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Photo Drive The Old Road from Alora to Carratraca The A357 motorway from Malaga is good news for many motorists,
avoiding the need to crawl through narrow, winding roads and busy
towns. However, some of the old roads are still good news for those
who are fortunate enough not to be in a desperate hurry and with
time to take in some of the spectacular views along the way, slowly
and leisurely, challenging perhaps for the driver, but well worth
the bother. |
| One such road,
which has now been largely superseded by the motorway, is the old
road to Carratraca from the hilltop pueblo of Alora. Pointed out to
me once by a friendly old man sitting on a rock as he gazed blissfully
across the valley, it has become one of my favourites. Heading out
from Alora past the supermarket and the superb restaurants of La Fuente
de la Higuera and Los Conejitos, the scenery is delightful from the
word go. The early part of the road was resurfaced in 2005 for the
official visit to the town by the President of Spain and the abrupt
end to its gliding smoothness comes as a shock both for vehicle and
those inside it. Yet the splendid countryside compensates by simply
becoming more wonderful at every turn. There is no doubt that from that point onwards the word old is absolutely appropriate, the road at the time of writing this report being desperately in need of repair. A sign warning of the danger of falling rocks over the next 9 kilometres is not very reassuring either. Yet to turn back would be denying the visitor some of the most wonderful scenery in Andalucia, enhanced by the peaceful silence, not only as a result of the sparsely populated mountain region, but also the almost complete lack of other traffic. As eagles soar overhead, scudding clouds flick patches of racing shadow over the landscape, as the heat builds up in the car and the enlivening smell of pine trees becomes almost intoxicating, there can be no denying the highly individual and awe-inspiring charm of Andalucia. |
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| de escribir este reportaje necesita la reparación. Un aviso del peligro de rocas que caen durante los 9 kilómetros siguientes no está tranquilizando tampoco. Con todo dar vuelta detrás estaría negando el visitante algo del paisaje más maravilloso de Andalucia, realzado por el silencio pacífico, no solamente como resultado de la región escaso poblada de la montaña, pero también a carencia casi completa del otro tráfico. Mientras que se elevan las águilas de arriba, las nubes correndos lanzando sombras sobre el paisaje, mientras que el calor se acumula en el coche y el olor de los árboles del pino llega a ser casi que intoxica, allí no pueden ser ningún negar el encanto altamente de Andalucia. |
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