In the heart of some of Andalucía’s most spectacular scenery in
Axarquia lies Lake Viñuela, a man-made reservoir which as well as serving the useful
purpose of providing thousands of homes with water, in an aesthetic sense the lake has become a determinate part of the
local landscape. Before the area was flooded to create the reservoir many sites were excavated providing finds dating back
to the Neolithic as well as Roman eras but today, the area has become a favourite spot to ‘get away from it all’ and the
peace and tranquillity is only disturbed by the twittering of little birds which dash around above you and perch high up in
the pine trees which surround the water.Thankfully, as the lake is a reservoir, no motorised craft are allowed, just simple
sailing boats and canoes sometimes disturb the usual flat calm of the surface. Scattered around the southern end of the lake
are picnic areas, each table complimented by a barbeque and all with fantastic views of the lake and mountains behind.
The lake took its name from the nearby village of
La Viñuela, which nestles in a valley supporting olive groves and lower down, cereal crops. The village was
named after small vines found in the area when the village was merely a refreshment stop on the route from the coast to
Granada. The inn which fed and watered weary travellers in the 18th Century is still there on the narrow main street and
these days it serves as a meeting place and refuge for the old men of the village who meet for a game of dominoes and the
local farmhands escaping the midday sun. Also of interest in the small town is the 16th Century church of San José
containing a fine sculpture of the Pieta. Two tributaries of the River Velez, the Guaro and the Seco, run through the
municipality of which the Guaro was dammed to create the reservoir that can hold 170 million cubic metres of water.
It is possible to tour around the lake in either direction. Heading
northeast along a stunning road you arrive at the pretty white village of Canillas
de Aceituno nestling in the foothills of the Sierra Tejada mountain range with beautiful views of the
countryside and Lake Vinuela. Forking left, one reaches another one of the Axarquía’s
treasures, namely, the village of Alcaucín. Its narrow streets are awash with
colourful flowers which hang from every wrought iron balcony and the village is home to numerous spring fed fountains, still
very much in use. One of these, the Fuente San Sebastian has been restored to its former Moorish glory and its five spouts
jut out from an exquisite tiled background. Alcaucín¹s 16th Century church has also been restored and on the outskirts of
the village, the little hermitage of Jesus del Calvario dating back to the 18th Century is home to the village’s cemetery.
Dull you may think, but from here the views over the town and surrounding countryside are breathtaking.
Near to the village of Alcaucín are the remains of the ancient settlement of
Zalia: a medieval town built by the Moors. A local legend describes how the village was attacked by a plague of vipers when
a missionary from Málaga was spurned after failing to convert the local population. It is more likely that the local
population were killed however, during the uprisings that followed the reconquista. Zalia’s fortress, along with those of
Comares and Bentomiz nearby formed a defensive triangle which controlled this part of the Axarquía region.
Periana, situated at the
northern reaches of the lake, has been inhabited for centuries,
mainly because of the natural water supply and fertile soil. Prehistoric remains, Neolithic vestiges and Bronze Age
artefacts have been unearthed and like most of the towns and villages of the Axarquía, the Moors have left an indelible
mark. They built a bath house here, the Baños de Vilo where the sulphuric waters provided beneficial healing properties as
well as cleansing ones! The village is probably most famous however for the earthquake suffered during the Christmas of
1884. The so called Andalucían Earthquake partially destroyed the town and killed dozens of people but with local and
international aid a new church was erected along with housing for those who had lost their homes as a result of the tragedy.
The village is also the birthplace of the River Guaro which irrigates the land and enables the production of many citrus
fruits and peaches.
