The route to El Santo

El Santo is an effigy of Christ on the cross very similar but smaller to the Christ the redeemer effigy above Rio de Jeneiro, except this one is above Pizarra in a similar manner.

There was a good turnout today for the walk, 13 of us in total plus the 5 well behaved dogs.

The weather was kind to us, as I had to cancel the previous week due to rain, with clear blue skies and bright sunshine. However this was a bit deceptive as the temperature is dropping and when we started off it was in single figures. It warmed up a bit as the walk went on but it was still quite fresh in the shade.

Looking into the passage.

We start the walk from the Campo de Futbol and walk up to the next street and into the ‘park’. The route is then through a mix of Oaks and Pine trees and to what appears to be an impasse. The path appears to end at a large rock, but in fact hidden at an angle is a narrow passage through where one rock has in fact leant against another at an angle. This passage has  a flight of stone steps leading off to the left and rises steeply to a stone seating area.

We then take the well trodden paths through the trees, passing over what would be in wetter times, steams and waterfalls. The path begins to rise again and we reach the edge of the woods and atop of a steep slope with magnificent views over Pizarra and the Guadlehorce valley. Time for a stop to take in the vistas.

It’s then onwards and upward, with the path winding skywards through the pine woods, until there is a gap in the trees and our destination comes into view. The route continues upward until we reach the cultivated Olive groves, and then onto the vehicular access track up to the Statue.

The views from this point are about 270 degs. From Cartama and Coin to the left, and El Torcal to the right, and with the many villages of the Guadlehorce valley in front.

After a break for sustenance and picture taking we start our way back, which begins on a reasonably well made track which is used by motor vehicles. After a few hundred metres we get a virtually 360 degree view Malaga and the Mediterranean easily visible some 27 kms away.

After a while we leave the vehicular track and onto another footpath, which descends to another feature, that of a cave with a table and stools carved into the rock and bench seats. We then descend further on winding narrow and somewhat loose paths until we reach the steps down into passage through the rock through which we passed on the way up.

From here we tread the same path upon which we ascended until we reach the end of this walk.

For more photos click on the link on the right hand column.

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