A1 HOLIDAYS SPAIN

Paul Whitelock reckons an extract from the lyric of the Beach Boys 1965 hit resonates with lots of people who have come to Ronda to live. But why is this stunning city so special?

“Well, Ronda you caught my eye (caught my eye)

And I can give you lotsa reasons why

You gotta help me Ronda

Help me get her(/him) out of my heart.”

Over the centuries many visitors have had very positive things to say about Ronda; here is a selection in order of their birth:

Abú al Fidá (1273-1331) a Kurdish historian, geographer, and sultan, was born in Damascus. He described Ronda as [an] “…elegant and lofty city in which the clouds serve as a turban, and its towers as a sword belt.”

Vicente Espinel (1550-1624), a significant writer and musician of the so-called Siglo de Oro, was not a visitor, as he was born in Ronda. He gave his name to the local theatre and the main shopping street, Carrer Espinel, aka Calle La Bola. He wrote:

“I cross your border.

Hail and peace in God, sundered rocks,

Hail and peace, crags, mountains, scrub, woods, currents;

health and peace and happiness,

nobility, friends, blood, my land: hail, city…”

Richard Ford (1796–1858) was an English writer who spent four years travelling in Spain and in 1845 published his delightful Handbook for Travellers in Spain, in two volumes. He said: “There is only one Ronda in the whole world.”

Rainer Maria Rilke (1875-1926) was born in Prague, nowadays the Czech Republic, but was a German speaker. He is considered one of the most significant poets in the German language. To him is attributed the epithet for Ronda “Ciudad Soñada”.  ”He buscado por todas partes la ciudad soñada, y al fin la he encontrado en Ronda” (“I have sought everywhere the city of my dreams, and I have finally found it in Ronda”;).

Eugenio D’Ors (1881-1954) was a Catalan Spanish writer, essayist, journalist, philosopher and art critic. His description: “The little houses in this street in Ronda, with their bay windows on the ground floor, look as if they were developing a belly. These others have their bay windows high up… they lean their foreheads forwards. One would think that both sides of the street wanted to get closer to each other to tell a malicious secret about the visitor who is passing” is delightful.

James Joyce (1882-1941), Irish writer: “… and Ronda with the old windows of the houses, the eyes which spy out hidden behind the latticework so that their lover might kiss the iron bars and the taverns with half-closed doors in the night and the castanets and the night…”

Jorge Luis Borges (1896-1986) was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. After visiting Ronda, he wrote: “It is here, in Ronda, in the delicate penumbra of blindness, a concave silence of patios, leisure of the jasmine and the light sound of water, which summoned up memories of deserts.”

Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961), American journalist, writer and bullfighting aficionado, helped to put Ronda on the map through his writings. “Ronda is the place where to go, if you are planning to travel to Spain for a honeymoon or for being with a girlfriend. The whole city and its surroundings are a romantic set. … Nice promenades, good wine, excellent food, nothing to do…” Hemingway has a street in Ronda named after him, El Paseo de Hemingway, which runs round the back of the Parador hotel.

Luis Cernuda (1914-1964) was a Spanish poet and literary critic. He wrote: “Strolling round Ronda at dusk. The cypresses, the palaces, all of that air not far removed from the Courts of Cadiz; and a sky of an inexpressable colour, neither pearl grey nor silver; a touch of pale blue which a particular white force of the light rubbed out and compensated for with its irradiation. At night, on the great balcony overlooking the garden, with almost no moon, all of the landscape of mountains in shadow, it seemed as if I were at sea; the wind made the murmuring of the waves and the darkness only allowed one to make out an enormous deep and distinct mass…”

Orson Welles (1915-1985), maverick American film director, actor, writer and producer was also aficionado a los toros and loved Ronda. He has a street in Ronda named after him. He wrote: “A man does not belong to the place where he was born, but where he chooses to die.” Fittingly his ashes are buried near Ronda.

Walter Starkie (1894-1976) was an Irish scholar, Hispanist, author, musician and literary translator. “Ronda is a town which hangs from the sky atop a mountain split in two by the Gods.”

Juan Goytisolo (1928- ), Spanish writer: “We sighted Ronda. It was raised up in the mountains, like a natural extension of the landscape, and in the sunlight it seemed to me to be the most beautiful city in the world.”

Later visitors have included Madonna, George Hamilton IV, Daniel Bedingfield, David Cameron, Jamie Oliver and Michelle Obama, among others, but it is not known what, if anything, they may have said about the city.

