Today was areal hike of discovery with a small group of the Thursday Explorers. We started at the beginning of the Camino Forestal opposite the Mirador Hotel in Alhaurin el Grande, and the first part of our route was up to where our walk the previous Saturday had turned around and then along that route for a couple of kilometres. We then left this main Camino and took to the narrow rocky path that leads down to the Cave.
Although a couple of us had been there before it was a treat for John as he missed our last outing to this. We then re-traced the path back to the main Camino, crossed it and took to the steep service track for the High Voltage electricity lines, crossed another fire track and then onto the rocky path to the Hidden Mine.
The only evidence from this track is a spoil heap which would be unnoticed unless you knew what it was. Again John was in his element and explored the extent of the mine. Another back-track to the fire track and then along this rather pleasant level path with magnificent views across the valley and to Malaga.
It was then by chance that I spotted some conifers that are not common in this forest by are more suited to where there is habitation, a narrow stoney track took off to the right and after a short walk the building came into sight, and this was the Casa Forestal. There are no signs to it and could be very easily missed. A visit to this building was made, which was originally the base for the Forest Guardia, now recently renovated as a somewhat bland monument to times past, despite this the views from the terrace where splendid.
We retraced our steps back down the stoney access path and returned onto the main track and with a short distance were at the path leading to the Fuente Acebuche, which unfortunately due to the extended length of the dry spell is reduced to a trickle.
From here we slightly deviated from the planned route, but this doesn't matter as we are exploring, and took another path down to a a main Camino which lead us back to the Camino Forestal but not before another discovery of what appeared to be the remains of a very ancient well head and then another of some very unusual rock formations which John believed to be at one time, millions of years ago, a river bed.
Overall a very pleasant hike with some very interesting finds, fortunately mainly in the shade of the trees as the temperature was 38c when we returned to the cars.
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