Capileira - Puente Abuchite - Cebadilla - Capileira PR-A 69

Trip: 8 Kms.
Time: 3 hours.
Level: Low.


This Easter my friend Rebecca went on holidays to Orgiva, so I went to visit her, and myself, together with Rebecca, Rachel and Pedro, we went to do a little hiking in Capileira, in the heart of Sierra Nevada, the best place to feel the charm of Alpujarra. Capileira is on the south face of the Sierra Nevada, at 1500 mts., in the Poqueira gorge, between the hills of the Veleta (3396 mts.) and Mulhacén (3485 mts.). Capileira retains still the traditional architecture of the Alpujarra and it's divided in to three districts. The white houses make up its steep streets. Capileira has a population of 600 people, who, throughout of them history, had great respect for their environment.

Our route went from Capileira to the electricity plant in Cebadilla (A small village where the rivers Toril and Naute meet to make the river Poqueira) and we returned by Acequia de los Lugares as for as Capileira. It's very beautiful and easy route in the Poqueira gorge, although it isn't very well marked but it's easy to navigate as it always follow the Poqueira gorge until the Cebadilla and then returns from Capileira by the Poqueira gorge again.We began in the high district where we had parked the car, we walked along the main street of the town to the car park where we started our route. At first we followed downhill path the river Poqueira.



Map of the route.



Walking along the path, we can see
the Veleta (3396 mts.) opposite us.


Soon the path changes into a very steep stone track which goes to the Stonebridge Abuchite over the river Poqueira. Here, we had a lovely view down to the river.



Stonebridge Abuchite.


On the other side of the bridge we followed the track uphill to a forest where we met chestnut, walnut, fig and oak trees, we met some animals, farmyards and old farmhouses with its Eras (It's a place which was formerly used to separate the cereals (wheat and barley) of the plants).



Farmyard ....and two little goats???.



Era.


In a short time we arrived at the Cebadilla where the track becomes a path. Just after we got to reach the electricity plant, we came to a bridge that crosses the gorge of Poqueira. We followed the path until we saw a sign in stone which show the direction to Capileira, where we soon arrived.



Cebadilla.



Capileira from the track.


When we arrived at Capileira we found on an information point about the route. Really you are supposed to do, the route the other way but we did it backwards making it easier, as we started and finished going downhill.



Information point.


When we finished the route we went to eat because we had conquered the trail and we felt we deserved it and because we were in the Alpujarra, Rebecca and Rachel had to try the typical food of the region, so we ate the most famous dish from Alpujarra, “alpujarreño dish” (“Poor” potatoes with green peppers, fried egg, black pudding and chorizo) with salad, gazpacho, and for dessert Soplillo (Cake made with sugar, eggs and almond).



Alpujarreño dish.


Photograph album: Capileira - Cebadilla - Capileira