© Paul Whitelock

This article first appeared on The Olive Press website in Paul Whitelock's View From The Mountains.

Check out Daniel Bedingfield's music video, filmed in Ronda, here:

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Tags: Help me Rhonda, Beach Boys, David Cameron, Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, jamie oliver, madonna, michelle obama, orson welles, Rainer Maria Rilke, Ronda, Vicente Espinel, Abú al Fidá, Richard Ford, Eugenio D’Ors, Jorge Luis Borges, Luis Cernuda, Walter Starkie, Juan Goytisolo, George Hamilton IV, Daniel Bedingfield, paul whitelock, info@a1-solutions-spain.com, www.a1-solutions-spain.com,

RONDA is such a beautiful and exciting place that it’s hard to narrow it down to just 10 favourite places, so I’m going to cheat a bit and offer 11, in alphabetical order.

Baños Arabes – Carefully restored over the last few years, the Arab Baths in Ronda are now amongst the best examples in Spain. For an insight into Ronda’s past and an interesting video explanation in Spanish and English, this is well worth a visit.

Barrio San Francisco – This part of town was my first home in Ronda. Located just outside the city walls to the south of Ronda, the barrio is like a village in its own right. On the edge of countryside with lovely people and with a wide choice of small shops, bars and restaurants, this is Ronda at its best. Try Bodega San Francisco for tapas and Restaurante Almocábar for the best meal in town.

Ocho Caños – The Eight Spouts are at the centre of a pretty area encompassing the Church of Nuestro Padre de Jesús and the Arab bridge. This was where the 1984 film of Bizet’s opera Carmen, starring a young Plácido Domingo, was filmed. The local bar has photos of the filming on its walls.

Parador – A fine example of a modern parador hotel, built on the site of the old town hall. You are welcome to enter and enjoy its roomy public spaces and opulent furnishings. The walk around the outside, the Paseo de Hemingway, named after the American writer, one of Ronda’s most famous visitors, offers stunning views down to the valley and towards the distant mountains.

Plaza de Toros – Claimed to be the oldest in Spain, this is where local torero Pedro Romero (1754-1839) got down off his horse and fought the bull on foot, thus starting the modern tradition of bullfighting. Whether you love or hate los toros, a tour is definitely worth it.

Palacio de Mondragón – a stunning restored Moorish palace which also houses the town museum. The different patios and gardens and the sound of trickling water are a delight. A super spot for a celebration, I enjoyed attending a wedding there in 2006.

Paseo de Blas Infante – these gardens on the edge of Ronda’s cliff offer stunning views. Named after the “Father of Andalucía” for his championing of the Andalusian cause, who was shot dead in 1936 by Franco’s troops during the Spanish Civil War.

Plaza de Socorro – this is the main meeting point in the centre of town, with cafés, restaurants and shops all around a fountain with statues of Daniel and the Lions. Adjacent to the pedestrian shopping street and above an underground car park, it’s a good place to go and is somewhere with plenty of atmosphere. Check out the evening paseo, but beware of the tourist traps.

Plaza Duquesa del Parcent – this is without doubt the most beautiful and tranquil square in Ronda. With running water and plenty of shade, sit and relax and enjoy the buildings, including the Town Hall and the Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor, an interesting Arbaic/Christian fusion.

Puente Nuevo – the New Bridge, completed in 1793, is the emblem of Ronda. 100 metres high it joins the more modern part of Ronda (El Mercadillo) to the Old Part (La Ciudad). Enjoy the views from either side and marvel at the engineering skills that built it.

Ruta Ermita Virgen de la Cabeza – this rural walk, through olive groves along the far side of the Tajo towards the Arabic hermitage at the end of a two kilometre track, affords the best views of Ronda sitting atop its cliff. Don’t forget your camera.

If you have other favourite places in Ronda, do post a comment.

© Paul Whitelock

This article first appeared on the Olive Press website in A View from the Mountains

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Tags: Baños Arabes, Barrio San Francisco, Ocho Canos, Palacio de Mondragón, Parador, Paseo de Blas Infante, Plaza de Socorro, Plaza de Toros, Plaza Duquesa del Parcent, Puente Nuevo, Ronda, Ruta Ermita Virgen de la Cabeza, top 10, paul whitelock, a1 holidays spain

  BOLONIA: The spectacular beach on the Costa de la Luz

WHICH are your top 10 places to visit in Andalucía? Paul Whitelock has been visiting the region regularly for over a decade and now lives permanently in the Serranía de Ronda, so he knows the area pretty well. Here is his top 10.

