Visitors and residents in La Herradura and Almunecar often take the weather and playas as the only reason to be here; but here I invite you to explore more of this areas secrets and its amazing past.

Below the castle of San Miguel lies the Parque Ornitológico, the Bird Park. 35,000 visitors annually see 1,500 birds of 200 species, many bred there, and here too in the next door Majuelo you will find further relics from the towns rich past. Among the elaborate display of more than 180 tropical plants and rare palms from around the world are the deeply sunk stone garum pots (used to produce a delicate relish of fermented fish inwards) that are remains from the fish salt meat factory that operated on this site from IV BC until IV AD. Most recently, Almuñécar Town Hall has developed a Sea Life Aquarium near the town’s municipal market that will be open to the public from July 18th 2008. Since 1984, the Town Hall, along with the Andalucian regional government and the E.U., has supported the Municipal Sub-tropical Fruit Board at El Zahorí experimental farm, where the effect of local conditions on fruits, including avocados, chirimoyos (custard apples), mangos and lychees are studied. In July, the Parque El Majuelo with its botanical garden and Roman remains is the venue for the annual Almuñécar Jazz Festival attracting many International performers over its 9 night run.

The British have a particular empathy for Almuñécar, it is the town that Laurie Lee wrote of as Castillo. During his trek across Spain in 1936, he described it as "a tumbling little village ... fronted by a strip of grey sand which some hoped would be an attraction for tourists." However, following the civil war, when he revisited the area in the fifties it clearly was a painful experience, as he described in A Rose in Winter: "The face of a generation had disappeared completely ... Nobody lied deliberately, but nobody wished to seem certain of the truth. For the truth, in itself, was unendurable." Lee, today, is remembered by a fine statue on the Paseo del Altillo, overlooking Playa Puerta del Mar.

Today, fifty years on Almunecar is again much changed; in the last 10 years there have been significant developments and still more new urbanisations and holiday communities are planned to meet the growth in demand. It is a great change since the turn of the last century where the only real sources of income were from the vast sugar cane plains, the fruit orchards and the fishing communities. Friday is market day; by the main road, traders offer a range of foodstuffs and clothing in the shadow of the Peace archway, one of the town’s controversial monuments. The Tourist Office is housed in an elegant building, the Palacete La Najarra, a neo-Moorish building constructed by the owner of the Sugar cane factory in the mid-19th century that tradition states was erected on the site of an old Arab house. Through its mystical Moorish entrance you will find friendly staff that can provide abundant resources on local information, including an excellent full-colour map of the town. This is where to find out what’s happening around August 15th, a local holiday in honour of the town’s Patron Saint, the Virgin Antigua; the image of the Virgin is borne from the 16th century church of Encarnacion through the streets to the beach, then by fishing boat to the beach of Paseo del Altillo, where the climax of the event is marked by a fabulous firework display. A real must see for everyone…

Almuñécar has 19 km of coast and 26 beaches, including Playa de Velilla to the east and Playa de San Cristóbal to the west, both of which have been awarded the Blue Flag by the European Union for cleanliness and the quality of services. On the Playa de Velilla is Aquatropic, the water park, where, during the summer, holidaymakers flock to the water slides and other attractions, including safety zones for younger children. At night (the early morning hours) the venue is transformed as one of the major discotheques in the province. On the border with Málaga province is Cantarriján naturist beach which, because of the ecological importance and beauty of its sea floor, together with its proximity to the Cerro Gordo cliffs, is of great interest to divers.

As you would expect here the sea has played an important part in the development, history and tourism of the area; but few people are aware of the devastating and tragic events of October 19 1562. One of the many wreck dives that to this day continue to attract experienced and amateur divers alike to explore our hidden undersea worlds…

The deep bay of La Herradura hides the remains of 25 galleys of the Spanish Navy, and more than five thousand victims. Commanded by Don Juan de Mendoza, who had instructed the fleet to depart from Malaga port the day before, the fleet was attempting to shelter in the bay in order to avoid the extreme weather and storms. Mendoza was one of the most experienced sailors of the time; serving the reign of Felipe II, who at the time deemed control of the Mediterranean as paramount in his conquest of the rising threat of the Turkish empire. With so many dead, this tragic event became one of the most famous shipwrecks suffered by the Spanish kingdom. So much so that it was even mentioned by Miguel de Cervantes in his novel Don Quixote - "... who was daughter of Don Alonso de Marañón, gentleman of the town of Santiago, who drowned at La Herradura...”

Originally Don Juan de Mendoza, was commanding 28 Galleys when arrived at the port of Malaga having journeyed from the Italian islands - passing by Genoa, Marseille, Barcelona, Valencia and Cartagena -, in a mission whose target was to clean the coasts of pirates. After a stop in Malaga for supplying, the fleet received orders to continue towards Oran, in North Africa. But on leaving the port of Malaga on Sunday October 18, with a severe easterly, they encountered problems; tradition says this was an omen of what would happen the next day. Due to the wind conditions and the risk of the open seas and swells, the fleet navigated close to the coast, and near to what we today call - Rincon de la Victoria – a strong southerly twist forced a collision between two of the galleys ships. Mendoza ordered that the worst ship be lashed to another ship and towed the remainder of the journey.

