A CIRCUIT to one of the remotest peaks of the Libar range, Los Pinos (1397m).

13 kms, 1000m ascent, Grade 3

Our route starts in the centre of Cortes de la Frontera, immediately behind the church. Look for a road heading uphill, called Calle Canton (obviously the Chinese sector of Cortes!) Follow this up to an open area with some radio masts in front of us (263). We take the concreted track that passes to the right of these masts. Follow this track for approx 1 km. until reaching some gates (probably shut) and a small path going off to the left (683).

Take this path which soon returns to the main track (264), but we go straight across this continuing along a path which swings gradually around to the right into a steep valley which heads in a westerly direction . We follow the path as it heads up this valley, getting steeper in places, and finally zigzagging up to rocky outcrop (265) where we can take a well-deserved rest and enjoy the view back over Cortes.

We continue upwards through broom bushes up to a kind of plateau where the path levels off. The path here is clearly a marked ancient vereda (footpath) with stone borders, which manages to weave its way through the broom bushes. We finally come to the base of the next ascent, by a water tank (266) where we pick up a larger path heading up the valley to the northwest. We cross some other paths (684 and 685) before emerging at grassy area at the top of a rise.

Look for a gap in the fence to the left here and head in a generally westerly direction uphill towards the col between the two visible peaks (neither of which is Los Pinos – which manages to remain hidden until we are close to the summit). After crossing over the col (686) turn to the right (north) and continuing up, staying just to the west side of the ridge. After rounding the next peak (687) we finally get our first view of our objective, with the geodesic 'pole' visible at the summit. Our path aims a little to the right of the summit, to avoid dropping down into the depression to our left.

We finally emerge on the summit ridge close to a solitary pinsapar tree, where we bear left and head up to the summit. We are rewarded with fine views - – to the south is the Sierra del Aljibe, the Straits of Gibraltar and , on a clear day, the Rif mountains of Morocco, to the west are the lakes of Los Horones while to the north we see the Sierras of Libar and Grazalema and to the east the Sierra de las Nieves. Nearer to hand, to the east we see the peaks of the Cerros del Espino (marked at 1348m and 1322m on the map). Our downward route will take us between these peaks.

We leave the summit back down to the pinsapar tree where we veer off the north side of the ridge, heading north-easterly down to a solitary oak tree. Below here the path becomes more apparent and is cairned as it starts zigzagging down a cleft in the hillside, in a generally north-easterly direction, towards the Llanos de Libar.

After descending steeply we enter an area where the medio ambiente have planted some pinsapar trees, though most appear to have died. We emerge from the trees, now heading in a south-easterly direction, towards a conical hill. We cross a fence (688) and continue until emerging in a grassy area where we meet a broad track (689). We turn left onto this track and follow it for nearly a kilometre to point 692, where we see a path heading towards the col between the peaks of the Cerros del Espino. We go gradually uphill to the ridge (693) and continue on the clear path descending gently. When a cleft valley starts to open up to our left, cut down to a path following the valley down (694).

After a while we pass a water tank to our left and pass over another small ridge before dropping down more steeply to reach a double metal gate at point 682. Go through this and continue zigzagging down to go through a wire gate. Shortly after we come to a path junction (681) where we bear right and follow a level path with an ancient stone wall to our left. After a couple of hundred meters the path cuts down to the left and begins a meandering zigzag down the steep hillside, heading generally towards the track visible in the valley below us.

We eventually pass through another wire gate and continue down to the track , just by a large stone water drain (680). Turn left for about 200m, crossing the course of a stream and then turn right to follow the stream down (point 679). We remerge on the broad track at point 678, and go straight across this on a path which passes behind some orchards and then reaches an extraordinarily ugly housing estate. Pass behind this, turning left past the last house to come out on a road. Turn right then left to get back to the main road in Cortes, turning right onto this to return to the centre of the village.

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Cortes de la Frontera – Los Pinos Circuit
Saturday, 12 September 2009
A CIRCUIT to one of the remotest peaks of the Libar range, Los Pinos (1397m). 13 kms, 1000m ascent, Grade 3 Our route starts in the...

© 2012 - Secret Andalucia - Guadiaro Valley, near Ronda

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