Apart from the big three cities of Córdoba, Granada and Sevilla, which go without saying, my top 10 places to visit in Andalucía, in alphabetical order, are:

Bolonia (Cádiz) – Without doubt the best beach in Andalucía, almost totally unspoilt, with the spectacular restored Roman city of Baelo Claudio as a backdrop.

Cádiz – The oldest city in Europe is much under-rated.  In the process of receiving a make-over, this is a port town to rival Liverpool or Hamburg.

Cazorla (Jaén) – A place to get away from it all. Mile upon square mile of virgin forest and little hint of civilisation. Boasts probably the remotest Parador hotel in the whole of Spain!

El Chorro (Málaga) – This series of linked reservoirs is stunning, with ample opportunities for sightseeing and bathing in the clear waters.

Grazalema (Cádiz) – The wettest place in Spain, the scenery is spectacular and the town is very pretty with oodles of ambiente.

Jimena de la Frontera (Cádiz) – A stunning pueblo blanco perched on a hill with narrow cobbled streets and flowered balconies.

Montejaque (Málaga) – This delightful pueblo blanco was my home for two happy years. It has a permanent population of just over 1000 and 15 bars. The scenery and walks roundabout are second to none.

Ronda (Málaga) – La Ciudad Soñada, the City of Dreams, is where I now live after four decades of travelling throughout Spain and her islands.  Ronda’s location perched atop a stunning 100 metre gorge, with mountains all around, is breathtaking. With a splendid Old Town, as well as modern amenities, it meets the needs of residents and tourists alike.

Tarifa (Cádiz) – The crossroads of Europe and Africa and the Atlantic and the Mediterranean.  A fascinating pot-pourri of cultures at the southernmost tip of Europe.

Úbeda – Baeza (Jaén) – These two neighbouring towns boast stunning honey-coloured medieval buildings. To wander the streets is like going back in time.

This is obviously a personal list and other people will have other preferences. It would be good to hear about these. Post a comment and tell us about your favourites, so that we can all learn about the best that Andalucía has to offer.

© Paul Whitelock

This article first appeared on The Olive Press website in A View from the Mountains

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Tags: Andalucia, Baelo Claudio, Baeza, best beach, bolonia, Cadiz, Cazorla, Ciudad Soñada, Cordoba, El Chorro, Granada, grazalema, Jaen, jimena de la frontera, Malaga, Montejaque, pueblo blanco, Ronda, Sevilla, Tarifa, Úbeda,

Three of the loveliest pueblos blancos of the Guadiaro valley in our part of Secret Andalucía are Montejaque, its neighbour, Benaoján, and the stunning jewel in the crown, Ronda.

Montejaque, at 689 square metres above sea level, nestles in the shadow of two mountains, Hacho and Tavizna.  With a population of 1004, it’s small and quiet. The barrio nazarí, the old Arab settlement tucked in at the top of the village, is charming with higgledy-piggledy houses and narrow alleys originating from the days of the Moorish occupation of Spain, between 711  and 1492. This layout was designed to keep dwellings cool in the heat of summer and sheltered and warm in the cold of winter.

Over the years a number of these older houses, many of which were nothing more than ruined hovels or animal shelters, have been bought up by northern Europeans and renovated into holiday cottages or permanent homes.  Some 20 or so guiris (foreigners, half of them British and Irish) live in Monty Jack on a permanent basis, and another score or so own properties here which they visit from time to time or rent as holiday lets.

The surrounding land is given over largely to olive cultivation and cork production.  The village is now quite thriving, with significant construction work in the newer, lower part of the village still ongoing despite the recession.

Benaoján, by contrast, is a pork town, with a number of processing factories in the village itself and down the hill in Estación de Benaoján,  its sister settlement alongside the railway line to Algeciras.  With an overall population of 1,629 Ben and Joan are famous for their chacinas y embutidos, ie hams, sausages, cold meats and other pork products, derived from the ubiquitous black pigs which roam freely, feasting on acorns from the thousands of oak trees. Benaoján is evidently more industrial and a touch shabbier than its neighbour up the hill.

