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Whether
wanting only to rest and relax within the locality of the land or venture out to explore coast and countryside, The Sweet
Lemon Grove is an ideal base. On this page we outline some pleasant distractions for you and one or two bits of useful information.
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On the Land - The River Walk: A fusion of pine,
boulder, crystal water, wild flowers and red earth. No-one deserves to be so spoilt by having a classic hinterland river like the Padron right on one’s doorstep
- but you are! There is an easy walk which follows the east bank going north once you cross the bridge at the property entrance
and turn left.
Predominantly level, the winding wide, dusty, reddish path follows a small gorge on a height from
which, as you go, can be glimpsed through the lean pines staggering down its steep slopes, gentle waterfalls of smoothed stone
and boulder. And when a clearer sightline does occur you can view far back into the Sierra
Bermeja National Park.
Soon the path descends and takes you down to the level of the river, giving you direct access to the bank –
and a splash of clean, cooling water as you dip in a hand to relieve a sun-baked forehead. Here you will find the walk’s
termination in the form of a delightful grassy clearing with a few large logs under a tree or two, allowing for you to settle
down to your picnic snack. Ah – we forgot to mention to pack a cheese and proscuito baguette, plus a bottle of wine,
before you left....
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On the Land - The Walks to the ‘Summit’ and ‘Fort’:
Exercise
rewarded with sweeping panoramas.
A not too steep path at the edge of the orchards zig zags up the rear of the property though close foliage and will only take twenty
or so minutes. Once on top one can clearly see the delineation of the Padron valley all the way to the coast, as well
as the road that you would have taken to arrive here. Just visible in a dip between hills are the rooftops of Estepona and
beyond the vivid blue slab that is the Mediterranean.
The trek to the Fort comprises begins with an uncompromising short, straight, steep climb to then find a level walk
along a dirt road. This curves its way atop open territory lead towards a small rounded hill. It is here almost lost
in the trees that crown it that you will discover the sparse remains of what is said to be a fort of Phoenician origin.
Once again you are rewarded with an excellent vista, this time looking inland across dry green hills.
You can rest in the shadow of knarled boughs of ageing trees and ancient stones before either returning to the Grove or picking
up the road to walk further into the landscape.
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A Day Out – Ronda &
Casares:
The most attractive town in the region plus the Queen of the ‘White Villages’. Ronda
is one of Spain’s oldest
centres of population, rising to prominence during the Moorish occupation. The town is famous
for two major pieces of architecture: the 18th century Puente Nuevo or ‘New’ bridge and the Bullring, where bullfighting
as we know it was born. This is recognised as one of the oldest in Spain.
In 1572 Philip ll of Spain
founded the Royal Cavalry of Ronda and bull fighting games were part of equestrian training. As
the popularity of the bullfight grew, a dedicated ring was built on the training ground. In the 18th century a legendary bullfighter
Pedro Romero broke away from horseback bullfighting to found an innovative style in which matadors stood their ground against
the bull on foot, the modern bullfight of today. The New
Bridge is the iconic image of the town, spanning the Tajo Gorge at a
height of 98 metres. Built with stone taken from the base of the gorge, the existing bridge was a ‘new’ construction
after the first collapsed in 1735
. It took forty
two years to complete. Many people visit Ronda via the A376 out of San Pedro,
east of Estepona on the A7 which affords dramatic scenery of the Sierra Bermeja mountains. But a rewarding option is to join the A377 from
that autopista west of the town which is the beginning (coupled with the A369) of the Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos –
the Route of the White Villages.
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A
Day Out continued - Casares:
The white
villages, hilltop communities such as Gaucin and Algotocin with their clusters of white tightly packed houses, squat on high
ridges in the Sierra Bejema landscape, strung out on the way to Ronda. The most captivating of all is Casares.
When you turn off the A377 and drive towards the village don’t stop when entering its environs
but keep to the road that circumvents it till it curves and rises to the other side where you will find parking spaces above the town.
It is here you will gain a spectacular view of the whole place perched in a gap between hills. From
there, descend the steep narrow streets on a zig-zag path to the village centre, the Plaza de España. From the square
and following the ‘Castillo’ signposts, you will reach the back of the town which stands at some of some 1,400
feet above sea level. Here there is a 16th century ruined fort affording excellent views overlooking the town’s rooftops
and in the opposite direction, out to sea and - on a clear day – the Rock of Gibraltar. Next door is the Iglesia de la Encarnación, built in 1505 but it is to its cemetery one
must turn for a fascinating experience. As in life here, so in death. Because
space is at a premium, the departed rest in sealed vaults that are incorporated in an open air labyrinth of low white walls
– vertical burial no less. Each sealed end exhibits a framed personal shrine to the deceased
by way of statuettes or dedications carved in marble or stone.
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Estepona: For beaches,
shopping trips and a bit of sightseeing to ring the changes
Through history different cultures, religions and languages have intertwined
in this locality to provide it with interesting architecture and traditions. As with much of the Mediterranean coast, time
has left its mark on Estepona with traces of Phoenician, Carthaginian, Roman, Visigoth, Byzantine, Muslim and Christian occupation.