Head north, almost to the edge of the Axarquía and then drop south, once
again heading for the lake and you reach Riogordo, bordered to the north by the
great walls of the Sierra del Rey and the impressive clefts of the Alto de Gomer. Descending from the Alfarnatejo plain is
the Cueva Rio waterway, which like the Guaro river feeds the reservoir and gave the village its name due to the dragging of
minerals, hence "fat river". The high mountains give way to smooth pasture and arable land and the contrast between the two
creates a beautiful landscape. It is this landscape, in the natural corridor which separates the Antequera range from the
Málaga mountains, which decided the village’s strategic situation. One of the oldest historical sites in the whole area is
where tombs have been unearthed at the foot of the Sierra del Rey.
Named ‘Auta’ by archaeologists, the tombs date back to Phoenician times.
Nearby, remains of Roman villas with intricate mosaics have also been unearthed although the mosaics are no longer in situ.
Riogordo saw great prosperity after the 16th Century, well known for its livestock ground and latterly for the vines which
produce the sweet wine famous throughout the region. Take a wander around the town, look up and on each house you will see
one of the town’s odd characteristics. Niches atop the buildings house crucified Christs, Madonnas and Saints, some of which
date back over 500 years.
Dropping down the eastern flank of Viñuela Lake you can make a short detour
to Comares, another fantastic white village perched high atop a conical hill,
and, like most in the area, it has deep Moorish roots. Built over Roman foundations, the ruined Muslim fort was one of the
strongholds of rebel leader Ibn Hafsun (along with Bobastro) and the innovative tourist board have laid little tiled "feet"
throughout the town to mark out a route where, as you walk beneath arches dating back to medieval times, boards tell
the tales of old. Near the Ayuntamiento building, the mirador offers spectacular views over the whole Axarquía.
The final stop on our journey around the lake is
Benamorgosa, situated on a river bearing the same name. The village is surrounded by orange, lemon and other
subtropical fruit trees which cover the river’s valley and ascend the sides in carefully laid out plots. The Moors brought
the fruit trees and here in Benamargosa they were known as "peace Moors". This did little however to stop them from being
expelled in the 16th Century which left the village virtually uninhabited. Slowly it grew and detached itself from Málaga
favouring instead Velez Málaga, the gateway to the Axarquía.
For sustenance during your trip around the Viñuela region, try out the local
food. The gastronomy of the whole region relies heavily on olive oil and most dishes are prepared using liberal doses. Most
of the villages serve up varieties of gazpacho, a chilled soup with a tomato base and ajoblanco, a cold garlic soup
as well as hearty country stews in one form or another. Some villages have their own speciality however, around Viñuela,
for example, game dishes are popular as a lot of hunting takes place in the area. Periana is known for its stews of kid and
tripe and its delicate sponge and oil cakes whereas Benarmargosa’s cuisine is based on blended avocado and hot or cold
tomato soup. As well as specialising in gazpacho, Riogordo is also famous for its snails served up in a spicy sauce. To
wash it all down the area’s wines, mostly sweet Muscatels are a must and in Periana’s Ambique Inn, you can taste the
delicious aguardiente liquor which is made following traditional methods in an old distillery in the town.
Handicrafts around the area are well worth looking out for, if you’re lucky
you may even see them being created. Saddlery, an inheritance from when the region was an obligatory passageway between the
coast and interior has survived time and is still practised in many villages across the Axarquía as well as the weaving of
esparto grass into baskets and matting. In Comares, clothes are made for the Verdiales groups whose song and dance adhere
to ancient folklore. Riogordo has a tradition of skin and leatherwork as well as forging and saddlery and in Alcaucín,
there remains still, a cane workshop where furniture is produced. The obvious purchases are of course the region’s wines
and its olive oil, available in most shops and particularly at the co-operative mills.
If all that travel has worn you out, then you know where to head - back to
the lakeside. Rarely does the hand of man compliment Mother Nature so well. The calm surface of the lake reflects the
mesmerising countryside and the pine trees shelter your table upon which sits a chilled bottle of Muscatel awaiting to
quench the thirst of its owners.
Jaqueline Roberts, Words
Joanna Ramsay-Whale, Photographs
|
Other Links:
