KM 20: TOWARDS ILLORA THROUGH THE LOS MONTES REGION
We leave Montefrío going up the old Camino de las Cruces, today asphalted road. It is a long slope (about 1 km), but not very difficult, which gets to the top on reaching a crossing which goes to the cemetery.
The trail begins to go down to a bridge where there is another crossing. T the right there is a fountain. To the left, the trail leads to the Medieval area knows as Los Castillejos. We continue straight on, along the road, on a deceptively flat trail.
Soon after, to the right of the trail we see the fountain of the Cortijo Curro de Lucena, so big and with so much water that it is the worth dinking from, even if we are not thirsty. The flat trail begins to gradually climb. We continue to enjoy the views of the jagged Monte de Paparanda.
Near of the foot of this mountain, we leave to the left the crossroads (now cut off from traffic) which leads to the Megalithic area known as Peña de los Gitanos (Gipsies' Rock). This is an area of a great beauty, so it worth leaving our route to visit it, an dtake the opportunity to rest and eat something. The road branches off, and we must go up to the right . To the right of this snake- like trail which goes along the Northern foothills of Paparanda, with hardly a moments rest, there is a hermitage.
Five kilometres from the crossing and having gone round the north side of Paparanda, we reach the top hill, and the trail begins to descend. We leave to the right the track which leads to the signal boosters installed at the top of Paparanda.
We take a right turn along Camino del Zumacal, that is now asphalted. The road goes down and then up a small slope, and then goes down once again, round the eastern side of Paparanda, allowing us to enjoy a panoramic view of all Granada's Vega and the vast and beautiful sierras that surround it.
After carefully descending difficult slope, we are able to see to our left, on a big rock, the remains of Illoras's fortress, and as its feet the town which we will next enter.
KM 59: RIDING THROUGH GRANADA'S VEGA
We leave Illora, going down the road to Obeilar, passing next to the old mill, and its life- giving aqueduct. Once we pass the small village, we are in the Vega going along the road to Valderrubio, which we also cross, leaving to the right he " Paseo Lorquiano", which leads to Fuente de la Teja. We cross the Cubillas river, and go towards Fuentevaqueros, crossing the fertile plain of asparagus, maize, poplar groves, tobacco plants and tobacco drying sheds.
After passing the Torre de Roma, we continue through rich and privileged lands passing alongside Cortijo San Isidro del Soto de Roma, to reach Chauchina.
We leave Chauchina behind, and we head towards Arroyo Salado and cross over the bridge. Along the old tram route we reach El Jau, and when we reach the A-92 motorway, going under a bridge, we enter Santa Fe, along Calle Buena Vista.
We will go through the streets of this town founded by the Catholic Monarchs during the siege and conquest of Granada, passing the Gates of Loja and Granada. To leave the town we take Callw Real de Mariana Pineda.
After passing Cortijo de los Prados and the Huerta de Santa Maria, we cross the bridge: Puente de los Vados, and join the trail which runs parallel to the Genil river. This trail takes us to Granada, but let our good companion of this long an varied journey announce our arrival: " We passed between hedges of aloes and Indian figs, and through that wilderness of gardens with which the vega is embroidered, and arrived about sunset as the gates of the city."
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