Many examples of artifacts from these ages are exhibited in the town’s Municipal
Museum. But the Mediterranean’s existence has also been a marine
highway for pirates, marauders and invading forces, all in one way or another leaving their mark on the town.
Places of Interest:
Church of Los Remedios
Location: Plaza San Francisco
Parish
church of Our Lady
of “Los Remedios”(13th century). From 1725 to 1766, Tertiary Franciscans used it as convent.
Nicio Castle
Location: Padrón Alto
Remains from a fortress of the 10th century, the ramparts and several
towers having been preserved.
San Luis Castle
Location: Calle Villa
Remains of the castle the Catholic Kings built at the beginning of the 16th century to reinforce the city ramparts and promote
its resettlement.
The
Beacon Towers
Various locations
Following the Castilian conquest,
the coastline was frequently under attack by North African and Turkish pirates. The local inhabitants put in place a defensive
system based on a series of towers from where they could warn of an imminent enemy landing.
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Estepona:
Festivals: San Isidro Labrador (agricultural festival -15th May)
Many events take
place in the streets - livestock competitions, agricultural machine exhibitions and other exhibitions
of farming produce. A religious procession in honour of the Patron Saint San Isidro Labrador - the 'Romería' –
crosses the town.
Ferias y Fiestas mayores (annual town festival
at the start of July)
The town is filled with week long folklore, music and dance activities.
Quema de los bigotes de San Juan (a
traditional evening festival - 23rd June)
Satirical puppets and effigies made by the local populace are burned.
Virgen del Carmen (the fishermen’s festival 16th July)
Celebrations organised by the fishing community in honour of their Patron Saint. A grand religious procession takes place
through the town as well as on the water.
The town's Tourist Office is on the Avda. San
Lorenzo, 1 29680 Estepona (Málaga)
Phone: 34 - 952 80 20 02
Fax: 34 - 952 79 21 81
e-mail: turismo@estepona.es
For Your Provisions:
Just before entering the town proper, the dual carriageway you will have joined after leaving the valley
road from the Grove conveniently passes a giant Carrefour (on opposite side of road, accessed by a roundabout). Here
you can stock up on as much as you wish in the way of provisions, from fresh fish, to bread, to wine to any other domestic
item you care to name! There’s also a small cafeteria which provides tasty hot snacks as well if you fancy.
Estepona’s Beaches
Estepona
has a low and sandy coastline stretching over 21 km. A total of 17 beaches can be enjoyed in different ways. Below we
summarise the most convenient to reach and park by.
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Sierra Bermeja
Sierra Bermeja is the mountain chain sitting
southwest of the Serranía de Ronda. It is the most important peridot stone massif in Europe.
Peridot is the gem variety of Olivine rock. Its depth of green depends on how much iron is contained in the crystal
structure, and varies from yellow-green to olive to brownish green. It is also often referred to as the "poor man's emerald".
Olivine is a very abundant mineral, but gem-quality
Peridot is rather rare.
The
geological nature of this region gives rise to a localised spectrum of vegetation. The lower hills contain predominantly cork
oaks with a scattering of juniper and yew, while higher up are found pine forests. The top reaches are the realm of the the
sierra's most notable tree – the pinsapo, the grey-green Spanish Fir, which only grows in Andalucía here and in the neighbouring
Serranía de Ronda. The tree was heavily logged at the beginning of the century but is now strictly protected.
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In terms of fauna, the most common mammals living on the sierra’s
slopes are the mountain goat and the roe deer. The particular species of the latter is unique to the sierras of Malaga and Cadiz provinces. Its adaptation
to a drier habitat has produced in it different physical features from other roe deer types. Also existing are otters and
wild cats and more than 220 species of bird, including eagles, Griffon vultures, sparrow hawks plus eagle and long-eared owls.
The Sierra Bermeja National Park
is reached by an accessible route and on the road near the summit there is the Refugio de los Reales where drinks and snacks
are sold during the day. Nearby there is an area with picnic tables and barbecue facilities as well as a car park from which
a short path takes one to a viewpoint and further up the summit road one finds the start of the Paseo de los Pinsapos, the
walk through the pine forest.
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La Rada is the main beach of
a wide flat gentle curve in nature. In the past it has been awarded the blue flag for its high standards. Apart
from being the largest, it is also the busiest in season but has the advabtage of being adjacent to the centre of town. The Playa del Cristo
by contract is an attractive cove and its ideal location provides good shelter on windy days. Galera and Bahia Dorada beaches
further on are similar but perhaps standout for their rocky nature.
The nearest
beach to the Sweet Lemon Grove is the El Padron which as its namesuggests is where our river meets the sea
and is just by the junction where the valleyroad turns off from the main dual carriageway at the Laguna Village complex. Here
in season jet skis and windsurfing boards are available for hire and the complex itself has a
couple of good cafes in between smart designer shops and an expensive restaurant – all pleasantly landscaped with pools
and a terrace. On the most westerly part of the beach stands the Padrón watchtower.
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