simple but very hearty menu of country fare that is typical of the mountain villages of inland Axarquía.

 

Visit to the bee and honey museum

On conclusion of the visit, everyone will receive a complimentary gift bag of a pot of Colmenar honey, a honey dipper and a bag of honey sweets. The group will also be able to take part in a honey-tasting session to try the different types of honey produced in the province of Málaga, and purchase from the ample selection available in the shop, together with pollen, bees’ wax candles, honey soap, and other related products.

On arrival at the apiary, everyone will don their protective bee suits, just like a real beekeeper, so that we can all get close to the hives to see the bees give their own demonstration of the inner workings of their hive and live colony. You will take part in an interactive “identification and explanation” session of the various constituents of a hive and the live bee colony, learning how to distinguish the worker bees from the soldier bees, their behaviour, what their behaviour means, and how the bees organise themselves within the colony. You will also learn about the structure of the hive, parts of the hive and their function. The group will be able to ask questions and discuss the demonstration. At the end of the workshop and very interesting day, we will walk back to the village for a quick “tapita y copita” before jumping into our minibus for the journey back to Nerja.