Autumn at La Finca – Sierra Bermeja and Sierra de las Nieves: Hike with us

Once more we took advantage of the All Saints week and went to La Finca. The more we know the area, the more tempting is to come back. In this occasion we could explore new hiking alternatives that, being born in the South of Spain, I am proud to share with you for its beauty and own characteristics.

The first walk to share with you is in the Paraje Natural de Sierra Bermeja

Being 1.449m high, the Sierra Bermeja Mountain is just 10km away from the sea, which helps understand the beauty of this walk. Another aspect that makes this walk so special is the Pinsapos (a pine tree). These pine trees are unique to this part of the world (abes pinaspo boiss).

This area has undergone major volcanic activity; the rocks are rich in the olivine mineral. Rainwater has oxidised the iron and magnesium present in the rocks and the iron oxide has coloured the rock reddish-ginger, a hue that gives the sierra its name (Bermeja = Redish).

Have a look at the pictures below to get an idea of the place (click on the arrows):

The walk was 7 km long and it took us a bit less than three hours with stops for pictures. The starting point is one hour by car from La Finca at the Parking Area Recreativa (300 m from Venta el Refugio).

After the walk we went for lunch to Estepona, mid-way between La Finca and Sierra Bermeja. It was a perfect day and we agreed to come back to explore Sierra Bermeja further .

We did the second walk we want to share with you in Sierra de las Nieves.

The name of the park hints at the presence of snow ("nieve" in Spanish) on the peaks, which was once present all year round. Local people would store snow in these areas and bring it down at night on mules to distribute to the villages, towns and cities of the region.

The highest point of the range is la Torrecilla (1,919 m). This mountainous area has a rich variety of flora and fauna. In 1989 it was declared a Natural Park covering an area of 202 km², in 1995 it was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO and in 1999 the park area was expanded to 300 km². In the following months, it will become the next Spanish national park. There are many hiking and cycling options.

The road from La Finca to get to the stating point of the walk is astonishing. The views from the Carretera de Ronda (the road to Ronda) are impressive and this walk is just 30’ from La Finca.

It is great how the atmosphere and the landscape can vary so much from one walk to the other, have a look at the pictures for this walk:

The starting point for the walk is the Area Recreativa Conejeras. We chose a 15 km hike and it took us about three hours and a half. After the walk we stopped to have lunch at the Los Arqueros Club House restaurant (non-stop kitchen until the evening), which is so conveniently situated from our apartment at La Finca.

And not everything was walking and hard work; we also had some quiet moments like the lunch we enjoyed at La Dolce Vita, a chiringuito at the beach La Playa del Cable at Marbella, first line in front of the see. The name for the restaurant is well-chosen I assure you.