This walk takes you between two pretty white villages in the Lecrín valley: Restábal, perched above the Béznar reservoir, and Cónchar, hidden away in a small valley. You follow one ridge out, and a different one back, so you have lovely views of the surrounding valley and up to the snow-capped mountains of the western Sierra Nevada.
Level This is a moderate walk, with a fair amount of climbing over the route, although the hills are steady rather than particularly steep. The route is not marked, so you need to follow the directions in the detailed route description. On the outward stretch, you’ll be walking on a concrete road (the access road to a handful of houses, so you’re unlikely to encounter any traffic) so the terrain is easy, if a little bit hard on the legs. The return leg mainly uses a footpath, which is in good condition but slightly uneven underfoot in places. There is also a short section on a minor road into Cónchar.
You could make the walk a lot shorter and more manageable by just doing the loop section and missing out the descent into Cónchar.
When to go This is a beautiful walk on a clear winter’s day, particularly when the almond blossom is out, but it’s also good in spring and autumn. The heat of the summer is best avoided due to a lack of shade.
Water Fountain with drinking water in Cónchar.
Location: Lecrín Valley
The walk loops between two of the villages of the Lecrín valley: Restábal and Cónchar.
Transport
By car: From Granada take the E-902/A-44 towards Motríl. Come off at junction 160, marked Lecrín El Valle. Pass the turning for Mondújar, keeping right on the main road. Turn left at the roundabout. After a few hundred metres, you will see a small BP garage on the left – turn right about 100m past this, following signs to Restábal, Melegís and Albuñuelas. After about 4.5km you’ll get to Restábal. Park somewhere convenient in the village.
By bus: Take the Alsa bus service from Granada bus station. Click here for more info and links to current timetables.
