The Sierra Blanca is the mountain range you see above Marbella – the magnificent peak of El Concho at the west end and the Cruz de Juanar more or less at the east. It’s lower than Ben Nevis but not by much. It can be walked from Marbella, Ojen and Istan reachable by local bus – but can you get back afterwards?
Really a car is needed so that you can get access to the Refugio Juanar and, in the first place, learn about the area staring at the cooler, higher, level. The map gives 7 walks – only the first being circular. The paths shown are not Ordnance Survey accurate, but are easy enough to follow. Some of the heights are wrong. The timing is fairly tough although doable – as all are FROM Juanar and are one way times the three to towns are downhill – don’t expect to get back anything like as fast.
My walks are based on these seven walks although I’ve put in variations to avoid returning by the same route wherever possible. I’ve given them the same numbers for consistency but as walks 6 and 7 are included in walk 4 they do not feature here, and my Walks 6 & 7 are a couple of magnificent toughies. I'd also repeat that quite clearly a lot of work is going on in the Park for our benefit so that in several places things are not as they were when I first described them only a couple of years ago. I've updated this site as I find them but the maps are slightly (but not dangerously) out of date.
Walk 4 (La Concha) is simply magnificent. If you regard Helvellyn by Striding and Swirral or Blencathra by Sharp and Halls as two of the worlds great walks this ranks with them. Save it for a good day with not too much wind and stick to the ridges just as you would on the Lakes walks. On this, and other, walks I have included in the main walk a scramble and whenever I use the term I do mean the easy, but essential, use of hands as well as feet. Never more than Grade One (ie the easiest) with route finding absolutely straightforward all make the route more fun but can be avoided as described. The rock is very solid but obviously care has to be taken at all times.
Walk 5 is also superb - the gorge of the Rio Molinos is marvellous. Walk 8 is very, very, hard. It is simply a combination of Walks 4, 7 and 5 thus making three big one way trips a very long circular walk. For some reason this walk in particular seems to take a lot more out of you than its equivelent in the U K.
Getting to Juanar by car takes about thirty minutes from the Ojen turnoff from the Motorway at Marbella. Take the new road north bypassing Ojen and when finally cresting the hill its half a kilometre down on the left. After that its lots of dangerous curves but the road is always two cars wide believe it or not.
Juanar is a Parador – and an expensive one (although in winter 2008 it was doing excellent cheap breaks). Park just before it for route 1 and 6, and as far up the dirt track going left as you dare go for 4. There’s a large parking area where the gate bans further progress. One walk starts at Marbella, one at Ojen and two at Istan. Walk 8 at either Juanar or Istan, as can Walk 5.
I would describe the flora and fauna but, fortunately, the map does it all for me – there’s always something around worth seeing.
Istan - Rio Molinos
Salto de Lobo
