CONTENTS
Map key
Overview map
Route summary table
Author’s preface
Introduction
The GR7/E4
Andalucía
The GR7 in Andalucía
Shorter itineraries
Historical context
Plants and wildlife
When to go
Getting there
Getting back
Luggage transfer
Accommodation
Food and drink
Water
Equipment
Money
Language
Waymarking
Maps and GPS
Staying safe
Using this guide
The common route
Cádiz province
Stage 1 Tarifa to Los Barrios
Stage 2 Los Barrios to Castillo de Castellar
Stage 3 Castillo de Castellar to Jimena de la Frontera
Stage 4 Jimena de la Frontera to Ubrique
Stage 5 Ubrique to Montejaque via Villaluenga del Rosario
Málaga province
Stage 6 Montejaque to Arriate via Ronda
Stage 7 Arriate to Ardales
Stage 8 Ardales to El Chorro
Stage 9 El Chorro to Valle de Abdalajís
Stage 10 Valle de Abdalajís to Antequera
Stage 11 Antequera to Villanueva de Cauche
The northern variant
Stage 12A Villanueva de Cauche to Villanueva del Trabuco
Stage 13A Villanueva del Trabuco to Villanueva de Tapia
Stage 14A Villanueva de Tapia to Villanueva de Algaidas
Stage 15A Villanueva de Algaidas to Cuevas de San Marcos
Córdoba province
Stage 16A Cuevas de San Marco to Rute
Stage 17A Rute to Priego de Córdoba
Stage 18A Priego de Córdoba to Almedinilla
Stage 19A Almedinilla to Alcalá la Real
Jaén province
Stage 20A Alcalá la Real to Frailes
Stage 21A Frailes to Carchelejo
Stage 22A Carchelejo to Cambil
Stage 23A Cambil to Torres
Stage 24A Torres to Bedmar
Stage 25A Bedmar to Jódar
Stage 26A Jódar to Quesada
Stage 27A Quesada to Cazorla
Stage 28A Cazorla to Vadillo Castril
Stage 29A Vadillo Castril to Coto Ríos
Stage 30A Coto Ríos to Pontones
Stage 31A Pontones to Santiago de la Espada
Stage 32A Santiago de la Espada to Puebla de Don Fadrique
The southern variant
Stage 12B Villanueva de Cauche to Riogordo
Stage 13B Riogordo to Ventas de Zafarraya
Granada province
Stage 14B Ventas de Zafarraya to Alhama de Granada
Stage 15B Alhama de Granada to Arenas del Rey
Stage 16B Arenas del Rey to Jayena
Stage 17B Jayena to Albuñuelas
Stage 18B Albuñuelas to Nigüelas
Stage 19B Nigüelas to Lanjarón
Stage 20B Lanjarón to Soportújar
Stage 21B Soportújar to Pitres
Stage 22B Pitres to Trevélez
Stage 23B Trevélez to Cádiar
Stage 24B Cádiar to Yegen
Stage 25B Yegen to Laroles
Stage 26B Laroles to Puerto de la Ragua via Bayárcal
Stage 27B Puerto de la Ragua to La Calahorra
Stage 28B La Calahorra to Narváez via Charches
Stage 29B Narváez to Zújar
Stage 30B Zújar to Benamaurel
Stage 31B Benamaurel to Cúllar
Stage 32B Cúllar to Orce
Stage 33B Orce to Huéscar
Stage 34B Huéscar to Puebla de Don Fadrique
Appendix A Facilities table
Appendix B Spanish–English glossary
Appendix C Further information
Appendix D Further reading
Maps and GPS
Paper maps
The best maps that cover all stages of the GR7 in Andalucía are the 1:25,000 series of the Centro Nacional de Información Geográfico (CNIG). But, practically, you’re unlikely to want to carry the large number of maps you’ll need to cover all stages.
If you opt for the 1:50,000 series and are walking the GR7’s southern variant you’ll need 26 maps; for the northern variant, 24. They make for extra weight but I’d be loathe to be without them if not carrying digital maps on a handheld device.
In Andalucía, the best places to order maps are LTC in Seville (www.ltcideas.es/index.php/mapas) and Mapas y Compañia in Málaga (www.mapasycia.es).
In Madrid, the best places to order maps are La Tienda Verde (www.facebook.com/latiendaverde) and Centro Nacional de Información Geográfica (www.cnig.es).
In the UK, the best sources for maps are Stanfords (www.stanfords.co.uk) and The Map Shop (www.themapshop.co.uk).
Digital maps/GPS and GPX files
Using a tablet or smartphone with a hiking app, with the relevant 1:25,000 quadrants uploaded along with the GPX files for the stages you plan to hike, is highly recommended due to the scant and damaged waymarking on some sections of the GR7.
The free app, Maps.me, has a map with nearly all of the GR7 clearly visible.
The Gaia GPS app, free for Android and iPhone, has a pretty decent map – for more detailed maps you’ll need to subscribe – while the Viewranger app is also free and you can buy and upload the 1:25,000 tiles of the CNIG. Buying the digital 1:25,000 tiles is far less expensive then buying all the paper maps.
Even without the tiles, Viewranger, with the relevant GPX files uploaded, will give you your position within a few metres relevant to the trail.
GPX files for all stages of the GR7 in Andalucía are available as free downloads from Cicerone (www.cicerone.co.uk/995/GPX) or via the author’s website (www.guyhunterwatts.com).
By using a program such as Garmin’s BaseCamp you can download the files to your desktop, import them into the program then transfer them to your handheld device/phone. You can download Basecamp for Mac and PC at www.garmin.com/en-GB/software/basecamp/.
GPX files are provided in good faith but neither the author nor Cicerone can accept responsibility for their accuracy. Your first point of reference should always be the walking notes, map and the visual references that surround you.