Cerro Nicolás Circuit, 300th Walk, Sierra Blanca de Ojén (Málaga)

20 08 2021

Cerro Nicolas Circuit

This walk starts adjacent to the parking area of the Refugio de Juanar hotel.
Take the hidden trail until you get to a cairn of rocks (about 20 minutes).
Take the very thin path on your right. Cerro Nicolas will be in front of you. It has a few aerial masts on the summit. The path is a little hard to find at times. The last section up you will have to scale some rocks. I didn’t find it a problem.
There are some great views from the summit.

Coming back down you will see the path that goes up to Mirador de Cerro Nicolas (1027m) which is 10m higher than Cerro Nicolas (1017m) but easier to get to.
From the summit of the Mirador follow the ridge down, with Ojen village to your right slightly.
There is a path but sometimes it’s hard to find.
Keep following this path that will veer to the left and bring you down to Puerto de Pula.
Here you need to take a sharp left. The first 300m are thick with brambles and thistles etc. This path heads uphill until it goes around the hill and then down to the MA 5300 road. (Here you have the option to go back to the parking area using the road if you so desire).

Cross over the road and pick up the Pozuelo trail. At about 200m there is a small junction where you turn left. Follow this trail which crosses the Juanar stream several times and eventually brings you back to the main road and hotel.

I have left this walk as a medium grading but technically it’s bordering on the hard. There is some rock climbing involved

Some recommendations: Good pair of walking boots. Walking poles came very handy, especially pushing the thistles to one side.
Long trousers to stop your legs getting cut and scratched.
Take another person with you to be on the safe side. Phone reception isn’t good in this area.
Would not recommend this walk for dogs.
Not suitable for those who haven’t a head for heights, as there are some parts close to the edge.

It’s a really good hike with great views. You probably won’t see anyone on this hidden route.
Remember Juanar gets very busy at the weekends and especially on bank holidays, and parking gets taken up very quickly.