Itinerary
Among the vast surface of olive trees, you can enjoy splendid panoramic views of Antequera Plain and the Genil Valley, which is next to Cuevas Bajas (Low Caves), and due to erosion, it creates steep slopes, as well as some river bank groves with a big variety of water birds.
Summary
Nothing could be more fitting in this environment than sharing the walk during Stage 15 with the Camino Mozárabe, since there is a medieval chapel in the village of this origin and an abandoned convent that starts the ramble of both long stretches.
The predominant direction of travel is north up to the Cerro de la Cruz to progressively turning west, a journey marked by the ascent to the top of that hill. Both the distance and the slopes are quite approachable.
You must pass through the small population called La Atalaya separated from Villanueva de Algaidas by the Arroyo de Bebedero or Burriana River, which forms a gully in the calcareous sandstone spanned by a medieval bridge. Then there comes the climb in search of Cortijos Loma Vieja and Loma Nueva farmhouses until the edge of the three district boundaries, from where you begin walking downhill.
Always following dirt tracks, this part offers an impressive viewpoint over the Valley of the Genil and passes through a new farmhouse, the Cerdón, as you walk to your destination, again the riverbed of the river Burriana.
The best
The gully carved into the rock where Villanueva de Algaidas stands (Villanueva of Forests in a free translation) is a true island in the sea of olive trees, a relic of the original vegetation caused by the shadiness of the slopes. Such is the attraction of the place that there was the convent of our Lady of the Consolation of the Algaidas built here, which was awarded by the fi rst Duke of Osuna in 1566 to the Congregation of the Recollected Parents of San Francisco de Asís. Attached to the ruins of the convent is a Mozarabic rock chapel dating back to the IX and X centuries with the Church divided in three naves (the Baptistry, the sacristy and the prayer area) and a nave used as housing quarters. Normally you can visit it without any problems. A medieval bridge still in use crosses the river and communicates with the watchtower.
The Cerro de la Cruz (Junction Hill) is one of those important those landmarks which as its name suggests, is a place where three boundaries unite. But for the traveller it may be the spectacular panoramic views over three provinces from the viewpoint of the Cedrón, conveniently explained in a commemorative panel.
Finally, the visit to the farmhouses of the Cedrón (of Jewish origin) and the Moheda (founded by the Andalucíans) offers some beautiful glimpses into communal life in these small centres of population which thankfully resist the passage of time. The Moheda is out of the way but so close that it is worth a detour. The connection with Camino Mozárabe is one more added value to the stage.
