ROCKY RIVER RAPIDS FROM PAST TO PRESENT

Built to support Montemayor castle, Benahavis is still a highly prized location

WITH its lofty position high above the coast, Benahavis has long been one of the most sought after spots on the coast of Andalucia.

Its unobstructed views of over 100 kilometres of coastline and across to Africa were a prime reason why the Moors built a well fortified settlement here.

The town has its origins in the late 11th century, when it formed to support the nearby Castle of Montemayor, which was built about 100 years earlier.

Indeed, the town is named after Havis, the arabic chieftain who built the castle. Ben al Havis is Arabic for ‘son of Havis’.

The castle and town were strategically placed for the battles fought between Andalucia’s Arab kings before it eventually fell into the hands of the Catholic monarchs in 1485, as part of the Spanish Reconquista.

The Olive Press walking team takes on the infamous Benahavis river hike

AFTER battling our way down the Rio Guadalmina, forced to leave one of our team behind, we had eventually found what appeared to be a way back to civilisation.

But a series of bent metal steps jutting out of the vertical rock face had never looked less enticing, as I clutched my shaking body and scanned the cliff for an alternative.

Two-and-a-half-hours before, four of us had set off just south of Benahavis on the river walk – sometimes called canyoning – with no idea what to expect.

Driving up the valley towards the village gives no indication of the exhilarating, some would say hard-core, experience you are about to have.

Adventure

After parking our car in the village, by the water tower roundabout, we walked down to the river and initially hovered awkwardly around the first pool, uncertain whether we were in the right place.

Finally taking control in true Bear Grylls fashion, amid shouts of ‘It’s not deep enough’ and ‘You’re going to smash head-first into that rock’, I low ered myself onto a slippery waterfall and went plunging into the murky water below, screaming as went.

As resurfaced, shouting my approval while messily ejecting river water from my mouth, the others ditched their fears and bounded down to slide in after me, and that was it, we were off.

A series of open pools, bridged by slippery rocks and feisty little waterfalls took us down deeper into the gorge, until the sun was obscured and the November chill began to take its toll on our exposed torsos.

Little frogs and fish bounded around our ankles as we tried to locate a foothold in the riverbed, while an enormous dragonfly sent me crashing when it shocked me into losing all sense of balance.

The rocky path opened up into long, deep stretches of stream that required swimming, and we were soon engulfed in the beautifully peaceful valley.

But when we came upon a pitch black cave that had to be swum through, one of our three began to raise serious questions.

Questions like: ‘Are we sure this is even the right river?’, ‘Is there ever going to be a way out?’ and, most pertinent of all, ‘Are we going to have enough energy to go all the way back up when we eventually decide to turn around?’.

-But untroubled by negative mumblings at the back, surged forward through the narrow passageway and emerged clambering over slimy rocks, only to realise was well and truly alone. After what seemed like an eternity of unanswered shouts and shivering, beat a solitary path onwards; confident would find the end and meet the weaklings in my group back at the car. But at that moment I was overjoyed to hear a clumsy sloshing from behind me, with only one of the team actually going back. And ten minutes later we found ourselves face to face with the ques- tionable metal ladder, one missed step and we were dead.

So instead of watching my violently shivering companion slip and slide his way up the perilous cliff edge, got on all fours and improvised, hauling myself up the rock using grubby handholds and tree trunks.

Perhaps, in hindsight, canyoning down the river is more of a hot summer’s day activity, and a brilliant one at that.

But even in the winter drizzle, it was a great adventure, and can’t wait to do it again.

At the time Benahavis was a part of Marbella, but it gained its ‘independence’ in 1572 when King Felipe II granted it a Carta Puebla and it became a town in its own right.

It remained strategically important for centuries, with its location allowing for the detection of pirate raids long before boats landed on the shores.

PRESERVED: The Torre de la Leonera what was once one of Andalucia’s greatest military gems is still home to some of the most outstanding views of the Costa del Sol. Some of its walls are preserved in good condition as well as the Torre de la Reina, which contains remains of what were once chambers and a well.

Five towers are still standing that were built to protect the village

During the Spanish War of Independence (18081814), Montemayor Castle was used by the Spanish troops as a strategic point against Napoleon's army.

Located 579 metres above sea level, the ruins of

Another five towers are still standing that were built to protect the castle and village, with the Torre de la Leonera sitting in a park of the same name perhaps the best preserved. Spanish 20th century historian Antonio Maíz also described an entrance to a subterranean passageway, which is believed to lead all the way to the ruins of La Boveda Roman baths of San Pedro Alcántara. There are tales of treasures hidden in this passage, although none have ever been found.