Feature
December 2006
   


Route from the Castillo

 Third time lucky

After two unsuccessful attempts,
Tony Allen finally conquers El Fuerte

For years we’ve looked with awe at the jagged, saw-edged crest of el Fuerte towering over Frigiliana. The approaches from the South and West are somewhere between very steep and precipitous, while the long, razorback ridge which runs up to the crest from the Castillo de Lizar above Frigiliana looks only a little more encouraging.

All of which probably accounts for its name, which I suppose could (very) loosely be translated into English as "the Toughie".

Friends had told us that the path up from the Castillo peters out halfway along the ridge and our own first two attempts to find a good route up failed. The first time, we tried the southern route but turned back ignominiously when an apparent allergy to the shrubs we were forcing our way through inflated me into a fair representation of the Michelin man. Our second assault, approaching from the Castillo, made better progress until the cloud clagged in and we realised that even if we reached the summit we wouldn’t be able to take any photographs, so turned back to await better weather.


The Calera

 Two days later the skies had cleared and we drew up in the car park beside the Castillo determined that this would be the day.

From the car park our route heads west on the track along the left-hand side of the alberca, the big water reservoir. Climbing the steps at the end, we fork left following a rough footpath along the course of an acequia to skirt around the water supply buildings. Beyond the buildings, the path turns sharply right away from the acequia to zigzag steeply up the hill towards a couple of electricity pylons. At the first pylon, we fork left fork to wind up the rocky nose of the long spur leading towards el Fuerte.
About 250m from the start point the path rounds the tip of the spur and swings left to climb steadily, but less steeply, along the eastern slope above the Rio Higueron.

From here we get wonderful views towards the Cielo and the Torre del Almendron, while far below us another alberca shines like a huge square cut sapphire hung on the necklace of the river Higueron. Perhaps 200m further on, the path swings back to the crest of the ridge and forks again.

We ignore the fork ahead and instead bear right to continue just below the crest, still on the eastern side (0.475km).


We're going up there


This one beat me. 
Can anyone help?

 Soon, however, the path winds back up to the crest once more, this time crossing over on to the western slope of the spur.

We’re now climbing fairly steeply again, zigzagging up a rocky slope across a carpet of thyme, cistus and rosemary under a canopy of quite dense pinewood. It seems to be home to numerous lizards who scurry away in all directions as we pass.

Soon we break clear of the trees and come out onto an open south west facing slope, with views back across Frigiliana and the Castillo, already well below us, and beyond to the Cruz de Pinto and the coast.

The gradient eases shortly after we clear the trees and the path skirts across the hillside a 100m or so below the crest line which is marked by two prominent tree-capped knolls to our right . About 350m after we leave the tree line the path forks again (1.150km). Ignoring the more obvious path to the left, which quickly peters out, we bear right, taking the higher path which is marked by a small cairn a few metres beyond the junction.

Passing below the first pimple and climbing steadily towards the summit of the second one, with the jagged crest of Fuerte now towering ahead of us, we look down on the ruined cortijo of la Lastra, the destination for one of my early walks.

A couple of hundred metres to the left of the buildings you can see a large group of beehives. A sweet, rich fragrance rises from the lemon thyme which grows particularly thickly on the slope around us and I imagine that the bees probably produce a wonderfully flavoured honey.


The Higueron valley below us

The path runs almost up to the ridge-line at the point where we pass the rocky knoll of the second pimple, which is topped by twin pines. Beyond the knoll we drop back below the ridge line for two or three hundred metres and then swing up to the crest once more - a splendid viewpoint with vistas of the great arc of mountains from the Nido de Buitres to the Cielo and on to the coast (1.595km).

From here, the path angles away to the left of the crest again, past a prominent group of pines, then continues to climb steadily across the hillside. We’ve now climbed over 350m since we started and the vegetation is changing subtly.

The rosemary, cistus, Jerusalem sage and thyme which grew so thickly lower down the slope are beginning to thin out, and smaller, daintier plants typical of a more alpine habitat are beginning to appear: small yellow and white helianthemums, dianthus, euphorbia, and charming little sedum caerulea (right), with sky blue flower heads and delicate red-tinged stems and leaves. There’s also a tufty, rush-like plant with white flowers (above) reminiscent of thrift or aphylanthes which I’ve been quite unable to identify.

On this stretch we also pass a calera in very good repair, which looks as though it‘s been used quite recently, before we climb back to the ridge line again. Here, in a small saddle framed between two rocky knolls, above a sheer slope dropping 500m to the Higueron below, we pause to enjoy the view (2.125km).


Sedum caerulea
The path now loops back onto the southern slope of the ridge for a further 400m, returning to the crest once more in yet another saddle whose slopes are scarred by a recent fire (2.585km).

Our goal is now just ahead. Picking our way in places through the charred skeletons of trees felled by the fire, we skirt round the head of two side valleys which, falling away to the southwest, join into a single broad valley with el Fuerte on the far side.

Beyond the further side valley the path swings left, zigzagging up the final 100m vertical climb to the crest. About 50m below the top the way is blocked by a larger tree which is quite difficult to get round on the steep, shale slope.

Once this is a surmounted we’re almost there.

Minutes later we reached the top. The path comes out onto a narrow plateau flanked by the two great rock outcrops which form the twin summits of the mountain (3.9km).


On the top


Looking back down

I confess that by this time I’m breathing quite hard but heaving chest and aching legs are quickly forgotten as we drink in the stunning views in all directions.

Behind us, to the north and east of Frigiliana, the mountains stretch unbroken as far as the eye can see, while ahead the view is if anything even more spectacular.

On the skyline the old mule trail to Competa carves its way through the pass at Puerto del Collado, while far, far below us the twin villages of Acubuchal shine white in the sun.

Climbing to the southern summit we’re able to enjoy the complete 360° panorama before reluctantly heading back down the way we came.

I know it’s possible to make a circuit of this walk by returning down the southern face of the mountain but today we’ve no time to explore further and this must wait.

Coming down is undoubtedly easier than going up, with time to admire the flowers and butterflies and also the lizards which for some reason seem more prolific here than anywhere else in the Sierras. Best not to let our attention wander too much, however. It’s all too easy to slip on the steep shale and I certainly recommend a stick and good footwear. On this occasion, the descent was uneventful and our steps all the lighter for the prospect of a cold beer in the bar Virtudes to celebrate finally completing a successful ascent of el Fuerte - a fabulous walk and not nearly as daunting as we thought.

Walk Data: Distance 7.8km. Time 2 ½ - 4 hrs. Difficulty, moderate - steep and slippery in places.

Getting there: Take the bus from Nerja bus station to Frigiliana, then follow the signs through the village to the Castillo. By car take the Competa road out of Frigiliana and once clear of the village take the first turning right which winds steeply up the hill to the Castillo.