El Helechal

The rock is a fine sandstone, of good quality, marbled with white, yellow and reddish lichens that give the spot its visual signature. The grain is fine enough to offer excellent friction even in light humidity, which is rare in southern Andalusia. The guidebooks list several dozen numbered boulders, from easy to committing, but the main appeal remains the setting: you climb in the middle of Mediterranean forest, a ten-minute walk from the beach.

El Helechal lies entirely within the Parque Natural del Estrecho. The direct consequence: the area is subject to seasonal closure orders from 1 March to 31 August, introduced in recent years to protect the nesting of griffon vultures. The useful season therefore runs mainly from autumn to winter. Camping and bivouacking are also prohibited in the mirador car parks all year round and on most of the accesses in summer.