Walking up El Hacho

El Hacho, or Monte Hacho, is the craggy mountain which dominates the white village of Alora.

It's a fairly easy climb, despite its forbidding appearance.

To start from Finca Limoneros, turn right along the track and walk to the deportivo (Sports Centre) and turn left to walk up into the pueblo of Alora.

At the traffic lights, turn right up the Carratraca road.

A kilometre or so out from the traffic lights - about 0:30 walking time from the finca - you will see the venta la higuera (Fig Tree Restaurant) and just a few metres further on the left there are two tracks on the left. The one which turns sharply backwards is metalled and signposted to 'El Estadio de Futbol' - not the one. You take the rightmost dirt track upwards. This track is very good and if you feel like really cheating you can drive all the way up to the top.

The Convent of the Virgen de Flores is an impressive building by any standards.

As the track rises from the Carratraca Road this view of it with the Valle del Sol and the Sierra de Auguas mountains as a backdrop promises much in the way of panoramic views later in the wlak - and you will not be disappointed.

At this time of year (May) everywhere is carpeted with wild flowers. Photographs don't really do them justice, but I can't resist taking some anyway!

This lovely yellow thistle was one of my favourites.

Strange how plants seem to grow only at a certain level, these thistles were everywhere at this early point but soon disappeared for the rest of the walk.

After a while there is a large electricity pylon where the cables cross overhead, and shortly after this the track joins an asphalt road (1:00) which leads upwards to the left.

Eventually on reaching the 'pass' (1:40) there is a bluff which extends 100m or so out and affords some wonderful views of Alora and the Valle del Sol.

Carrying on, more great views and some shrubs which any gardener would love to grow so well.

Past a small transmission mast and up to the tall mast at the top of the mountain (2:00).

There are excellent views of the Sierra de Aguas to the North and the Sierra de Huma to the West, and also of the Rio Guadalhorce valley open to the sea as it meanders to the South.

Then a scramble down to the cross which marks the best lookout point of the walk (2:15) - a great place for lunch.

Be careful ... to reach the cross it is safest to go down to the right of this ridge, which is quite narrow and drops away suddenly before the outcrop on which the cross stands.

This stunning panorama shows the town of Alora and the football ground on the right.

Finca Limoneros (arrowed) is clearly visible from here.

Coming back down, there is supposed to be a path down to the left at the small transmission mast. I came down this way, the track I used (pictured) was excellent at first but eventually petered out into a series of fincas, olive groves and so on and I had some trouble getting past fences and so on, not to mention the dogs! Not recommended, but I'll try to find a better route down next time.

All told, about 4:00 - 4:30 depending on how you return, around 12-14km and only moderate on the walking scale as the track is so good underfoot. A great day out and worth every bit of effort.