Exploring cultures and communities – the slow way

Only for the sure footed: a dangerous catwalk in southern Spain

article summary —

Andalucía has many aspects. On the morning train heading north out of Málaga a few years back, we caught a glimpse of one of them. There is a moment, scarcely half an hour out of Málaga, when, as the train climbs steeply up the side of the Guadalhorce valley, there is a fine view to the left of a tremendous defile - a great slit that cuts through the limestone mountains.

This is a bewitching landscape. With its dolmens and great megalithic sepulchres, tantalising rock sculptures, and forests and mountains reserved for mongoose, eagles and wild boar, this is quite another Andalucía from that of the crowded coastline. Local legend has that a giant who was having an off day vented his anger on the landscape and tore open the great cleft of El Chorro, the defile which is just visible from the train.

And yet El Chorro, for all its wild aspect, is not devoid of human imprint.


This is just an excerpt. If you are a subscriber to hidden europe magazine, you can log in to read the full text online. Of course you can also read the full article in the print edition of hidden europe 3.

About the authors

hidden europe

and manage hidden europe, a Berlin-based editorial bureau that supplies text and images to media across Europe. Together they edit hidden europe magazine. Nicky and Susanne are dedicated slow travellers. They delight in discovering the exotic in the everyday.

This article was published in hidden europe 3.