El Santo de Pizarra
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El Santo de Pizarra stands dramatically poised, a la Christ towering over Rio de Janeiro or The Angel of the North, above the town of Pizarra and the Guadalhorce Valley (see Photos 4, 18 and 20). Once you get up there - not a difficult climb - you can enjoy one of the best views in the valley for many miles to the south, east and north.
The walk soon leaves the urban environment, climbing steadily through eucalyptus then pine on a good trail, before emerging above the forest to a surprisingly rugged landscape. This is a walk of two caves, the first when the trail disappears behind a bush (don't worry, you can't miss it, there's nowhere else to go!) which reveals a narrow slit in the rock leading to a stairway up through the mountain. It's actually formed by several large slabs of rock that have fallen together, so not a true cave at all but good fun and at least it would provide shelter if it rained, which is more than can be said for its more heavily advertised counterpart higher up the hill, nothing more than a slight indentation in the rock face; an interesting Stone Age picnic table though.
It's worth noting how easily this walk is accessible by public transport on the reliable, reasonably frequent (but not regular) train service from Malaga and Alora. Starting and finishing in the town, it's easy to combine this pleasant, short(ish) but impressive walk with a bit of sightseeing and maybe a meal in this lively community.
Spain - Southern Spain - Malaga - Malaga
Features
Ancient Monument, Food Shop, Good for Kids, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Public Transport, Restaurant