Andalucian Walking & Cultural Festival 2013 - 2nd Edition

A fantastic blend of traditional fiestas and expertly led activities.

The Fiestas

Dia de Andalucia - 28th February.  A public holiday, when the villagers of El Burgo muck in to make the delicious local dish "La sopa de los 7 ramales".  The communal meal is followed by traditional dances performed by local groups.

Carnaval - A chance to watch the wonderfully inventive group and individual costumes take over the streets.  Why be a spectator, when you will be warmly welcomed if you partake in the festivities?

Semana Cultural - A week of cultural events including theatrical performances organised by the town hall of El Burgo.  This is a great chance to improve your language skills, and will provide a unique insight into Andalucian culture.

 

The Walks

Two daily walks of different grades (see Itinerary for more details) in and around the nearby Sierra de las Nieves Nature Park.  Routes will be led by local guides and Callum Christie, Frontier's director.  All local transfers included.

Other Activities

If you don't want to walk everyday, you can experience Andalucian customs at first hand. The daily diary is filled with a range of activities, led by expert guides. The 2013 activities and experts haven't been nailed down just yet but next year you can expect a similar line-up to the list below with some new faces and brand new activities.

	Painting - Paco Mayorga Paco has lived in El Burgo for the last 10 years, and teaches different techniques, including abstract landscapes featuring the Spanish Firs of the Sierra de las Nieves. He has received various prizes and mentions from different competitions, and regularly exibits his work.  Canvass and materials provided.
	Author- Paul Murphy             By the time of the Festival, Paul will have just completed an epic walk through Spain in the footseps of the writer Laurie Lee. Lee's celebrated memoir, "As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning" documents a year long tramp through Spain, at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). Poetry, politics and a passion for Spain combine thematically in Paul's Festival talk. He will be recounting his journey and sharing excerpts from his own forthcoming book. Read More About Laurie Lee By Clicking Here
	Pottery - Devlet Dirik Devlet trained at the San Telmo school of Art in Picasso's home town of Malaga before moving to El Burgo.  She has since established herself with a unique and widely renowned style. Devlet produces pieces ideal for home use, as well as by private order.  She makes her own clay mixes and glazes and prefers to turn on the wheel. Materials provided.
	Bird watching - Peter Jones Peter runs his own local tour company, Spanish Nature, and is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to tracking down wintering and resident species of birdlife.  He is also the founder of the Andalucian Bird Society, the first organisation to actively unite Spanish and expat birding enthusiasts. His relaxed leading style has won him many followers. Bring your own binoculars.
	Cookery - Conchi Bandera Gomez Conchi was raised in El Burgo.  Her parents ran the best Tapas bar and later a successful Inn with an excellent kitchen.  It's no surprise that Conchi has decided to follow in her mother's footsteps, repeating many of the delicious traditional dishes from recipes handed down from one generation to the next.  Put on an apron, and spend a few hours in a professional kitchen, learning the art of making mouth watering tapas, soups, and even paella!
	Guided tour of Acinipo, Setenil and vineyard - Juan Ruiz Ponce Juan Ruiz is a guide based in nearby Ronda.  He will share his knowledge as we visit the remains of Roman Old Ronda with its magnificent Theatre and amazing hilltop views. Nearby the village of Setenil lies hidden until you all but stumble over the houses set into the cliffs carved out in passing by the Rio Trejo. We'll finish the tour with a visit to a nearby bodega for some tasting of Ronda's best wines.
	Peninsular War - Stephen Drake-Jones Stephen moved to Spain in 1975 during the last year of Franco´s reign. His initial forays to the battlefields of Wellington in Spain and Portugal inspired him to found the Wellington Society of Madrid in 1979. He joined the Royal Spanish navy in 1982 with the proviso that he did not have to go to sea! He taught military history for two years at the Admiralty in Madrid. He tours the battlefields of the Peninsular War in both Spain and Portugal and was guest speaker at the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar, at Cape Trafalgar. He is an ardent Leeds United supporter!
	Festival Director - Callum Christie Callum has spent most of his adult life based in Andalucia.  He set up Frontier 10 years ago from his family base in El Burgo.  He now splits his time between leading walks in Spain, designing new holidays for Frontier as well as running the Tourism Office at the southern end of the West Highland Way in Scotland.  His fluent castellano and insights regarding the surrounding landscape and its social history help to add an extra dimension to his guided walks.

Dance - more soon

Vineyard tour - Guided visit and wine tasting at Bodegas DV in Ronda.

Evening Entertainment

A chance to experience a local flavour of El Burgo - more soon.

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The Sierra de las Nieves Nature Park Awaits..

From our Spanish base, the white mountain village of El Burgo in Malaga Province, we are proud to present the second annual "Andalucian International Walking & Cultural Festival". Close by the spectacular Sierra de las Nieves Nature Park, El Burgo is a remote traditional village surrounded by river valleys and high mountains. The village had strategic importance during the Moorish and Roman times and was awarded Imperial Status by Emperor Trajan. 

