Hiking in Vélez de Benaudalla
Springs, irrigation channels, ruined farmhouses, lead mines and the Guadalfeo: six routes that start on foot from the main square.
✓ Facts checked on 8 November 2026
What the town hall publishes
Each route is described step by step on the town hall’s website, with landmarks and, for some, distances from the start to a given point. None publishes a total length, a time, an elevation profile, coordinates or a GPS track.
For current conditions, ask the town hall or the Casa de la Cultura.
The six village routes
Vélez de Benaudalla · Route description
Ruta del Nacimiento
A loop from the main square along the Paseo del Nacimiento, past the old Alambique wash-house, to the village spring (Nacimiento) and the Torchal spring that waters the orchards, then back along the irrigation channel via the Cuesta de los Cubos.
- Route type
- Loop
- Start
- Plaza de la Constitución, Vélez de Benaudalla (church and town hall)
- Finish
- Plaza de la Constitución, Vélez de Benaudalla (church and town hall)
- Terrain
- Village streets and a cobbled path along the spring and channel.
The town hall publishes a route description only (no total distance, time, elevation or coordinates).
Source: Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · Ruta del Nacimiento · Checked 2026-11-08
Vélez de Benaudalla · Route description
Ruta Las Torcas
Loop from the main square up the Cuesta de los Cubos to the Camino de las Torcas: a spring about 800 m from the start that feeds the village’s two main irrigation channels, ruined farmhouses (Cortijo de Abarca) around 2,100 m, then a descent with views of the Ulloa castle; the descent becomes very steep around 3,100 m.
- Route type
- Loop
- Start
- Plaza de la Constitución, Vélez de Benaudalla (church and town hall)
- Finish
- Plaza de la Constitución, Vélez de Benaudalla (church and town hall)
- Terrain
- Country tracks, partly concrete on the descent.
The town hall publishes a route description only (no total distance, time, elevation or coordinates).
- Very steep descent towards the end.
Source: Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · Ruta Las Torcas · Checked 2026-11-08
Guadalfeo river · Route description
Ruta La Explanación – Río Guadalfeo
From the main square across the river and along the Guadalfeo to La Explanación (also called “Playa de Vélez”), a riverside recreation area about 1.5 km after leaving the N-323, then optionally on to the Azud de Vélez weir across the dry riverbed and back the same way.
- Route type
- Out and back
- Start
- Plaza de la Constitución, Vélez de Benaudalla (church and town hall)
- Finish
- Plaza de la Constitución, Vélez de Benaudalla (church and town hall)
- Terrain
- Road, riverside track, a small wall to climb and stairs down to the riverbed.
The town hall publishes a route description only (no total distance, time, elevation or coordinates).
- Part of the route uses or crosses the N-323 road.
Source: Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · Ruta la Explanación-Río Guadalfeo · Checked 2026-11-08
Sierra de Lújar · Route description
Fuente del Algarrobo
From the main square towards the Órgiva road, then a little-used road and a path to the Fuente del Algarrobo spring, said locally to feed the village Nacimiento. A steep path continues for about 2 km to the Barranco del Algarrobo on the west face of the Sierra de Lújar; return via the Camino de las Torcas.
- Route type
- Loop
- Start
- Plaza de la Constitución, Vélez de Benaudalla (church and town hall)
- Finish
- Plaza de la Constitución, Vélez de Benaudalla (church and town hall)
- Terrain
- Minor roads, path, then a steep (escarpado) path.
The town hall publishes a route description only (no total distance, time, elevation or coordinates).
- Crosses the national road that gives access to the A-44.
Source: Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · La Fuente del Algarrobo · Checked 2026-11-08
Sierra de Lújar · Route description
Ruta La Haza del Señor
A hard climb at the foot of the Sierra de Lújar, described by the town hall as “una etapa dura”. From the main square past the Fuente Nueva spring and a large irrigation tank, then by the Zamarrón (Cortijo del Carnicero) onto a narrow path for the last stretch of about 4.8 km (steep, winding, with wide views) to the ruined Cortijo de la Haza del Señor. Return the same way.
- Route type
- Out and back
- Difficulty
- Described as “a hard stage” by the town hall (no official grade).
- Start
- Plaza de la Constitución, Vélez de Benaudalla (church and town hall)
- Finish
- Cortijo de la Haza del Señor (ruins)
- Terrain
- Tracks, then a narrow, steep and winding path.
The town hall publishes a route description only (no total distance, time, elevation or coordinates).
- Hard climb: not for beginners; carry enough water and avoid the hottest hours.
Source: Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · Ruta la Haza del Señor · Checked 2026-11-08
Sierra de Lújar · Route description
Sendero de las Minas
An unsignposted path from the village past the cemetery and up the Barranco del Lugar and Barranco de las Víboras to the abandoned lead mines of La Raja, El Guano and La Paloma, worked in the first half of the 20th century. From the Barranco la Gorra you can see Salobreña, the port of Motril and Lagos, and, on a clear day, the coast of Africa.
- Start
- Camino del Cementerio, Vélez de Benaudalla
- Terrain
- Quarry road and ravine paths.
- Waymarking
- Not signposted (town hall).
The town hall publishes a route description only (no total distance, time, elevation or coordinates).
- Do not enter the mines: they are abandoned and dangerous (town hall).
