From Restaurante Montemare to Mijas – https://www.restaurante-montemare.com/
TERRAIN
- Good solid paths.
- Lots of slopes. Some short, but some quite steep. Mostly UPHILL.
- Need good footwear.
- Waterproofs if raining (or if it has recently rained).
TIME TO COMPLETE
- Around 2 hours
- Depends on whether you want to take your time and explore the flora and fauna.
DISTANCE
- 7+ kilometres (4+ miles)
START: Restaurante Montemare – https://www.restaurante-montemare.com/
FINISH: Mijas – Town Square
When you set off from the Restaurant, turn left out of the car park, up Calle Pensamientos – away from the dustbins. Continue up this road until you pass underneath the motorway. As far as I know, this is still Calle Pensamientos, but the tarmac stops fairly soon after the motorway.
Continue up the road until you reach the turning for the Paintball Field, which is on your right.
From here there are several ways to reach the halfway point. These are detailed here.
ROUTE 1 – turn right now, towards the Paintball Field and follow instructions seen at https://saturdaywalks.wordpress.com/round-trip-passing-cortijo-alegria/ Go as far as – ‘…the ‘T’ junction at Calle Tramo de Unión…’ Here -TURN RIGHT and follow the route detailed below: ‘FROM HALFWAY’. You could, if you wished, follow the reverse of the Cortijo Alegria route as far as the ‘T’ junction – it is similar to, but not the same as Route 3 below.
ROUTE 2 – continue up the road you are on (do not turn right at the paintball field). This continues to rise upwards until you reach a grey windowless building on your right (which we assume is a water tank/reservoir). At this point you are faced with three roads (and an unmade track to the right, which you should ignore). Take the middle one (second from the left) and follow it until you reach a wall with a locked gate. At this point you have to turn left for about 10 metres and then right again. Simply follow the wall now until you reach another track coming from your left (Route 3). Turn right now and follow Route 3 from where it says that Route 2 joins it.
ROUTE 3 – continue up the road you are on (do not turn right at the paintball field). This continues to rise upwards until you reach a grey windowless building on your right (which we assume if a water tank/reservoir). At this point you are faced with three roads (and an unmade track to the right, which you should ignore).
Ice House
Take the first road, the one on your left. This road is lined with Cyprus trees. You will see signs for Rancho La Paz from time to time and you will pass close to here on this route.
Pass the first roundabout and go straight ahead, then, at the second (triangular) roundabout turn right and keep the wall to your right. Route 2 joins us about half way up this road. (If you feel adventurous, you COULD continue straight ahead from the second roundabout to the next, third, roundabout and turn right there – but on this route you have no wall to follow). Both routes meet at a disused Ice House just after the entrance to Huerta el Ciprés.
Routes #2 and #3 continue to follow the wall now until they pass Cortijo Alegria on the left. This is easily recognisable by the magnificent entrance gates. Be sure to stop and take a picture.
Continue past Cortijo Alegria (CA) as far as the ‘T’ junction mentioned in Route 1. It doesn’t look like a ‘T’ junction to anyone on routes 2 and 3 but you will have followed your track left and then right after CA and passed a steep allotment on your left and descended past another allotment on your right. The road that forms the ‘T’ come from the direction of the sea and has a semi-derelict house/finca visible some way along it.
FROM HALFWAY …
Now all routes have merged, continue along the road you are on (after turning right at the ‘T’, if you followed Route #1). This now rises steadily UP and away from Mijas. You really do think you have taken the wrong direction but after the 
road swings left and rises more steeply, you will shortly be back facing the right way. This is Calle Tramo de Union.
At the top of the long, steep climb you reach a sort-of cross road, you turn left along the concreted road and head back west, towards Mijas. As you rise ever higher, take in the view. Stunning.
You will pass a very old tree in the middle of the road. It has a hole in the middle.
Once again, you will soon reach another ‘T’ junction where you turn right.
You continue to follow this road, with several steep climbs,and head towards the hanging rocks that seem to be in danger of collapsing at any time. These are the Travertinos de Osunilla (the district you are walking through)
Continue on again until you pass the Ermita de San Antón on your left. This follows the final steep climb.
You are now at the top! Here, there are seats in the shade if you’re ready for them.
Continue along the road, past the builder’s yard and to the junction with the A-368 main road. Turn left and follow the main road until you see the BP Garage on the outskirts of Mijas.
Cross over the road towards the garage and enter Mijas. Well done!
