KM 2: TOWARDS THE SIERRA
We begin this leg of the journey leaving Osuna, taking the old road to Granada, next to a transformer near the Santa Maria de la ASuncuion Collegiate and the University building. Im,ediately after, we pass next to the remains of Iberian and Roman settlements of the archeological area known as Urso.
As we leave Osuna we abandon the soft landscape of the Svillian plain, to penetrate into the abrupt mountains of Baetic Sierras, to confront the harshness of its ridges, to enjot the wealth of its scenery, flora and fauna.
After descending the eastern side of Loma de las Cateras (quarry ridge), we join a smooth and wide, whitish coloured trail and take a left along flat terrain.
KM 11: SUMMITING THE CALAMORRO
Still following this main trail amongst wheat fields, sunflowers and olives, we steadily reach the top of the Calamorro (324m). From here we have a spectacular panoramic of White river valley and Sierra del Becerro (844m). After a long descent, we reach the Aguadulce to el Rubio road, where we turn left.
KM 13: CROSSING THE RIVER BLANCO
After 27 km this flat road, with occasional easy ascents, takes us to a crossing (km 13.2), where we take a right, going down an earth trail until we reach a small river. During the summer, the water lever is low, but in rainy seasons this can be a trouble spot.
KM 15: TOWARDS CERRO (HILL) DE LA BODEGUITA
In the middle of a plain, surrounded by sunflowers, we pass Cortijo la Habichuela. We reach a crossing where we continue to the left, passing next to Cortijo de la Ventilla. The flat land gradually becomes a long and smooth slope., accompanied by sunflowers, until we reach the top of the Cerro de la Bodeguita.
KM 18: IN CORTIJO DEL INDIANO
After passing Cortijo del Duende, getting to the top a hillock and taking a right turn at the crossing, we can fill up our bottles, from the well in the fron patio.
KM 22: CORTIJO DEL POZO DEL VILLAR
In front of us we can make out Estepa, at the foot of the Sierra del Becerro. The trail begins to go down towards Cortijo del Arroyo Granado. Once we have crossed the steam, the trail begins to go smoothly up again, passing next to Cortijo de Ales which is surrounded by olives trees and occasional solitary dwarf oak, until Cortijo Pozo del Villar. This cortijo has a stone well, with a fig tree on the side, where we can refresh ourselves. Caution! Ask whether water is potable first.
KM 27: IN THE SWEET CITY OF ESTEPA
After passing next to Cortijo Polvorin, we begin to descend, parallel to the A-92 until we reach the road of Estepa. Here we turn right passing beneath a bridge of the A-92. We continue upwards into the town, Estepa. Only memories remain Astapa, the Punic Wars (208 A.D).We will stop in this town ( " The balcony of Andalusia"), to visit its castle, towers, churches, convents and above al the taste the famed confectionery (a tradition direct from Moorish legacy).
KM 32: FUENTE DE SANTIAGO
We leave Estepa along Avenida de Andalucia, and look for an asphalted road that leads to the cemetery (Santiao Apostol), which we leave behind to our left. We gently ascend the asaierra del Becerro, until we reach quarry at the top, where we begin the descent to Fuente (Fountain) de Santiago.
KM 37: BETWEEN MOUNTAINS
The trail begins to go up once again, between olive trees and surrounded by mountains: to the right Sierra del Hacho (705m), and opposite Sierra de la Algadillas. In a depression to our left, flanked by Cerros del Aguila, we can se Lora de Estepa.
We reach the top of the mountain pass next to the Santa Ana quarry, seeing before us a view of Sierra de Yeguas. We go down a stretch, until turning left onto an earth trail which goes around Sierra de las Algaidillas and which passes Finca (farm) La Cañada, and the crossing that leads to Cortijo de Algaidilla.
KM 42: LA RODA DE ANDALUCIA
Still descending among olive groves, we reach the A-93, that we cross through a tunnel. We then pass the railway and cross Arroyo Salinoso (Salt stream) to enter La Roda de Andalucia (km 42.2). Nearby the visitor can enjoy the Laguna (lake) de Ratosa Nature Reserve.
