In the heart of the Sierra de Gádor, Roquetas de Mar has several trails with great tourist and recreational potential, although also with dangerous wells without signposting
Although there are more and more rockers and residents of other localities who know the route of the Antennas in the Aguadulce cliffs, few are those who are aware that at the foot of the Sierra de Gádor, still within the municipality of Roquetas de Mar There are natural areas of great scenic, environmental and historical interest, which have enormous potential for hiking.
Shared in part with the municipalities of Enix and Felix, Roquetas de Mar has many possibilities to exploit hiking and active tourism routes, beyond the aforementioned Antenas or others better known such as the Green Door of the Ribera de la Algaida or those existing in Punta Entinas. And it is confirmed once again that Roquetas de Mar has much more to offer in addition to sun and beach, although not even a large part of its neighbours believe it.
As the trails are not properly marked, it is difficult to say how many routes can be done in the rocky part of the Sierra de Gádor, but it is known that Aguadulce can become the starting point of several very interesting routes that reach the points of interest. highlights, such as the remains of 19th-century mining, the remains of a Civil War fortification near the Aguadulce antennas, as well as traditional farmhouses and natural monuments such as the Aguadulce cliffs or the so-called ‘Tajo de Los presos ‘.
Dangers in the wells
The interest when it comes to signalling these routes is not only tourist or recreational, it is also for their safety. For years, the existence of numerous wells and old mines that are not properly marked has been alerted, which can cause accidents among users who enter the mountains to explore its spaces. Some dangers that Al-Mirhas, a company specializing in the organization of hiking routes, recognizes exist not only in the rocky part of the Sierra de Gádor, but in other points. María del Mar Rodríguez, explained to IDEAL that there have already been accidents like last year in Laujar de Andarax, which caused serious injuries to a hiker through a well without closing or signalling.
Al-Mirhas considers signalling essential if the routes are to be promoted. The company acknowledges that it has hardly organized tours in this part of the province due to this lack and assures that “” if you want to take advantage of these places, the first thing you have to do is signal them, “explained Rodríguez.
Until now, the initiatives to publicize these trails have come from historians, fans or a political party such as Indapa or IU. The latter has been demanding measures for the enhancement of the trails for years and has made maps and proposals for their marking and approval, some of which illustrate this information.
The historical value of these tours is undeniable and they even serve to make sense of the names of some of the towns in the area. This is the case of Las Hortichuelas, a farmhouse of Moorish origin studied by historians such as Lorenzo Cara, Gabriel Cara, or Juan Miguel Galdeano and that recall some old orchards with an irrigation system from medieval times that is still preserved today and that gives origin to a lush area of vegetation and water that is largely unknown to most rockers, very close to La Envia Golf and the Saladares and Altaduna schools. A space on which Indapa already requested its enhancement as a route in 2015.
These are also circuits that not only have great appeal for hiking on foot, but also for other forms of active tourism and physical activity, such as trail running, climbing or mountain biking.
town hall
Although up to now the proposals made have been rejected and no initiative has been taken to promote these routes, something seems to be changing in the Roquetas de Mar City Council. Its Councilor for Tourism, Francisco Barrionuevo, has recognized IDEAL’s tourism potential They have these options of the increasingly demanded active tourism. The mayor assures that the City Council is studying how to value these spaces, on which they highlighted their scenic, environmental and also historical interest.
An attraction that active tourism companies have no doubt about, such as Al-Mirhas, who admitted yesterday that they do not organize tours in this part of the province because they are not signposted. In his case, his main clients are groups, especially schools and institutes and although they have done some such as a recent one in the El Palmer area that reaffirmed the attractiveness and potential of the area.
María del Mar Rodríguez commented that “the Sierra de Gádor is a wonder of mountains, which has spectacular corners and is not protected,” citing threats such as the exploitation of aquifers and the proliferation of greenhouses. But in the case of Roquetas and its surroundings, this potential is not exploited as it does not have its trails duly marked or approved, unlike other municipalities such as Dalías, whose network of trails is described as “spectacular” by the person in charge of Al-Mihras.
Izquierda Unida has been the most active party in Roquetas de Mar when it comes to requesting the signalling and enhancement of these routes, with numerous initiatives over recent years. His spokesman, Juan Pablo Yakubiuk, is a great fan of hiking and has insisted a lot on this issue, the last time he discussed the issue was in the plenary session last week, in which he also warned of the risk that the numerous shafts in the mines in this part of the province, which are still not closed or signalled. “We demand the enhancement of this interesting historical and natural heritage that we have to help promote quality tourism, sustainable and without seasonality,” said the mayor.
