La Hermita de Benalmádena, Málaga (toma dos)
near Arroyo de la Miel, Andalucía (España)
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Trail photos
Itinerary description
Después de fallar en el intento de llegar a La Ermita de Benalmádena hace dos semanas, he salido otra vez a buscar el camino. He subido en coche, algo más de un kilómetro del pueblo de Arroyo de la Miel, pasando por debajo del la AP-7, hasta llegar a una rotunda y la Calle Orégano. Esta calle tiene una barrera, cortando el paso de los coches. Hay sitio de sobra para aparcar el coche, por ser una zona de la Urbanización donde hay muchas viviendas sin ocupar, y otros bloques sin terminar o "abandonados". He andado por la Calle Orégano, buscando la entrada a un camino que me habían dicho que llega a la Ermita. Después de andar unos 500 metros, he llegado a otra rotunda y el final de al calle, de donde salia una carretera de servicio (parece de las torres del Teleférico de Benalmádena) a la derecha. Decidí de subir por allí, que es un ascenso acusado de unos 800 metros, muy aburrido, sobre una superficie de cemento. Luego pasa a ser una pista de montaña, agradable y de suave subida hasta llegar a una bifurcación desde donde se ve La Ermita. Hay vistas de toda la costa desde Málaga hasta pasado Fuengirola. El edificio de La Ermita está bien protegido, pero los alrededores carecen de mantenimiento adecuado. Hay una fuente sin grifo ni agua, y el cartel con el mapa de las Rutas de Benalmádena se ha deteriorado con el tiempo. He decidido continuar hace la Cueva del Toro, pero sin querer (no hay señalización) he terminado cogiendo la Ruta Amarilla que he seguido hasta casi llegar a la Ruta Marón. Al encontrar otra bifurcación sin señal he decidido volver por el mismo camino hacia La Ermita. Para volver a donde he aparcado el coche decidí coger un sendero hacia abajo, pronto encontré una señal (la única que vi en toda la ruta) que dice "Uso exclusivo para Senderistas y Bicicletas". El camino desde este punto hasta llegar a la Urbanización abajo está en muy mal estado, posiblemente el tramo mas peligroso de los miles de kilómetros que he andado en Andalucia. Peligroso por la pendiente y las piedras sueltas que cubren casi el camino entero. Si malo es para los senderistas, imposible tiene que ser para todos menos los ciclistas más atrevidos y acrobáticos. La ruta que hice tiene unas vistas de las costa y es agradable, salvo la parte muy peligrosa. Llegando otra vez a la Calle Orégano, he encontrado el camino cortado y bloqueado con verjas y escombros (se ve que alguien no quiere que pasen los senderistas). La última vez que yo he hecho esta ruta ha sido ,en los años 70 con mis hijos que entonces tenían 9 y 10 años. Para la gente que conocen la zona de Benalmádena no hay que decirles lo mucho que ha cambiado en este periodo en cuestión de la construcción. Desde arriba sólo se ve dos manchas verdes, el Parque de la Paloma de Arroyo de la Miel y el Golf de Benalmádena. Cada uno tiene su opinión sobre este tema. Pero los culpables de la falta de mantenimiento de los senderos están en el Ayuntamiento de Benalmádena, la señalización, la condición de los mapas de ubicación y el hecho de que parte de la ruta está bloqueado intencionalmente, son deplorables. Parece que no entienden el beneficio que las rutas proponen a los ciudadanos del municipio y los turistas que puede traer. Sólo tienen que ver como el Ayuntamiento de Mijas mantiene sus rutas, y el hecho de que los 50 plazas para las rutas guiadas organizados por Turismo de Mijas cada sábado se agota en una hora el lunes por la mañana cuando se abre la lista de suscripción. Toda estos senderistas, consumen, hacen compras, vuelven a visitar y recomiendan Mijas a otros.
