Valle Abdalajis
There are eighty seven climbing routes divided into four areas, recently appointed by the specialists of the Andalusian Mountaineering Federation: El Nacimiento, La Higuera, La Huerta and La Carretera. In addition to these, two more areas have been retrofitted in part by the Andalusian Federation and whose first kit is the Nescania group. These areas are: Los Lavaderos and the Pico de la Bandera. The Area El Nacimiento and La Huerta, due to their size and dispersal routes, have been divided into several sectors to facilitate the location of the already equipped routes and future route openings. Virtually all of the routes are bolted.
Some do require traditional gear such as nuts and cams. With the exception of El Chorro the routes are mainly single pitch, with the odd 2 or 3 pitch route available.
The names and the grades are indicated, the ones needing self protection are marked with a red dot. The climbing guide specifies the recommended material.
The access to the climbing areas is easy and fast: fifteen minutes maximum approach. There are small tour climbs (PR). There are two information boards at the entrance from Malaga shortly after the gas station with information on cycling, hiking and rock climbing.
The climbing areas are:
A. El Nacimiento.
B. El Higuerón.
C. La Carretera.
D. La Huerta.
E. Los Lavaderos.
F. Pico de la Bandera.
More information: www.valledeabdalajis.com/turismo_rural/escalada/escalada.htm
Alora- El Chorro
El Chorro is internationally known for the possibilities to practice rock climbing. With about 1,300 tracks with a good selection of bolted single and multi-pitch routes that span the whole grade range. This great rock climbing venue is known among climbers as the best place in Andalusia and is Spain’s second largest. Winter temperatures are mild, so that is an ideal place for outdoor sports in any season.
The Desfiladero de Los Gaitanes is of extraordinary geomorphologic interest. It is a gorge carved in the limestone by the river Guadalhorce. The Canyon forms a three kilometer long route, with heights of 300 m and widths less than 10 meters. In the solid limestone rock there are more than a dozen caves accounted for, some of them hanging over the river.
The man-made walkway, Caminito del Rey, about seven miles long, is a gateway (currently not passable) hanging on the vertical walls. It was built between 1914 and 1921 and owes its name to the visit of Alfonso XIII, King of Spain, during his visit to the reservoir in 1921.
A superb guide for rock climbers to El Chorro:
ROCK CLIMBING IN MALAGA I: EL CHORRO
Javier Romero Rubiols offers in this guide a complete oversight of routes, grade ranges, best times of the year, access, necessary equipment, pictures, in short, all the information that may be needed.
This is a bilingual guide (Spanish-English).
HANG- GLIDING
There is a major love in Andalusia of hang-gliding and many people from all over Europe come to Andalusia, motivated by the favorable climate that allows the practice of this sport at any time of year.
For this reason, the GDR of Guadalhorce Valley, ran a cooperative project with other GDR´s in Andalusia, to promote this activity in rural areas with conditions for this sport.
In the Guadalhorce Valley, we have two locations where we practice hang-gliding (and paragliding): Álora and Valle Abdalajís . The Alora is complementary to the one in Abdalajís Valley.
Alora has the take off point known as «La Antena» facing south and southeast, and the landing area of the cemetery.
Abdalajís Valley has take-off points in four different directions: high and low Easterly wind, Western and Northern, each with their landing areas.
Valle Abdalajís is the ideal place to practice hang gliding due to its location, orientation, topography, and climate. Not surprisingly, since the mid 80’s, this area is known amongst lovers of the sport as the capital of hang gliding. This is also the reason for the constant flow of foreign visitors, mainly from Northern Europe, where natural conditions are not so favorable for the practice of this sport.
An interesting incentive for the professional sportsman is that this area´s location and geographical and climatic conditions, offers the possibility of long-distance flights, in the form of triangles and round-trip flights of over 120 km, like the one from Valle Abdalajís to Torcal de Antequera, and from there on to Loja, and back to starting point.
The area of Valle Abdalajís, offers a flight information board, windsocks and online weather station connected to other weather stations of Andalusia.