As the evening progressed the weather got much worse and as the wind changed and grew in strength, the ships were forced to put sails down and to physically row their vessels. After rowing the entire night they arrived at La Herradura bay, which Mendoza had once used before as a refuge, and here they were able to take shelter. But again the wind shifted course, and anchoring near to Punta de la Mona the fleet tried in vain to protect itself from the strong storms and wildly changing winds. There was little time to look for protection at the other side of the bay.

According to the historian Carmen Calero of the Medieval History Department of the Granada University, "the sea grew and the fury of the waves moved the galleys from one side (of the bay) to the other without control". After this Mendoza "commanded to let loose the galley slaves and gave order to the other galleys to do the same". This way, "the galley Capitana de Napoles weighed anchors, but with such bad luck that it crashed against the rocks and, dragged by the sea to the beach, it ran aground. Next the rudder of the galley Santangel jumped and was dragged by the waves to the beach; the Patrona and the Caballo de Napoles turn around themselves, and almost immediately all the galleys began to crash against each other, getting destroyed or sinking". As for survivors, "they jumped in the sea but with severe current, logs and all the floating debris ended with their lives". Of the 28 ships, only three managed to survive - Soberana, Mendoza and San Juan - after taking refuge at the cove of Los Berengueles. The others remained at the bottom of the sea, next to the thousands of sailors.

The present location of the shipwreck is an absolute mystery; and to locate part of it still remains many a visiting divers dream. During old history never have so many ships sunk in such a small area, but with more than four and half centuries of shifting, changing sea currents the fleet’s treasures remain hidden.

According to documents of the Spanish Navy at that time, the missing or dead lists 5,000 serving officers and hands. However, it was also recognised that there were probably as many as 2,000 survivors, un-named and of whom the majority were galley slaves (prisoners serving as rowers). Many of these slaves tried to escape and on arriving at the beach made their way inland as far as Velez Malaga and Lentejí (Lentegi), were they were recaptured. The hermitage of Nuestra Señora de la Antigua, in the hills behind La Herradura was built using many of the logs recovered from this disaster.

Staying in La Herradura and reached either from the road that leads up and over Cuesta de Marchante, or from Almunecar through Torrecuevas and the Rio Seco valley we find the natural and ecological park of Peña Escrita. An amazing natural retreat, more than a kilometre above sea level, that offers spectacular views to the Sierra Nevada, the Alpujarras and the coast. It is well worth the 45 minute drive up the hills from the coast; and for the more adventurous you can arrange to stay overnight in one of the old stone cortijos, or the wooden cabins that are on site. There is also a restaurant and a large swimming pool. Prices start from a modest 35 euros plus tax (7%) per night… contact them at Parque de la Naturaleza de Peña Escrita, 18690 Almuñécar, Granada, España – tel: +34 615 321 462 / +34 958 63 50 94. They can also arrange logs for the wood burner, and a bottle of cava in the fridge for your arrival.

This exceptional landscape, of 400 hectares (just over 988 acres), has a native flora of pines, jaras and chaparros and newly introduced flora of walnuts, oaks, carob trees and cypresses. As far as its fauna, the native one is formed by rooks, wild goats, foxes, birds of prey, rabbits and wild boars. But more recently, several breeds have been introduced, which form a unique zoological park and educational centre for children and adults alike. The majority live in captivity, and are also free roaming. This way, you can find red deers, wild ostrich, wild boars, hippos, bears, monkeys, kangaroos, an goats, llamas or water cobos (a marine snail of 25 centimetres coming from the Caribbean Sea). The park is not only for leisure and relaxation with picnic tables, barbeque spits, hammocks and spectacular views. It also allows one to practice a range of outdoor activities and sports such as para-gliding, hiking circuits, horse riding, mountain biking or trekking. But please remember that while the temperatures can be very comfortable most of the year, in the winter it is extremely cold or freezing.

Founded in eighteenth century, around 1768, the Castillo de La Herradura was originally built as a coastal defence to house a battery of four guns, a small garrison, servants and horsemen to protect from coastal invasion. The garrison at that time comprised an officer, two captains (1 for arms the other for cavalry) who each had 4 soldiers, 12 infantry soldiers, a guard and a cook. Originally constructed on the site of a sixteenth century refuge tower, the castle was built as a defence due in part to its position as a good shelter from the beach of La Herradura, but also to protect the local sugar and grain farmers from pirates and bandits.

During the brief occupation of Napoleonic troops during the early 1800’s when the French attempted to destroy the castle, it was later rebuilt to house the local police by 1839 and later by the Civil Guard. The design of the building is of a typical land fort with high walls, and can be seen to this day nestling between the remaining river plate plains and the Peña Parda to the west of the village. Until the 1970s, the garrison was still being used as a prison by the Spanish Civil Guard but has since then been abandoned. However following recent funding by the regional government of Andalucia, and local historians and entrepreneurs the castle is today being renovated to its former glory and should re-open its doors in the next years as a local monument of interest. A museum is planned, and so too educational resources and facilities.