Also in the lee of a mountain, at 564 meters above sea level, it gets the early morning sun but goes into shadow early in the evening.  It too has had a small influx of foreigners, also around 40, and it is a friendly place.  Ben and Joan is larger than Monty Jack and has more amenities, such as a modern health centre, all-weather football pitch, municipal outdoor pool, petrol station and repair garage, a newsagents and a florists.

Both villages are about 20 minutes by road from magical Ronda, the highest of the three pueblos at 739 metres and the largest town hereabouts.  Ronda has an official population of around 36,500, over 1,400 of them foreigners, and offers a full range of shops, services and other amenities. Its historic old town, the emblematic bridge (el Puente Nuevo), the oldest bullring in Spain and lots of monuments and museums make this a must-see place.  Hotels, bars and restaurants of varying types and prices abound.

Whilst Big Ron, known as the Ciudad Soñada (City of Dreams), can boast a wide range of amenities and is a great town, Monty Jack and Ben and Joan are quieter and slap bang in the middle of the most spectacular scenery you could wish to see.  The whole of the Guadiaro valley is a delightful area for a holiday, or even better, for living in.  Why not come and visit?  There is plenty of holiday rental accommodation of differing types and to suit all tastes and pockets, or your dream house could be just waiting there for you to discover it.

© Paul Whitelock

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Tags: benaojan, chacinas, City of Dreams, Ciudad Soñada, embutidos, Guadiaro, guiri, holiday rental, Montejaque, pueblo blanco, Ronda, paul whitelock, a1 holidays spain

"How far’s Ronda from Seville? I’m calling there on a cruise in May. Can we meet up?"

That was a message on my Christmas card 2010 from my Welsh cousin Roger. So, after making the arrangements by phone, text and email, off I drove to Seville last Sunday.

Now, me and Seville don’t get on! I’d been there three times previously and the city never did it for me.

The first time was in the 90s in August with two young kids in tow. The heat was unbearable and it was just hassle, from parking to getting around, whilst fighting through the throngs of other tourists. A very disappointing experience.

The second visit was in the early 2000s with the family and my elderly disabled mother. It was Easter and felt just as hot! All three disabled parking spaces in the city were occupied by cars not displaying a blue badge, so we had to park a long way from the central sights. It was just hassle again.

The third visit was last Spring with my then intended. It was hot again (Seville isn’t called la sartén de España - the frying pan of Spain - for nothing!). We got lost wandering around and ended up walking miles out of our way! We didn't really enjoy it.

So, on Sunday, I wasn’t expecting much the fourth time either, especially as the forecast was for temperatures hitting 40 degrees!

However, I really enjoyed this magnificent city on this occasion. Wandering round with Roger, chatting about old times, taking photos, checking out the odd bar, eating tapas, watching the Real Betis fans celebrating their promotion to La Liga, gained that afternoon, the city was a-buzz with good-natured atmosphere and shimmered brightly in its beauty.

Even the two policías who booked me for parking illegally at the harbour let me off when I asked them nicely!

A great day out, with plenty of photos to remind me what a great city Seville, in fact, is!

© Paul Whitelock

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Tags:  Seville, Sevilla, cruise, heat, temperature, sartén de España, frying pan of Spain, tapas, Real Betis, La Liga, paul whitelock, www.a1-solutions-spain.com, a1 holidays spain

Approaching this most impressive of the white towns in Andalucía from either the Costa del Sol or from Algeciras and Gibraltar is to marvel at its location and to be impressed by the ingenuity of the Moors who first established a settlement here 13 centuries ago. 

Small wonder then that Ronda is part of the Grand Tour of Andalucía, along with Granada, Sevilla and Córdoba.  Small wonder too that Ronda numbers amongst its 35,000 inhabitants as many as 656 foreign residents, according to the most recent census.  As a resident myself now, it somehow doesn’t seem that many.  Expats are there if you want them, but they are easily avoided.

The popularity of this town is demonstrated by the groups of day-trippers from the coast who wander the streets in their shorts and sandals, marvelling at the stunning architecture in the Old Moorish Quarter, staring unbelievingly into the deep gorge, el Tajo, that divides old Ronda from the new, and taking advantage of the wide range of shops at their disposal.  Occasionally, these visitors may wish they’d donned something warmer for Ronda is 723 metres above sea level and can be chilly and wet out of season.  On such days the enterprising proprietors of the tourist shops do good business selling plastic macs and umbrellas.