KM 50: BETWEEN THW PROVINCES OF SEVILLE AND MALAGA
We leave Roda de Andalucia, crossing the Arroyo de la Albinal Yeguas river, to join a trail which , passing a tunnel under the A-92 and climbing gently among olive trees,takes us to the Sierra de los Caballos. Its highest peak in the Castillo(687m). Once we reach the top of the ridge we can enjoy marvellous views of the Hoya del Navazo basin, where we find the Fuente de Piedra Salt Lake, and Sierra del Humilladero. On the horizon we can see Sierra de la Chimenea, an imposing mass of limestone where the whimsical forms of the rocks make up an area known as El Torcal de Antequera.
The trail continues downwards, until it reaches a railway track, crossing bridge (KM, 47.6, and continuing parallel to it for a short stretch. Here we cross the invisible boundary between the provinces of Seville and Málaga.
When we reach a tunnel under the railway, we take a right turn, going up a trail towards Cortijo de la Doctora, which we go round, to see the town of Fuente de Piedra and the lake, which we head towards.
KM 54: FUENTE DE PIEDRA LAKE
About 13 million years ago during the Tertiary Age, part of the territory that the region of Andakusia today covers rose, causing the sea water to give up terrain for the rising lands, creating an abrupt scenery, gradually but slowly formed by time and the weather. It was in this area, between the provinces of Sevile, Málaga and Granada that masses of lime emerged, surrounded by plains and deep valleys where lagoons formed.
Once we have joined the rod that takes us around the lake, we reach Cerro del Palo, where the Lake's Visitor Centre is situated. We go around the lake, bordered by a rich vegetationof reed beds, while adjacent lands are dedicated to the cultivation of sunflowers, cereals and olives.
KM 62: HUMILLADERO TOWN AND MOUNTAINS
We leave the lake, crossing a road and railway. A trail next to an irrigation ditch takes us to a path parallel to the railway which we take in order to cross a bridge ( km 57.7), and reach the foothills of Sierra de Humilladero that we go round to join the Humilladero- Bobadilla road, and enter the town along Calle Ana Alba.
To the south of Sierra de Humilladero we find the Lagunas de Campillos Nature Reserve, with five lakes: Cmuñas, Capacete, de Cerero, Dulce and Salada. Sierra de Humilladero's highest peaks are: the Puntal de la Sierra (680m) to the extreme east, and the Pollo (628) to the extreme west. Its foothills are covered in pine trees and are popularly known as " La Sierrecila". We leave Humilladero, taking the old N-334road. When we reach the Humilladero Cross we leave the road behind, taking a left turn, next to the industrial slaughterhouse.
KM 67: MOLLINA:WINE,BLOOD OF THE HEART
We reach the top of the smooth ridge, between ancestral olive groves and begin the descent, along zigzagging trails that cross reddish coloured lands full of vines that produce the famous wines in Malaga.
Having gone under a bridge and passé some vineyards , we join the road to Alameda and enter Mollina. We leave this town by taking the old N-334, passing next to Cortijo de San José, where we can drink water from its "famous" fountain. In the distance it is possible to see Antequera.
KM 81: THE PLAINS OF ANTEQUERA
The thick knot of roads that cover this plain will oblige us to take a longer route. However we will recompense our senses perceiving the charges from dry to irrigated land, from wheat fields to leafy orchards, all thanks to the Gudalhorce river, the irrigation channels and the wells, hat provide this land with water.
Playing attention to the "routmetre" we will pass the Saydo Hotel, Cortijo de Santa Teresa, the crossings over the lake's canal, the road to Jerez, and cortijos such as Los Prados, Quemado and del Lavadero, to finally reach (after crossing the old N-334) an asphalted path, flanked with tall cypress trees, like an old Roman road. This road leads us to a bridge over the Guadalhorce river.
KM 87: THE ANCIENT ANTEQUERA
We cross the bridge, and immediately leave the road by taking a left turn along Via Pecuaria (cattle trail) Cordel de Villanueva de Antequera, today an asphalted road which takes us into the town centre, next to San Sebastian church.
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