Lanjarón and Sierra Nevada

Lovely location based on the edge of the Sierra Nevada region in Southern Spain. The accommodation is stunning with plenty of space to roam around and enjoy the garden area.

Toby Spender

There can be a common assumption from those who don’t know the area that the winters will be cold and snowy, the summers will be stifingly hot. These two myths can put people off wanting a riding holiday here.

Let’s bust those myths with some truth bombs!

The Sierra Nevada mountain range is huge. We are based in a small town called Lanjarón. We are actually in the area called the Alpujarras, the foothills of Sierra Nevada. This means we aren’t as likely to get snow here. The winters are occasionally frosty but the snow will rarely reach down to the town.

In the winter, we tend to ride below about 1000m above sea level. This means we can enjoy the routes along the coast and enjoy the winter sunshine. We get over 300 days of sun a year so it’s the perfect winter break.

What about the summers? Well, when it’s really hot in the summer, we can go high into the Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada mountain range. This way, we escape the heat and take advantage of the higher altitude routes.

Not only that, the mornings often offer the best temperatures and then you can spend the rest of your day relaxing by the pool at the villa or we can arrange for you to enjoy other activities on offer.

The lunch stops were great and Andy did all the reservations and organising for each day. He also threw in the occasional history lesson as we drove through some of the more remote Spanish villages.

Nathan Buchanan

Lanjarón itself

Lanjarón, known as the Gateway to the Alpujarras, is thought to have been first inhabited by Berber colonists in the 1200s. Named “Al-lanjaron”, “place of springs”, in Arabic, we now use the Castillian version of the name. Famed for its water, this tiny spa town was the first place in Spain to have a bottled water factory. The Balneario spa attracts tourists from all over the world who come to sample and bathe in the purportedly healing waters.

There are in the region of 40 different cafes and bars in Lanjarón so you’re sure to find something to enjoy if you’d like to sample some of the local culture. Order a beer, wine or a 0.0, and you’ll be brought a little tapas dish to enjoy too. (If you were to visit Granada however, you might find that you have to pay extra for the tapas. Not so in Lanjarón!)

The ruined castle (pictured) was the final stronghold of the Moors. The Christians invaded in 1492. The Islamic influence can still be seen all round the area in the architecture of the little homes in the mountains, the decorations on buildings and the ‘acequias’, water channels carved throughout the mountains to transport the snow melt water down to the town.

Great area away from the tourist crowds, cheap friendly bars and restaurants in the local town.

Gordon Brooks

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