Arriving at the Almocábar gate on the southern edge of town you are in what was the old Moorish cemetery, now the up and coming San Francisco quarter.  Walk through the gate and up the cobbled street via a short visit to the bell tower of the church of the Holy Spirit, Espíritu Santo, continue up the vehicle road for 100 metres before climbing the steps into Duquesa de la Parcent square, which is home to the delightful Town Hall and the intriguing architectural mix of the Cathedral Church of Santa María la Mayor.  Head for the back right corner of the square and wander at random through the old Arab quarter with its magnificent mansions, palaces and tiny squares full of orange and lemon trees.  Do not miss the Palacio de Mondragón with its delightful patios and gardens, which also houses the Municipal Museum.  Also worth a visit is the Casa de Don Bosco, in honour of the canonised Italian priest St John Bosco, who never actually visited Ronda!

Emerging from the old quarter and turning left you find yourself on the 18th Century Puente Nuevo, the newest of three bridges joining the two halves of the town.  The view from either side of the bridge is spectacular: to the west a fertile valley with a distant backdrop of brooding mountains; to the east deep cliff walls topped by hanging houses.  A trickle of water runs through the bottom of the gorge 130 metres below whilst hundreds of birds nest in the cliff faces.  At dusk these rise into the air; among them Crag Martins, Pallid Swifts, Black Redstarts, Blue Rock Thrushes, Choughs, Griffon Vultures, Rock Doves and Blackcaps.

Beyond the modern and stylish Parador de Ronda, a luxury four-star hotel, you find yourself at one of the oldest and most beautiful of Spain’s bullrings. Ronda is the home of modern bullfighting, with the torero operating on foot instead of on horseback. This style was developed by Pedro Romero born 256 years ago in the town.  Built in 1785 the Plaza de Toros boasts the largest bullfighting arena in the world, yet has one of the smallest crowd capacities.  Tickets for the infrequent bullfights held here are very difficult to come by.  Nevertheless, it is open to the public and houses an interesting museum about bullfighting.

Away from the bullring and back down the northern side of the Tajo you come to the Fountain of the Eight Spouts, Fuente de los Ocho Caños, before crossing the Roman bridge back to the other side, and climbing through the Arco de Felipe V, the Arch of Philip V.  This whole area was used as the location for the 1984 film of the opera Carmen, starring a very young and slender Placido Domingo.  Photos snapped at the time are on display in a nearby bar. A brief detour down the hill takes the visitor to the Arab Baths, Baños Árabes, which are a delight.  Restored a few years ago the tour includes a film presentation (also in English) about the history of Ronda dating back to Roman times.  Back up the hill and you come to the Casa del Rey Moro and the Water Mines.  Climb down 365 steps hewn from the interior of the cliff to the bottom of the gorge to see where the Arabs used to ‘mine’ their water and transport it up to the town above.  On resurfacing you can get your breath back in the beautiful gardens.

After all this sightseeing it’s time for something to eat and drink; the choice is amazing.  There are innumerable bars and restaurants where you can nibble on the wide variety of tapas, sit down for a reasonably priced and wholesome three-course menu of the day for about £6 sterling, or, if you want to, splash out on an a-la-carte meal.  Specialities of the region include cured ham, bull’s tail, suckling pig, wild boar, rabbit, goat and other game dishes.  For vegetarians there are interesting choices such as fried aubergines in honey, wild asparagus and a wide range of tasty salads.

Despite the tourists Ronda is traditional Spain at its best.  As a taxi driver in another part of Spain once told me: “Aaa, Ronda, un sitio para volver” – a place to return to over and over again.  That’s what I’ve done for the last 10 years and Ronda has never disappointed. Now I live here full time, but that’s another story …

© Paul Whitelock

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Tags: Almocábar, Andalucia, Barrio San Francisco, Carmen, Cordoba, Granada, Palacio de Mondragón, Pedro Romero, Plácido Domingo, Rilke, Ronda, Sevilla, Tajo, paul whitelock, a1 holidays spain

I first discovered Montejaque ten years ago this week, while on a tour of Andalucía with my then wife.

As we drove from Ronda through the stunning scenery of the Guadiaro valley, calling at the Cueva del Gato on our way, we crossed the river, turned up the hill and suddenly we saw our first ever pueblo blanco, Benaoján, clinging precariously to the mountainside above us.

