Puerto de Umbrales Circuit
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 15.74 mi
- Elevation gain
- 5,033 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Very difficult
- Elevation loss
- 5,033 ft
- Max elevation
- 3,537 ft
- TrailRank
- 28
- Min elevation
- 1,138 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Moving time
- 11 hours 44 minutes
- Time
- 13 hours 16 minutes
- Coordinates
- 4623
- Uploaded
- February 6, 2020
- Recorded
- February 2020
near Frigiliana, Andalucía (España)
Viewed 146 times, downloaded 2 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
This hike is best done in winter months with a 2/3 hr stretch at the end using a good head torch giving lots of fun worrying about boar and squashing fat toads. Very strenuous hike for summer months when longer days prevail.
I'm going to assume the reader knows the area as unlikely a new comer would try it.
Start at the Pinarillo campsite or the furthest top ridge (Colada Galgos). Drop down to the lavada running above the Rio Chillar and walk up stream to its source, a concrete weir and water fall.
Cross over the Rio and head up stream switching from one side to the other as necessary to make progress. Take the first gorge/barranco on the left where the river splits. Pass a cave shelter on left at which point you pick a better but over grown path which eventually rejoins the stream which you now walk up. Eventually a waterfall blocks your way but 25 mtrs before it on your right a mule track gets you over the waterfall. These options avail themselves at most obstacles . Once you reach a series of rock pools you'll find a large bolder blocking the way, it's important to take the path off to the right
because when you meet the stream bed again the upward path is opposite going up to the left. This path zig zags up for an eternity till you reach a ridge with great view over to the green valley of Cortijo del Iman.
Carry on the path down to a stream bed, head up for 50 metres then take the path on your right. Then repeat the slog again to another ridge with great views on your right of the summit of Cisne. Continue on a well defined path downwards for an hour to meet the stream bed of the Higueron, the helipad is above this.
Turn left and start the walk down stream, this is a heck of a long walk down and you'll soon give up trying to keep your feet dry.
Take a path on your right marked with a pile of stones this takes you above an impassable waterfall and eventually dumps you back in the stream bed. Continue for what seems miles until you come to a well marked path on your left which joins the GR249 at the top which after a couple of hours takes you back to your start point. This route is exhausting and navigational dificult, also as I did it solo requires a mind set to hike in lonely places in the dark.
I'm going to assume the reader knows the area as unlikely a new comer would try it.
Start at the Pinarillo campsite or the furthest top ridge (Colada Galgos). Drop down to the lavada running above the Rio Chillar and walk up stream to its source, a concrete weir and water fall.
Cross over the Rio and head up stream switching from one side to the other as necessary to make progress. Take the first gorge/barranco on the left where the river splits. Pass a cave shelter on left at which point you pick a better but over grown path which eventually rejoins the stream which you now walk up. Eventually a waterfall blocks your way but 25 mtrs before it on your right a mule track gets you over the waterfall. These options avail themselves at most obstacles . Once you reach a series of rock pools you'll find a large bolder blocking the way, it's important to take the path off to the right
because when you meet the stream bed again the upward path is opposite going up to the left. This path zig zags up for an eternity till you reach a ridge with great view over to the green valley of Cortijo del Iman.
Carry on the path down to a stream bed, head up for 50 metres then take the path on your right. Then repeat the slog again to another ridge with great views on your right of the summit of Cisne. Continue on a well defined path downwards for an hour to meet the stream bed of the Higueron, the helipad is above this.
Turn left and start the walk down stream, this is a heck of a long walk down and you'll soon give up trying to keep your feet dry.
Take a path on your right marked with a pile of stones this takes you above an impassable waterfall and eventually dumps you back in the stream bed. Continue for what seems miles until you come to a well marked path on your left which joins the GR249 at the top which after a couple of hours takes you back to your start point. This route is exhausting and navigational dificult, also as I did it solo requires a mind set to hike in lonely places in the dark.
Waypoints
Photo
2,082 ft
Comments (5)
You can add a comment or review this trail
Hi Nigel,
Thanks for sharing your impressive collection of trails in the Nerja area. I have done the Puerto de Umbrales several times from Acebuchal and back again, but I have been thinking of continuing down to the Chillar river and further to El Pinarillo as an option. My question is then how challinging is the decent down to the Chillar river? Is there a clear defined trail or do I have to improvise? From the top it may seem that there is and old track going down?
Best regards
Jan Hauge
A well defined path continues from the Umbrales zig zagging down to a river bed, then it gets tricky. Because there is a dry waterfall on your right go straight across the bed where the path circumnavigates the waterfall keep looking our for path opportunities both left and right of the river bed eventually passing a man made cave dwelling on your right with old sleeping bags in. Push on using a small path leading you to the right of the bed avoiding high bamboo reeds to the Rio Chillar.
Basically you're doing the section of the hike described clearly in my initial synopsis but in reverse.
Enjoy
This is remote wild country section best done with someone as your very very unlikely to see anyone else on this route.
Good luck.
Thank you so much for your response!👍😎