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Getting into Barcelona at about 9pm I was delighted to find everything still open (in fact most of it seemed to be just getting moving).

Spain '99

Nickjenkins
2003-11-20 11:41:17

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of the soaring cliffs El Chorro is one of the finest rock climbing venues in Spain. About 40 minutes north west of Malaga the area attracts climbers from all over Europe and, in my case, from around the world. It also features some beautiful scenery and plenty of activities for those more inclined to less vertical pursuits.

El Chorro itself is a small town on the rail line in the heart of the rocky hills and is the main access point for the whole area. It is about forty minutes by train from Malaga to the south-east and twenty from Bobadilla to the north (Bobadilla is a major rail junction on the lines north to Seville or east to Granada). The town features a small shop, the train station, a café and accommodation ranging from camping to a bunkhouse to self contained apartments. Most climbers stay in El Chorro for easy access to the gorges and rocks nearby but others might like to stay further afield.

A five minute drive, or an hours walk, from the El Chorro town site is the El Torcal national park. The park is set around a sprawling series of lakes and features some of the nicest scenery in the region. The lakes are reservoirs for the Rio Guadalhorce (Guadalhorce river) which runs through the region and down to the sea between Malaga and Torremolinos. In the hills above the lakes are a number of camping sites all run from the "Parque Ardales" central administration on the main road. Individual apartments are also available for those who prefer more salubrious accommodation and some of them have breathtaking views from their balconies. The vistas at dawn and dusk are particularly beautiful.

Clustered around El Chorro are the equally picturesque towns of Alora, Bobastro, Las Mellizas and Torcal de Antequerra. They are all of varying size and offer services ranging from corner stores and local bars up to discos or restaurants.

The locals everywhere are friendly and helpful ...