After squeezing our hire car through its narrow but pretty streets, we drove on up the hill towards our second white village, Montejaque. This was even more impressive. The square, with the pretty town hall, the church and the old hotel and, at that time, three thriving bars, left an indelible mark upon us.

Despite visiting countless other enchanting white villages during that fortnight, such as Grazalema, Zahara de la Sierra, Arcos de la Frontera and Olvera, we liked Montejaque the best.

We decided to look for a property there and made several return visits to the area over the next few months. In the end we bought a place in Ronda in 2001, but my thoughts kept returning to the tiny village tucked in beneath el Hacho mountain.

Seven years later, at the very end of 2008, I came to live in the village. By this time divorced, I’d met a new lady, now my second wife, and I joined her there.

My Montejaque is waking each morning beside the woman I love and watching the sun rise through our window, listening to the early morning chattering of the birds in the olive tree next door, nattering with our Spanish neighbours about the weather and the cost of living, being treated with kindness, respect and trust by the locals, being known as the guiri that speaks good Spanish, going foraging for firewood up the mountain, not having to wear socks from April to October, going for a paseo in the early evening and then for tapas with friends before going home to dinner.

We’re shortly moving house - about 15 minutes away by car. But we shall return regularly to the village we love – Montejaque.

©  Paul Whitelock

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Tags: My Montejaque, Montejaque, Olive Press, Paul Whitelock, Ronda, Guadiaro valley, Andalucía, Cueva del Gato, pueblo blanco, Benaoján, Grazalema, Zahara de la Sierra, Arcos de la Frontera, Olvera, el Hacho, guiri, paseo, www.a1-solutions-spain.com, paul whitelock

Walks in Andalucia

Cueva del Hundidero, Montejaque

Click here to read article: Cueva del Hundidero walk

Courtesy of Walking with Andalucia Life

www.andalucia-life.com

Beautiful day – where shall we go?  We decided to take a trip towards Ubrique calling in at some of the villages en route.

We opened the roof of our little convertible and headed off towards Grazalema, before turning left towards Villaluenga del Rosario and leaving spectacular Grazalema behind us, shimmering white in its hollow beneath the mountains. We passed a delightfully located picnic area, full of Spanish families barbecuing or eating their picnics in the shade of the olive and almond trees.

A quick stop in pretty little Villaluenga, famous for its cheeses,  to look at the bull ring and then it was down through the wide valley towards our main destination, Benaocaz.  Here above the modern-day town lies the ruined original Nazarí village.  A quick stroll through this weed-ridden old stone-built settlement in the early afternoon heat set us up for a drink and some tapas.  We sat in the pretty little square in front of the ayuntamiento at the only free table and enjoyed a refreshing coke and a couple of medias raciones - gallo empanado and chocos - together with a plate of patatas fritas.  Scrumptious, especially the john dory in breadcrumbs, which was freshly prepared and succulent.

Back to the car for the open-top descent down to Ubrique – a grubby, ugly town -  before taking the back road from there to Cortes de la Frontera.  What a revelation!  The scenery on that road is to die for.  Absolutely stunning!  No settlements, just the occasional white-painted farmhouse.  And scarcely any other Sunday drivers, either.

The pleasant drive back from Cortes via Jimera de Líbar and Benaoján brought us back home in time for a relaxing sit on the terrace in the evening sun and a chance to reminisce about a lovely Sunday afternoon drive.

©  Paul Whitelock

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Tags: paul whitelock, Ubrique, Grazalema, Villaluenga del Rosario, Benaocaz, Nazarí, Cortes de la Frontera, Benaoján, Jimera de Líbar, tapas, media racion, gallo empanado, chocos, patatas fritas, john dory in breadcrumbs, www.a1-solutions-spain.com

What could be better than an eco-friendly train ride and a healthy walk back through a protected landscape, followed by a meal made from organically grown produce?

Paul Whitelock describes two options for a green day out - one recently taken by UK Conservative leader David Cameron - in the beautiful Guadiaro Valley...

We've done our green day out twice in recent months, in December and in April, and once in each direction. And whatever the season or routing, it's a fantastic way to spend a day. Combining one of Andalucla's most scenic train rides with a fabulous river valley walk and a splendid slap-up lunch, things don't get much better. You are heading to the hills near Ronda and can arrive by train from either Granada or on the coast at Algeciras. British Conservative Party leader David Cameron recently undertook the walk, while staying in the famous nearby mountain town. In fact, the walk through the valley of the River Guadiaro between the villages of Benaoján and Jimera de Libar can be done broadly in two different ways.

