From the Moorish village of Frigiliana to the Nerja Caves

The start of this walk is just below the Tourist Office in the village of Frigiliana.

(S) Head down an alleyway due east (the Camino Boticario); there are signposts at the start:^GR®242Nerja 14.6 km. You’ll soon reach the Rio Higueron; follow it northwards. The path isn’t always obvious, but it follows the riverbed as best it can, sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other. It also runs alongside the water pipe; you can’t go wrong as you simply need to follow the river.
Important note: this walk was undertaken in March 2018 when the river’s flow was still relatively strong. You’ll pass a water reservoir called ‘Pozo Batan’.

(1) A few metres further on, cross the river and head eastwards up a well-marked red-and-white signposted path. It climbs steeply before reaching the ridge at an altitude of around 460 metres.

(2) Follow the ridge path due north. As you turn round, you can already enjoy some beautiful views of the sea in the distance. A little further on, you’ll reach a pass at an altitude of 485m.

(3) Take the path to the right; at this point, there are no red and white markings but there is a sign indicating the walking time to Nerja.
The path plunges down through the moorland, crosses a stream – the Arroyo de Los Garzos – before climbing back up to a second pass, not marked on maps, at an altitude of around 480m.

(4) Begin a gentle descent, passing a sign for Pozo de Cal (ruins of walls). Cross the stream bed again, then climb back up to 530m (another pass). Descend gradually to reach the Río Chillar.

(5) Cross the river to reach the opposite bank.
Note: due to the current, the crossing was made a few metres further downstream; a fallen tree allowed us to cross the torrent after taking off our shoes.
Continue the ascent south-eastwards, cutting across the contour lines before joining a wide path at around 550m.

(6) Follow this balcony-like path, which gradually heads south. Reach an unnamed pass, clearly marked and accessible to off-road vehicles.

(7) Continue eastwards following the red and white^{GR® markings}, then, after a hairpin bend, head due south and arrive at a vast, level area. Here, you’ll cross a wide path.

(8) Follow it, descending gently for 1 hour until you reach the finish (E) near the Cueva de Nerja (cave).

(8) This is a picnic and barbecue area in the heart of El Pinarillo Natural Park. There are toilets.
Buses run a shuttle service between Nerja and Frigiliana in both directions; enquire either at the Tourist Office or at the Nerja bus stop. There are frequent services during the tourist season.
Hiking boots are recommended.
At the start of the season, the water flow is strong enough to make crossing the streams tricky.

Don’t forget your camera – the scenery is superb.