- Unsignposted: navigation skills or a local guide needed.
Source: Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · Ruta de las Minas · Checked 2026-11-08
A landscape shaped by water
Several routes follow the village’s water: the Nacimiento spring and the Paseo del Nacimiento, the old Alambique wash-house, the Torchal spring that waters the orchards, the spring on the Camino de las Torcas that feeds the two main irrigation channels, and the Fuente Nueva, which supplies drinking water to the village.
It is the same village whose Jardín Nazarí kept an irrigation system of Arab origin: a reminder that water has organised life here for centuries.
Towards the Sierra de Lújar
The Fuente del Algarrobo, Haza del Señor and mining routes climb the slopes of the Sierra de Lújar. The town hall places the Haza del Señor at the foot of the Sierra de Lújar, surrounded by the Almijara, the Guájares and Sierra Nevada, and calls it “a hard stage”: the last part is a narrow, steep and winding path.
No official trail with published figures exists on the Sierra de Lújar as far as we could find. If you plan a longer outing on the sierra, use official maps, go with someone who knows the area and plan for heat and lack of water.
The mining path: heritage and danger
Lead was mined in the hills above Vélez de Benaudalla in the first half of the 20th century. The unsignposted path climbs past the cemetery and through the Barranco del Lugar and Barranco de las Víboras to the La Raja, El Guano and La Paloma mines. From the Barranco la Gorra the view reaches Salobreña, the port of Motril and, on clear days, the coast of Africa.
The town hall advises against entering the mines: they are abandoned and dangerous. Stay outside galleries and shafts.
The Guadalfeo, La Explanación and the reservoir
The river route leads to La Explanación, a recreation and bathing area known locally as the “Playa de Vélez”, and on to the Azud de Vélez weir. Part of the way uses or crosses the N-323 road.
Upstream, the Rules reservoir on the Guadalfeo was completed in 2003 in the municipality of Vélez de Benaudalla.
Tajo de los Vados: a canyon for cavers, not a walk
Below the Azud de Vélez, the Guadalfeo has cut the Tajo de los Vados, with cliffs up to 100 m and unusual plants such as the Balearic box. The town hall describes about 30 cavities: in the western sector (Sierra del Chaparral, Salobreña) mostly horizontal caves; in the eastern sector (Sierra Escalate, Vélez) vertical shafts. They include Sima Redonda, 76 m deep, and the Barranco de Iñate cave, about 1.5 km long.
To see the gorge as a walker, Motril’s municipal Azud de los Vados route ends at a viewpoint over it. See our guide to hiking on the Costa Tropical.
Guadalfeo river · Natural site, not a hiking trail
Tajo de los Vados
A river canyon cut by the Guadalfeo beside the N-323, below the Azud de Vélez, with cliffs up to 100 m and unusual vegetation such as Balearic box. It is mainly a caving area: about 30 cavities have been located, including Sima Redonda (76 m deep) and the Barranco de Iñate cave (1.5 km long). Most are vertical shafts of 5–75 m that require rope techniques. This is not a hiking trail.
- Caving requires specific equipment and expertise: go only with experienced cavers or a qualified guide.
Source: Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · El Tajo de los Vados · Checked 2026-11-08
Before you go
Ask locally
Town hall: +34 958 65 80 11, [email protected]. Casa de la Cultura: 647 637 528.
Water and heat
Carry water and avoid the hottest hours, especially from late spring to early autumn.
Footwear
Tracks are stony and some descents are very steep: wear proper walking shoes.
Emergencies
Call 112.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the hiking routes in Vélez de Benaudalla start?
All the town hall routes start at the Plaza de la Constitución, next to the church and the town hall, except that the lower mining path begins on the Camino del Cementerio.
How long is the Ruta Las Torcas?
The town hall does not publish a total distance or time. It mentions a spring about 800 m from the start, ruined farmhouses around 2,100 m and a very steep descent around 3,100 m.
Is the Haza del Señor route difficult?
Yes: the town hall calls it “a hard stage”, with a narrow, steep and winding final path of about 4.8 km to the ruined farmhouse. Return is the same way.
Can I visit the mines of Vélez de Benaudalla?
You can walk the path to them, but the town hall advises against entering: the mines are abandoned and dangerous. The path is not signposted.
Can I walk to the river from Vélez de Benaudalla?
Yes. The La Explanación route follows the Guadalfeo to a riverside recreation area known as the “Playa de Vélez”. Part of the route uses or crosses the N-323.
Is the Tajo de los Vados a hike?
No. It is a canyon and caving area with vertical shafts that need rope techniques and experienced cavers.
Is there a “ruta del agua” (water route) in Vélez de Benaudalla?
The town hall does not publish a route under that name. The closest is the Ruta del Nacimiento: a loop from the main square along the Paseo del Nacimiento, past the old Alambique wash-house, to the village spring and the Torchal spring that waters the orchards, returning along the irrigation channel. In the village centre, the Jardín Nazarí shows the same water in a historic garden.
Sources · Facts checked on 8 November 2026
- Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · Ruta del Nacimiento
- Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · Ruta Las Torcas
- Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · La Fuente del Algarrobo
- Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · Ruta la Explanación-Río Guadalfeo
- Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · Ruta la Haza del Señor
- Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · Ruta de las Minas
- Ayuntamiento de Vélez de Benaudalla · El Tajo de los Vados
