Puertos de Torremolinos

Just how hard can it be to find a cave? I mean it’s just a hole in the ground. Actually, two holes in the ground since there were two caves to find and i found neither. One even had a sign pointing in the general direction of the cave. I felt bad about this as I had planned the route around seeing them. However, a Swedish couple (ever so sensible) could not find them either, so that helped moderate my feeling of loss.
I started this circular tour from the Hotel Triton in Benalmádena and went and came back via Carrefour. Despite the signs on the shopping centre it is closed on Sundays, so don’t make the mistake as I did of going there. If you were using a car, you could park at the top of Calle Juan Rose Mateo.
Just after you cross the A7 motorway there are big plastic barriers on the right and one has a yellow tag attached that indicates you need to turn right here. This track runs parallel to the motorway and gives you the chance to go cave hunting.
I never found the cave Higuera, but I did find the start of the trail called Camino del Agua. Had I not wanted to find the cave of the bull I could have followed this path which would have saved some kilometres.
When I got to a sort of summit, I was overcome by the various tracks I could follow and inevitably started by choosing the wrong one. What I wanted was Camino del Agua. This track in places resembles one of the levadas in Madeira: there’s even a cable to hold on to as you traverse a sharp bend.
Just after a path comes in from the left there are two steep but short rock scrambles. I thought about going back but carried on eventually climbing up to meet the GR-249: the motorway of footpaths. I could have turned right and gone to Palomas for the view, but the clouds had come in so I decided to give it a miss.
The GR-249 was quite pleasant for walking though quite rocky. I found a good viewpoint at Mirador del Lobo where the sun was trying to break through the clouds. This, for me, was the highlight of the tour.
A bit further on from the mirador is the Aula de Naturaleza from where the path got quite steep in its descent, with loose scree adding to the fun.
I took a wrong turn because that way looked simpler; fortunately, there was a couple who told me I’d taken the wrong track. Coming into a forest I found it difficult to pick up the correct path and had to have several attempts. Sometimes the paths are marked by white/yellow blazes on rocks or even blue splashes further on. They are of some help, but you really need a satellite navigation system.
I was extremely glad to find the subway under the A7 and enjoyed the graffiti that decorated it. From there, my route back was straightforward passing by Pinillo station and so back to Benalmádena.