This week long event offers a full programme of walks and talks, social events, accommodation and transport packages. The Festival coincides with local events Andalucia Day and the vibrant and colourful Carnaval celebrations.

Visitors will find a warm and friendly welcome to this vibrant region, which enjoys long winter days, blue skies and a magnificent landscape already coming alive with early spring colour.

The Nature Park:

Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park is located at the heart of the Serrania de Ronda region, in the province of Malaga. This mountainous area is punctuated by deep ravines and spectacular cliffs, such as La Caína, with a drop of over 100 metres. The highest peak is Torrecilla (1,919 metres). Its greatest treasure are its conifer forests dating back to the tertiary period, featuring the Spanish fir or 'Pinsapo', one of the most meridional species of fir in the world. We will be using vehicles to get us into the heart of the park so that we can explore its most glorious features.

Flora and Fauna:

The area is home to one of Andalusia's largest communities of Ibex, one of only two wild species of large hoofed mammal native to the Park, the other being the Roe deer. Also to be found here are certain animal species protected by law, such as the Genet cat, Pine marten, Wild cat, Golden and Bonelli's eagle and Otter.

In the mountain peaks, large numbers of Mountain Gall oaks and Spanish firs are to be found. At lower altitudes the Holm and Cork oak thrive. There are also small collections of Strawberry trees, Chestnuts, Yews, Maples and four species of Juniper.

Eden:

Sierra de las Nieves and the village of El Burgo are part of the EU Eden initiative.  You'll be able to meet some of the local folk who still preserve a traditional way of life.

 

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Listed below is the 2013, though we may have to change the  order of the walks depending on the weather.

We are delighted to welcome a new member to the team, author Paul Murphy, who will be recounting his Spanish journey in the footsteps of Laurie Lee as recorded in his classic autobiographical book "As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning" (1969).

Day 1 - Monday 25th February

• Transfer from Malaga airport to the pretty white mountain village of El Burgo.
• Visitor registration & reception at El Burgo's Nature Park Centre.

Day 2 - Tuesday 26th February

• Guided walks A & B (see grading key below).
• Walk A - Circular walk from El Burgo upstream on the Moorish trail to Ronda before doubling back along the Rio Turon.
• Walk B - Explore the surrounding olive and almond groves with a low level circular walk from El Burgo.
• Pottery & Painting Workshops. Full Day - both morning and afternoon sessions.

Day 3 - Wednesday 27th February

• Guided walks A & B.
• Walk A - Into the Sierra de las Nieves Nature Park with a route through the majestic forests of Spanish Firs.
• Walk B - A circular walk within the Nature Park along drovers' trails.
• Full Day Bird Watching & Photography Field Trip.
• Evening Talk with Historian Stephen Drake-Jones.

Day 4 - Thursday 28th February

• Half day guided walks- A & B.
• Afternoon - Dia de Andalucia Village Party.
• Evening Talk - In Laurie Lee's Footsteps by Paul Murphy.

Day 5 - Friday 1st March

• Guided walks A & B.
• Walk A - A chance to climb Sierra Cabrilla, the limestone giant that towers over El Burgo.
• Walk B - A drop off and walk back to El Burgo, through beautifully mixed terrain of pine forests, worked fields and olive groves, with wonderful views over the surrounding hills.
• Andalucian Cookery - a full day of typical dishes and tapas.
• Evening Talk - Birds of the Serrania de Ronda by Peter Jones

Day 6 - Saturday 2nd March

• Guided field trip to 'Acinipo', Roman remains of Old Ronda.
• Lunch in Setenil, scenin White Village
• Tour and tasting at local vineyard
• Evening Carneval in El Burgo - Fiesta time!

Day 7 - Sunday 3rd March

• Guided walks A & B.
• Walk A - Stunning circular walk through the Nature Park with a great variety of terrain on show; from mountain pastures to craggy limestone cliffs that overhang majestic forests of endemic Fir. 
• Walk B - A circular walk within the Park past the lime and stone built farmhouse where the last Andalucian outlaw had a daring escape from the Law.
• Paella and Flamenco night.

Day 8 - Monday 4th March

Transfer to Malaga airport.

Note: Walk Gradings are as follows.

Grade A: a walk between 4 and 6 hours with combined altitude climb not exceeding 500m.

Grade B: a walk between 3 and 5 hours with combined climbs not exceeding 250m.

Please note that the order of events may be subject to change during the week.

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El Burgo has something of everything to offer. Guests will mainly be staying in the very well appointed 3 star La Casa Grande hotel. This intimate hotel features a lovely roof terrace with mountain views and a charming interior patio. All 23 rooms are decorated in the traditional Andaluz style and arranged over 3 floors. The hotel offers good accessibility and has a lift. Choose from B&B or half board.

Part of the daily ritual will be to shop for picnic items in the village or order a prepared packed lunch from the hotel. Advanced notice of dietary restrictions at time of booking, please.

Paella night is a large group dining experience for all our Festival visitors to share. On other nights' the village is yours to explore and take advantage of several eateries within the village.

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