by Sarah Mills | May 11, 2016 | Uncategorized
From the Himalayas, to the Blue Mountains, the Andes to the Drakensberg, The Rockies to the Golden Triangle, the natural, historical and unique wonder of these spectacular regions is equalled here in Andalusia, and particularly in the Axarquia mountain ranges.
David and I have trekked and hiked extensively across the world, and here, in the mountains surrounding the beautiful white washed village of Competa, we have found a walking and hiking paradise.
And it is our mission to share and teach about the immense history, the wonderful landscape, flora, fauna and wildlife of this splendid region, so that it may be enjoyed, understood and preserved.
Preservation of this region is most important to us and we have started a programme to provide education about the environment here, free to children and their families in Andalusia, so that we can not only promote the area, but ensure that the next generation grow up appreciating as much, its importance in 
this little corner of the world. Working with Axareducacion, and the Ayuntamiento Park Rangers, we walk with children once a month, providing a fun and insightful day of information, games and prizes, finished off with food and refreshments at our walking lodge, Finca Los Pinos.
As we grow this programme so too will we grow the agenda, adding Spanish culture and Spanish and English language topics to the agenda. We hope to provide children with opportunity, knowledge and understanding, to empower them to maintain this 8th wonder of the world that is Andalusia!
Born and bred in Africa, David and I love the outdoors, and have a global perspective on everything we do. Competa Hikes, is not only our business, it is our passion. We truly want to bring the historical, cultural and natural value of this region to as many people as we can whilst maintaining responsible tourism, protecting the environment.
And of course, naturally, we bring a little of our own African culture, as well as our experience from our global travels, to our walking lodge. This winter we have extended our log cabins so that they are themed to reflect our favourite
places. The cabins are now decorated to be Andalusian, African and India, and we have extended the en suite bathroom in Cabin 1 to be a lovely large wet room with large glass frosted windows to provide that sense of showering ‘outdoors’.
Also this winter we have embarked on a project to build a luxury African Safari tent high into our grounds, with luxurious furnishings, colonial style, en suite slipper bath and ablution facilities, and an outdoor, but very private shower. This project does require us to follow the important planning permission process, so we are not yet able to provide a timescale for completion but hoping we will be ready by the summer with this little piece of African paradise… secluded, wild, spectacular vistas, and very luxurious.
We are providing specialist walking tours, right from our doorstep. Our walking lodge sleeps 20 people. We have superb, qualified walking guides, qualified in the British Mountaineering Association, that have also grown up in the region and provide specialist tours for bird watching, wild orchid viewing, medicinal herb tours and courses on how to grow your own medicinal herb garden in your kitchen!! They also provide Spanish mushroom tours, collecting and cooking, and many other unique tours of this nature.
Finally our combination walking tour holidays aim to add culture and language to our guests achievements of their week here, adding Spanish Language classes and cultural events and day trips to the walking itinerary. Our guests may like to choose a different course to combine with their walking tour, to get a taste of something different that they have not done before. For example, walking and bonsai tree cutting, walking and yoga, walking and painting course, waking and Spanish wine ourse, to learn about the regions and taste the wine of course! They can also choose from walking and sculpting course, walking and Spanish cooking course, walking and meditation and walking and massage therapy.
This is our passion, this is our life, and we hope you will enjoy it as much as we do.
by Sarah Mills | Jan 10, 2015 | Blog
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
We had an amazing Christmas at Finca Los Pinos/Competa Hikes. This year we had guests over the Christmas period. When we went to decorate their table for their big meal, they decided they wanted to eat outside – in the sunny winter sun, in shorts and t-shirts! Surrounded by the mountain views, birds singing and lovely sunshine…it couldn’t have been better! Before they had their meal, they went for a lovely walk in the natural park to build up their Christmas appetite. Evenings here are cooler, so the large wood burner was lit, with logs burning, creating a lovely cosy atmosphere. A home away from home during the Christmas period.
Also during the Christmas period here in Competa, we celebrated some festivals, as we do every year, but in Spanish style. During December, there are Christmas lights not only in the main cities of Spain, but the small villages too. Competa’s Christmas lights were fantastic this year, and added that festive feeling, despite the sun shining. There was live music, local wine and lots for the children to do in the run up to Christmas day. Being a short drive away, we made sure we went into Malaga to do that last minute shopping and view the incredible lights there, giving large cities such as London a run for their money! With activities for adults and children alike, Christmas in Spain is a must.
One of the “Three Kings” beginning their trip around Competa to throw sweets to the children
New years day was filled with walks through the natural park, in sunshine and t shirts; coffee and freshly made churros in hand from the local shops in Competa. We had three kings festival on the 5th, where three horse/donkey drawn carriages, each carrying a “king” are taken through the town, throwing sweets out to all of the children in Competa. We didn’t quite believe it when people told us, but after bringing several carrier bags filled with sweets home, we were amazed. The evening is filled with giving out gifts to the children of Competa, on a large stage. The following day the plaza was filled with bouncy castles and a bucking bronco, all free for the children to enjoy whilst families and friends enjoyed meals surrounding them. Not to be missed!
Rio Chillar walk, perfect on a spring day here in Spain
This year we are going to be offering fully guided walking tours, through the beautiful mountains surrounding us in Competa. For more information on the walks we are offering, please go to the Competa Hikes “Dates for your diary” page.
