Weekend

On July’s first Saturday, we decided to be tourists: we went out for a run by the beach in the morning and later, we did a self-guided tour of the historic centre, including a visit to the Museo del vino Málaga (Malaga Wine Museum), which had an excellent exhibit, with history and details about grape cultivation and, of course, wine making.


The visit finished with the tasting of two Malaga wines, both sweet, served by a staff. She also explained that “El Terral” was blowing today with dry hot wind coming from inland.

Sunday, we set off on our first bicycle expedition to Montes de Málaga. We left by 9am and when I stopped to ask directions from a policeman, he also warned us that it would be a hot day.


From the hostel, it is about 6km North to the end of town and the beginning of the hills. It starts with a fairly steep climb of about 600 metres over – it sure felt more like 4 km that first day.... Many of the gravel trails are off limits to motored vehicles, so the area remains very popular with mountain bikers and walkers.


The park is a hill-area that was reforested, mainly with pine, after the large deforestation that occurred in the times of the Catholic Monarchs about half a millennium ago. The terrain is mainly within in 50 to 360 m and peaks at almost 800 m.


In the park we met some 20 other cyclists, either in pairs or by themselves, and all of them more sensible in their timing since they were already on their way back. One of them suggested a suitable loop for us, which - at its return - was a narrow somewhat steep trail.


Back in town we stopped at a Chinese shop (seemed to be the only one open on a Sunday here) and bought us a large, very cold, beer. We enjoyed it next to the Cathedral while a trio of musicians played Baroque music.


In the end, we did some 29 km. We're fortunate that the 'Montes de Málaga' are so close and consider it an excellent area which merits further exploration while we build up our capacity to longer distance biking.