PR-A 496 Sendero Fluvial Coín - Guadalhorce

Text from Turismo Coín:
This appoximately 12 kms footpath connects Coín with the Green Corridor, covering part of the course of the Bajo, the Pereilas, the Grande and the Guadalhorce rivers. It is a simple route suitable for all the family, and although one has to take into account the distance both there and back, there is no need to walk its entire length. Walking the path when there is heavy rain forecast is not recommended due to the risk of flooding.

The route takes us through vegetation typically found along a riverbank (riparian vegetation), like southern nettle, white poplar, black poplar and tamarisk trees, osier, common reed, rushes or reedmace, apart from eucalyptus and farmers´crops, primarily citrus.

Walking silently along the path enables us to observe a variety of fauna, most particularly the birds, some of which nest on the river, others that come to feed, and still more that fly along these rivers as part of their migratory route between the continents of Europe and Africa. Some of the species we may see include great cormorant, great egret, little egret, black stork, black-winged stilt, little ringed plover, purple heron, commom sandpiper or mallard duck. We may algo find Mediterranean turtle, amphibians, fish and the odd fox.

The path begins next to the Ximénez de Guzman Primary School, following the course of the Rio Bajo until it flows into the Pereilas river, running between irrigated smallholders´plots and the river itself. Some four kilometres further downstream on the Pereilas we reach the place known as "Las Juntillas", where the Pereilas river flows into the Río Grande. We continue along the right bank, passing through a stand of eucalyptus trees where we cross the Carril de la Loma road to continue walking along the riverbank. Walking underneath the A-357 road, we reach the B.R.I.C.A (Andalusian Firefighting Standby Brigade) base. Walking along the footpath between he latter and the river, takes us to the confluence of the River Grande and the Guadalhorce river. Here, we veer right to continue along a dirt track running parallel to the river until we reach the place where we can ford the river to meet the GR 248 Senda del Guadalhorce foothpath.