Either catch the 10.24 train from Benaoján-Montejaque station for the seven-minute train ride to Jimera de Libar and walk back to your car in time for lunch in one of four different restaurants in Benaoján Estación. Or you can do it the other way round and walk from Benaoján to Jimera in time for a late lunch in the acclaimed Restaurante Quercus, or for tapas in nearby Bar Allioli, before catching the 17.03 train back.

Stunning

Whichever way you do it, you'll walk through some of the most stunning scenery around. The fast-flowing Guadiaro, which winds its way through the valley, accompanies you for large parts of this walk, as does the single-track railway line which takes trains from Granada to Algeciras along a picturesque route built by Scottish engineer, Sir Brodie Henderson, at the beginning of the 20th century.

With the sheer limestone mountains of the Serranía de Ronda on one side and rolling hills, lush with vegetation, on the other, this is a really pretty way to get those leg muscles working and your heart pumping. Whether in the middle of winter when everywhere is still green, or in early spring when the wild flowers are blooming and the trees blossoming, you'll marvel at the beauty of nature. In the summer set off early or late or you'll frazzle in the sun. En route you might see rabbits, goats and wild boar, as well as pretty butterflies and circling griffon vultures. You'll meet other walkers too, mostly frlendly and game for a chat. The last time we did this outing, we met Spaniards from all over Spain, several Germans and some Spanish-looking ladies who spoke perfect English - they were Gibraltarians, glad to escape the narrow confines of The Rock to enjoy the wide open spaces of this part of southern Andalucía.

Lunch at Asador El Muelle, a former railway shed, is a hearty good-value affair, with a wide choice of meats and fish grilled in their wood-burning oven. The meat and fish main courses are generous and are enjoyed by a predominantly Spanish cliéntele, always a good sign. You escape from here for about 15 euros per head, including drinks.

At the more fundamental Café-Bar Stop you can get a hearty three course menú del día for about eight euros, bread and wine included, if you can get a seat. This is a very popular eating place, run with utter efficiency by the formidable Anita. But note that they are closed on Saturdays. Even cheaper, but charming nevertheless with its outside terrace on the station platform and a super display of flowers, is the Bar Cantina Estación. No menu of the day, but a choice of about ten daily dishes at realistic prices. On Saturdays they have a barbecue with a good choice of meat and fish to whet the appetite.

The restaurant at Hotel Molino del Santo is another matter altogether. This is high-class dining. Owned and run by Andy Chapell and Pauline Elkin, this place is very popular with locals as well as visitors. So much so that you need to book at weekends. The menu changes regularly and has a good selection of vegetable and salad dishes. The ingredients are largely organic and either home-grown or sourced locally. Top dish is habitas con morcilla, manzana y beicón, baby broad beans sautéed with black pudding, apple and bacon pieces. Allow about 30 euros per person, including wine. The hotel offers a special discount of 35 percent on room rates for Olive Press readers booking within three days of their planned stay, if they mention the paper.

Reputation

Another option, a half kilometre's walk away alongside the river, is Hotel Molino Cuatro Paradas, which boasts one of the finest dining terraces in Andalucía. But you need to ring first to check that they are serving lunches.

In Jimera de Libar Estación, Restaurante Quercus, also in an old railway shed, is the more expensive of the restaurants described here, but it's worth every penny. This place has quickly gained a reputation as one of the top restaurants in Andalucia. Run by local lady María Luisa Martín, Quercus offers a really healthy menu, using ingredients from their own huerta or from local farms. There are countless specials every day, and lots of vegetarían options. Try the timbóle of baby broad beans and avocado with a carpaccio of langoustines and roasted cherry tomatoes and crispy slices of young leeks. A full meal with wine is about 40 euros a head.

Another interesting but cheaper option is the village bar right by the station. Bar Allioli, now run by Englishman Paul Darwent and his Danish wife, Synnove, this locale is loved by the vlllagers, as well as being popular with walkers on a budget. A wide range of excellent tapas is always available, as well as tourist information. It was here that the UK's probably future prime minister David Cameron ended up recently after taking the walk with his family.

So that is "our green day out". The walk is highly recommended and so is the food, whichever direction you go in and wherever you choose to eat. Enjoy!

© Paul Whitelock

This article first appeared in The Olive Press newspaper in 2009

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