Hiking through a new, secluded and relaxing forest park – Hacienda Clavero 📷 Málaga – Spain

Walking in nature brings me a great sense of peace and serenity, as it always improves both my physical and mental health. In my search for more and more natural spaces far from the hustle and bustle of the city, I discovered a new forest park, the sheer size of which makes me think it will take several days to explore it fully.

Some time ago, I visited a neighbourhood, El Limonar, one of the most beautiful neighbourhoods due to its abundance of greenery and trees, as well as its lovely buildings. It is one of the wealthiest areas of the city, with beautiful villas, huge houses surrounded by gardens, and modern buildings, yet with such beautiful style and architecture that it stands out from the rest of the city.

And on my walk I saw several signs pointing to a forest park very close by, within the same neighbourhood, but a little further up the hill. That part of the city is very high up; it’s practically set in the hills, on high ground, which is why several neighbourhoods in the east of the city are in that position.

Seeing those signs piqued my curiosity, and when I got home I looked it up on the map. Sure enough, there was a forest park near where I’d been, but much further up the hill; it would take me half an hour to walk there from where I’d seen the signs, so I decided to visit it. So, after taking two buses, a half-hour walk brought me to the entrance of the forest park. Of course, as I didn’t know the area, I went round in circles a few times during the walk trying to make sense of the map, but I finally arrived.

If you look at the map at the entrance, there’s a lot of information, but I could also see that the park covers more than 11 hectares and has plenty of paths to explore. The whole park is surrounded by neighbourhoods and housing estates in a lower-lying area, so it acts as a vast lung of fresh air and pure nature for everyone living in the nearby areas.

The sign itself provides information on the local flora and fauna, including Aleppo pines, eucalyptus, wild olive trees, carob trees and cypresses. There are also a large number of shrubs such as broom, esparto grass and bolinas. As for the fauna, you can find squirrels, lizards, snakes, birds such as blackbirds, sparrows and serins, and even chameleons. At that moment I thought: thank goodness it wasn’t hot; it was still winter, and I wouldn’t want to come across a snake.

Once I’d got to grips with the map and taken some photos, I set off along one of the trails, knowing I wouldn’t be able to cover everything in a single day, so I’ll be back.

There were some well-marked, clearly defined paths, as well as others that wound their way through the vegetation. As it was my first time there, I decided to stick to one of the safer routes. There’s always time to experiment and explore, and I didn’t forget that there were snakes about.

The experience was wonderful, especially as the park was completely deserted; there wasn’t a soul in sight. Throughout my entire walk, I didn’t come across anyone walking a dog or other hikers. So it was just me and nature, on a windless day with only a light breeze and plenty of sunshine.

On both sides of the path I’d chosen there were plenty of trees and bushes of the exact species indicated on the sign. The trees provided plenty of shade in several areas, but there were also open spaces where the sun worked its magic; everything looked absolutely beautiful.

Those who follow my posts know that I love nature and find a special connection with it: the fresh air you breathe, the tranquillity, solitude and, above all, the silence. It’s the perfect place to clear your mind, get some exercise by walking, but above all to recharge your batteries when you need to.

On the other hand, the views were spectacular. Through gaps in the vegetation, I could see buildings, neighbourhoods, the city in the distance and often far below, as the path had taken me uphill all the time.

One thing to note is that the path I chose, though I don’t know if they’re all like this, was full of small stones, so you had to be very careful not to slip. The earth in many places where it was visible between the rocks was very red, which reminds me that my mother always tells me that on a trip she took to the province of Misiones in Argentina, she was able to enjoy that sight.

The wonder of seeing so many trees and the sun’s rays filtering through them—I always say it’s one of the most beautiful things I like to see on my walks when I’m hiking. The truth is, it had been a long time since I’d done this, mainly because there’s been a long spell of rain this winter and the paths are very slippery at such times.

The blue of the sky was also visible through the gaps in the trees, and there were very few clouds, so with so many trees around I often didn’t see them. The weather was spectacular that day and, of course, I took something to eat with me, fruit, and in my thermos flask, instead of water, this time I had coffee with milk. It was still a bit chilly, so it was lovely to take a break and enjoy sitting there looking around, whilst having lunch amidst such beauty.

I love having lunch in natural surroundings; the atmosphere is so lovely and positive, and the views are so beautiful that eating there is a real treat.

From where I was up high, I could see other paths, so I’m sure I’ll venture off on an adventure. As I walked, I was also looking at the map, which told me there was a viewpoint in the centre of the park, so I think that will be my next exploration in the future.

Thank you very much for joining me today; I send you my warmest regards. See you soon.
Amonet.