Given the locations and the terrain to find some of these historical monuments – many dating to the Nasrid period of Spanish history – it is best that you take your car, or cycle and stop occasionally to view these mills of antiquity. Almost all the lands of the Lecrin valley were once owned by the Marquis de la Ensenada in XVIII century and it is from his estate records and title deeds filed with the land register that gives us the opportunity to locate many of these sites.

We often forget how fertile this valley once was as the rivers flowed with such force that they not only irrigated the fertile lands and plains but also drove the water wheels that once milled grain, olives and some provided power too. Around the Lecrin valley and as far south as the valley of Los Guajares there remains to this day a great deal of surviving mills, a few have been restored and converted to rural hostels or private homes, though most remain derelict – sad reminders of a greater past.

Mills can be found close to many of the natural streams (barrancos) and gorges around, just a walk down from the village will lead you to signs of these important monuments from Cozvijar to Melegis, from Nigulas to Acequias. But our journey begins in Padul, passing close to the lagoon of Padul and the river Dúrcal. We take the Avenida de Andalucía as a start here a signpost marks out the footpath, in the same direction indicated for the Fuente de Mal Nombre – the spring of the ill-named. Passing through poppy fields, and following the stream course we pass many of the mills recorded to the estates of the Marquis de la Ensenada since the XVIII. Passing the first mill, the Señora Amica, we arrive at the crystal-clear water spring of the Fuente de Mal Nombre.  Tradition suggests that the springs name is due to an event that involved a nun and several disreputable young men. 

Just to the side of the Fuente looking carefully, you will see cart tracks and hoof prints deep in the rock. Here is proof that here once existed the main Roman road that joined Sexi with Iliberis, (Almuñeacr with Granada) and that was then the only form of communication between both cities during the period of the Roman Empire. The Molino de Mezqueros mill, now converted to provide rural accommodation, lies just opposite to the spring. Perfectly restored by the owner, the mill consists of two millstones, the volaera, or top one, and the solera, the one on the bottom. Watermills, on first glance, look little different to a normal house. Along this route, one of the easiest ways to recognize a watermill is, apart from being sited near a river, is that in the courtyard there is a large round table made of stone. These tables are none other than the soleras millstones when they have been worn down by rubbing against the volaera.

The path from Padul to Cozvíjar is easily marked as the asphalt changes to dirt track. Towards Dúrcal, the path becomes wild and overgrown, and on crossing the river of the lagoon of Padul, it may at certain times of the year be quite clearly fast flowing. The lagoon of Padul is today a protected natural reserve of 60 hectares, forming part of the Sierra Nevada Natural Park. However it once extended to more than 300 hectares in the XV Century. Human remains have been found in this bogy environment that date from more than 7,000 years ago, and the remains of mammoths continue to be found. When the Catholic Monarchs captured Granada, the first phase of drying out the lagoon started with modest cultivation and colonization and by the XVIII Century, with a growing population and a hungrier nation, then the second drying out of the lagoon commenced. Continuing under the motorway at the edge of Cozvijar follow the path down to the gorge and after a few metres you will see semi-ruined mills that have been left to lie in the undergrowth, and here too electric light stations, long derelict, cling delicately to remaining riverbank.

Returning to Durcal, and next to the educational school farm of El Molino, you will com across a bridge that here crosses the river Dúrcal. It was originally thought to be Roman but is in fact medieval. The El Molino school farm is very popular with younger visitors who love to stop here to enjoy pigs, rabbits, horse riding trails and country life… Continuing on the footpath that leads to Niguelas, we arrive at the welcoming Alquería de los Lentos, an old watermill converted into a hotel and restaurant. Here the restaurant offers an excellent and convivial stop for lunch before taking the next part of the route to what is best described as the most mountainous village of the Lecrín Valley, that of Nigüelas. But maybe we best do this another day…

At 900 metres above sea level, the village of Niguelas offers some of the most spectacular scenery and dramatic landscapes as it peers down to the Lecrín valley. From the village there are various footpaths in all directions; plenty enough for any traveler. There are also in this part of Andalucia some very interesting museums - the Molino de Aceite de Nigüelas, is of great historical importance and may date from the Roman period. While most of the watermills in the area were used for grinding corn, this one was built to make ‘liquid gold’; what we today call olive oil. It is recorded that when there was insufficient water flow from the nearby stream to crush the olives, the annexed Molino de Sangre was used instead. The “Blood Mill” was then put to use powered by either animals or slaves.
 
To journey from Niguelas to the neighbouring village of Acequias involves croosing the deep and wide gorge that cuts between them. Apart from the car, you can also take a mountain bike or follow the route on horseback. In Acequias, the Molino de la Interpretación del Agua, a former watermill has recently been converted into a museum thanks to European funding.