After failing to find the Hermitage of Benalmadena (La Ermita) a couple of weeks ago, I set out again to try to find the path. I went by car, a little more than a kilometre from Arroyo de la Miel, passing under the Motorway AP-7, until I arrived at a roundabout on the Calle Oregano, where there is a barrier across the road for motor traffic. There are plenty of parking places, as it is a zone where there are many unoccupied apartments, and others "abandoned". I walked along the Calle Orégano, looking for the entrance to a path which I was told leads up to the Hermitage. About 500 meters on I arrived at another roundabout and the end of the street, from where as service road (probably for the pylons of the Cable Car) branches off the the right. I decided to take this. For about 800 meters it is a tough boring walk on a cement surface. But then it becomes a nice mountain path with a gentle climb until you arrive at a cross-roads from where you can see the Hermitage. From here there are views of the Costa del Sol from Malaga to beyond Fuengirola. The building of the Hermitage is well protected but the surrounding area is not adequately maintained. There is a fountain without a tap or water, and the Map of the Routes has deteriorated with the exposure to the weather. I decided to continue to the Cueva del Toro (the Cave of the Bull, which is marked on the map and should only be a short distance away), but without realising (no signposting) I ended up walking the Yellow Route which I followed until I arrive to the Brown Route. When I then came to another cross-road without signposting I decided to return as I did not know where this would lead me. To return from the Hermitage to where I parked the car I decided to take a different path down, soon I came across a sign (the only one on the whole route) which read "for the exclusive use of hikers and cyclists" The pathway for here to the Urbanization below is in a very bad state of repair, probably the worst stretch of pathway I have ever walked in my thousands of kilometre's of hiking in Andalucia. Dangerous because of the slope and the loose stony surface for most of the path. If it is difficult for hikers, it has to be impossible for all but the most adventurous and acrobatic cyclists. Arriving at the Calle Oregano, I found the route blocked by an old door and rubbish, with the clear intention of stopping hikers from passing. The route has views of the coast, and it is a nice hike except for the dangerous area. The last time I did this hike was in the 70's with my sons who were then 9 and 10 years of age. For those who know the Benalmádena area, I don't have to tell them how much it has changed in this period in relation to the construction. From the mountain it is only possible to see two green patches, the Parque de la Paloma in Arroyo de la Miel and Benalmádena Golf. Each has his own opinion on this matter. But those who are to blame for the lack of adequate maintenance of the hiking routes and in the Benalmádena Town Hall. The signposting and the condition of the routes, fountains, and maps, and the fact that a part of the route is intentionally blocked, are deplorable. The appear not to understand the benefits of these routes to the locals and the tourism they could attract. They have only to see how the Mijas Town Hall maintains its routes, and the fact that the 50 places on the guided routes organised each Saturday by Tourism Mijas, are filled in one hour on Monday morning when the registration opens. All these hikers have a drink, buy provisions, come back again, and recommend Mijas to friends.
After failing to find the Hermitage of Benalmadena (La Ermita) a couple of weeks ago, I set out again to try to find the path. I went by car, a little more than a kilometre from Arroyo de la Miel, passing under the Motorway AP-7, until I arrived at a roundabout on the Calle Oregano, where there is a barrier across the road for motor traffic. There are plenty of parking places, as it is a zone where there are many unoccupied apartments, and others "abandoned". I walked along the Calle Orégano, looking for the entrance to a path which I was told leads up to the Hermitage. About 500 meters on I arrived at another roundabout and the end of the street, from where as service road (probably for the pylons of the Cable Car) branches off the the right. I decided to take this. For about 800 meters it is a tough boring walk on a cement surface. But then it becomes a nice mountain path with a gentle climb until you arrive at a cross-roads from where you can see the Hermitage. From here there are views of the Costa del Sol from Malaga to beyond Fuengirola. The building of the Hermitage is well protected but the surrounding area is not adequately maintained. There is a fountain without a tap or water, and the Map of the Routes has deteriorated with the exposure to the weather. I decided to continue to the Cueva del Toro (the Cave of the Bull, which is marked on the map and should only be a short distance away), but without realising (no signposting) I ended up walking the Yellow Route which I followed until I arrive to the Brown Route. When I then came to another cross-road without signposting I decided to return as I did not know where this would lead me. To return from the Hermitage to where I parked the car I decided to take a different path down, soon I came across a sign (the only one on the whole route) which read "for the exclusive use of hikers and cyclists" The pathway for here to the Urbanization below is in a very bad state of repair, probably the worst stretch of pathway I have ever walked in my thousands of kilometre's of hiking in Andalucia. Dangerous because of the slope and the loose stony surface for most of the path. If it is difficult for hikers, it has to be impossible for all but the most adventurous and acrobatic cyclists. Arriving at the Calle Oregano, I found the route blocked by an old door and rubbish, with the clear intention of stopping hikers from passing. The route has views of the coast, and it is a nice hike except for the dangerous area. The last time I did this hike was in the 70's with my sons who were then 9 and 10 years of age. For those who know the Benalmádena area, I don't have to tell them how much it has changed in this period in relation to the construction. From the mountain it is only possible to see two green patches, the Parque de la Paloma in Arroyo de la Miel and Benalmádena Golf. Each has his own opinion on this matter. But those who are to blame for the lack of adequate maintenance of the hiking routes and in the Benalmádena Town Hall. The signposting and the condition of the routes, fountains, and maps, and the fact that a part of the route is intentionally blocked, are deplorable. The appear not to understand the benefits of these routes to the locals and the tourism they could attract. They have only to see how the Mijas Town Hall maintains its routes, and the fact that the 50 places on the guided routes organised each Saturday by Tourism Mijas, are filled in one hour on Monday morning when the registration opens. All these hikers have a drink, buy provisions, come back again, and recommend Mijas to friends.
Waypoints
Waypoint
909 ft
Round
17-NOV-13 10:50:01
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