Where does the climb to the Peñón de los Castillejos start?

At the end of the tarmac on the Río de la Miel road, which leaves the old N-340 between Maro and Cerro Gordo. From there it is 1.4 km.

How long does it take?

About 30–40 minutes up; 1 to 1.5 hours there and back with the visit to the remains.

The remains of a 10th–11th-century Al-Andalus fortress: wall sections, two cisterns and rooms cut into the rock, plus views of the Maro coast, Cerro Gordo, La Herradura and Sierra Nevada.

It is short, but the last stretch is steep and stony, with a chain on one step. Fine for anyone comfortable walking in the hills.

Can I walk there from the Nerja Caves?

There is no direct, easy path: the crag lies to the east, above the Río de la Miel valley. The practical way is to drive to the end of the tarmac on the Río de la Miel road.

At the bend where the tarmac ends, without blocking the road. The road is narrow and single-track in many places.

Can I download the map?

Yes: this page has the map and guide as a PDF and the GPX track.

The rocky top of the Peñón de los Castillejos above scrubby slopes in late light

Peñón de los Castillejos: Walk to the Moorish Fort

ModerateOut & back 2.8 km 1h 15min +260m

Trail description

ℹ️ A short climb, not a long hike

The Peñón is reached in 1.4 km from the end of the tarmac on the Río de la Miel road, about 30–40 minutes. It does not start at the Nerja Caves: it lies to the east, above the Río de la Miel valley. The last stretch is steep and stony, with a chain to help on one step.

The Peñón de los Castillejos (936 m) is an isolated crag above the Río de la Miel valley, between Maro and Cerro Gordo, topped by the remains of a fortress from the Al-Andalus period: sections of wall, two cisterns and rooms cut into the rock, and on the slope the dry-stone walls of a small village. The pottery found there dates from the 10th and 11th centuries. It is a short climb with huge views: the Maro and Cerro Gordo coast, the bay of La Herradura and, on clear days, Sierra Nevada.

📥 Take the route on your phone:

Map and guide (PDF)GPX track

Trail map

Map of the climb to the Peñón de los Castillejos from the end of the tarmac on the Río de la Miel road — Indicative route. Map: © OpenTopoMap (CC-BY-SA), data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Trail facts

Start: end of the tarmac on the Río de la Miel road (720 m).
Distance: 1.4 km one way; 2.8 km there and back.
Elevation: about 220 m.
Time: 30–40 min up; 1–1.5 h there and back with the visit.
Difficulty: moderate: short, but steep and stony at the end.
Water and shade: none.

The climb

Where the tarmac ends, a track continues north towards the crag. At the foot of the rock a path climbs to the top, with a steep stretch where a chain helps. At the top you can walk round the remains of the fortress. You return the same way.

History

From the pottery, the site is dated to the 10th and 11th centuries, in the Al-Andalus period: a defensive stronghold at the top and a village on the slope, with Nasrid-era burials around the Río de la Miel. After the Castilian conquest a small castle was reportedly added to the tower. Local tradition links it to the landing of Abd al-Rahman I at La Herradura in 755, which is not documented.

Getting there and parking

From Nerja, take the old N-340 road towards Almuñécar. After Maro, before Cerro Gordo, the tarmac Río de la Miel road turns off to the left, passes under the motorway bridge and climbs the valley. It is narrow and single-track in many places: drive slowly. Where the tarmac ends, park at the bend without blocking the way.

Downloads

Sources: OpenStreetMap trail line and spot heights (elevation from Open-Meteo); hikers' accounts (Los Cruzado, 2011; Parapente Davilius, 2013) recording local chronicles about the site. Checked in October 2026.