EL CHORRO

EL CHORRO. Imagine three stunningly beautiful turquoise coloured lakes bordered by pine forests. A tranquil place where you can swim, fish, or picnic on the lake shore. If you travel west of Alora this is what you will find. This region is known as Malaga's "Lake District" with three artificial lakes created by a dam. The dam was built across the dramatic 200 metre high Guadalhorce River gorge, known as the Garganta del Chorro. Watch out for the eagles which continually circle around the sheer cliffs. From the Valle de Abdalajis at the small village of El Chorro you get your first sight of the dam and the gorge area. There is a small bridge across the middle of the gorge, built during the construction of the reservoir between 1914 and 1921. The dam was officially opened in 1921 by King Alfonso XIII of Spain, who walked along a specially constructed catwalk pinned to the face of the gorge some 100 metres above the river, sadly it is no longer possible to walk along the "Camino del Rey" (The King's Path), as its closed, needing repairs. However, it can still see it by driving across the lower dam into the village of El Chorro, take the track on the left before the railway station, continue past the camp site until you can drive no further. Walk the last few hundred metres. The path drops down and skirts the iron girder railway bridge (take care crossing the line), Von Ryans express was filmed here. To reach the lakes, drive over the dam and follow the road round to the left of the gorge. Just keep on this road and you will come to the lakes, about a 4 km drive. Even though the lakes are very popular in the summer, their shores are so vast that it is easy to find a quiet place to sunbathe, swim and picnic.