At around 12h the adventure tour through the Río Chillar starts. In the beginning the river bed is still dry. Sand and pebbles line the way. You have to walk about one to two kilometres through big and wide gorges before you see the first water. It is a small trickle. It simply seeps away into the dry ground. Nothing at this point indicates a torrential river. But then suddenly everything goes very fast. The further you follow this trickle into the interior of the Sierra Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama, the bigger and wider it becomes. After already 500 metres, you meet the first highlight of the tour: a crevice from which fresh mountain water splashes. Because of the hot summer temperatures, this refreshment comes exactly at the right time.
After the refreshment it goes some meters steeply uphill. At the top, the Río Chillar runs like a normal stream. From step to step the water gets a little deeper. After a walk of about two to three kilometres through the brook and narrow gorges, we come to a first water dam. There are some children splashing around. Numerous hikers take a short break at this point. In the river we go further uphill. Trees that lie across the river have to be overcome. This is pure adventure.
After a total of about five or six kilometers, the own power slowly decreases. There are small bays next to the river where you can rest, eat and recharge your batteries. We have also decided to turn back at a certain point. Because it is already 16h. And the way back is a bit more difficult than the way out, because it goes downhill and you often can not see how deep the water is, into which you step from the rocks. Also on flat stretches you should not move fast, because you could slip on stones.
The surroundings are fantastic and really invite to this trip. The tour through the Río Chillar is suitable for the whole family. (Editor/Photos/Video: Michael Trampert)