Christmas was busy, but there is a whole year of celebrations that you can enjoy with us all at Competa Hikes:
January
18th – Feria del Barrio – a fair for the day in Competa, with locally produced food and lots of fun rides for adults and children alike! The feria starts at 10am and finishes at about 6am the following morning! With cannons going off intermittently throughout the day and ending with fireworks in the evening, it is great fun!
February
Valentines day – for this valentines weekend we are offering discounted weekend rates, fully catered with guided or unguided walks on the Sunday for you and the one you love to enjoy! Contact us for prices and more information.
Skiing in Sierra Nevada
Semana Blanco – the “half term” week in Spain – mostly filled with skiing and small events in the village square (Plaza). There is lots going on in this week, amazing hikes to be had in the winter sun, and we take guests to enjoy the slopes in Sierra Nevada.
March
Competa Hikes Triathlon – a fantastic triathlon held over several days, with a hike to maroma, diving and skiing. For more information, go to our triathlon page.
One of the beautiful floats during easter week in Competa and throughout Spain
Semana Santa – Easter week. Flower laden floats adorning the holy statues are carried through the streets with a band playing music. This goes on over three nights and is not to be missed. The floats are enormous and at least 30 people each to carry. Children, teenagers and adults of all ages get involved. The floats themselves are works of art and the marching band playing is incredible.
April
Before the Competa Art walk there are various workshops for the children to enjoy for free
Competa Art Walk – This is normally held over Easter weekend and it is a walk that offers the opportunity to meet the multinational artists of Competa who create art in many different forms: photography, painting, graphics, drawings, ceramics, sculpture and textiles. The young inhabitants of the village get involved too, and are invited to take part in a free workshop, and get to show their artwork in all the different galleries throughout the village during the walk. For those interested in art and exploring Competa, this is a great weekend.
May
3rd – Dia de la Cruz – Procession from Plaza Carmen with a cross made of flowers to the shrine of the Cruz del Monte.
Communion Month – this is the month where the children of Competa have their first holy communion. The whole village celebrates, with flowers and herbs adorning the plaza and side streets of Competa, and children and their parents spare no expense in their clothing. Whole families sit for meals afterwards and a huge village celebration is enjoyed. Last year, one family rented out a whole restaurant and had a bouncy castle and various events for their children who were having their first communion. It is an incredible site to behold.
June
This is when the live music starts in the square and everyone is preparing for summer!
July
Everyone shows up in the Plaza in their swimsuits to enjoy the foam party!
Fiesta Month! This is the month that the feria comes to Competa, and starts its rotation around the other mountain villages surrounding it. On the last days of the Feria, Competa celebrates that weekend starting with an enormous foam party in the square, where children and adults show up with their swimsuits on and the whole square is filled with foam. The following day, there is live flamenco music, dancing and a giant paella made for everyone in the square, free of charge, to enjoy. Feria weekend is our favourite in Competa!
The village sized foam party in the main Plaza of Competa during the Feria
August
1-15th – Ruta del Vino – various events are enjoyed in the lead up to the noche del vino – where there is a lot of locally produced wine, grapes and other produce to be enjoyed.
15th – Noche del Vino – a night of wine. This starts during the day with a market throughout the streets of Competa, selling wares, demonstrating birds of pray and more. This is followed by the procession of the grapes, and they are squashed in the traditional way and brought in beautiful baskets to the Plaza Vendimia. In the evening there is much celebration, with drinks, live music, flamenco dancing and a general giant party in Competa. A fantastic night not to be missed.
Medieval market during the day leading up to the Noche del Vino
September
Noche de la Lumbres – night of fire – celebrated in Plaza Carmen for the first night that fires are once again allowed in the campo. There is normally a giant dish of paella, local wines, music and ofcourse a giant bonfire.
October 1-4th
Annual Competa Walking Festival – This is where there are several different daily routes throughout the Competa countryside. Competa Hikes offers hikes during this festival and accommodation just outside the natural park.
December
There is normally a Christmas market in Competa and the surrounding villages for last minute presents
24th – fiesta in the square followed by midnight mass
25th – Christmas day
26th – Competa Hikes big boxing day walk
31st – Competa Hikes and Finca Los Pinos New Years Eve – fully catered, with the grapes at midnight – twelve grapes – one for each “ding” of the midnight toll…
For more information on any of the fiestas in Competa or to book your walking holiday with Competa Hikes and Finca Los Pinos, please go to the Contact Us page.
by Sarah Mills | Jul 23, 2014 | Diary of a walker
As part of our itinerary we decided one day that we would do only a half day hike and spend some time for the rest of the day doing some wine tasting at local bodegas (wine yards) around Competa. David suggested, as we were planning quite a day of activity, that a nice hike would be to start at, what he calls ‘The Top of The World’ Hike. After a lovely breakfast served by David and Sarah, David and his team transported us from Finca Los Pinos’ accommodation at 10am, to what is officially known as ‘The View Point’ at the top of the white-washed village of Competa. A ten minute transport only, and very comfortable too. What a view. It really does seem as if you are at the top of the world and we could see for miles across different mountain ranges and we could see the sea and the Atlas mountains of Morocco. A treat to see these in the clear skies of the Autumn and Spring months as David advised these cannot be seen through the hot haze of the summer months. I really had no idea how beautiful and lush these mountains still are, even after the long blistering summer months that preceded our visit here. David and his team carried our refreshments and we began our gentle hike across the top of the mountain and down into the valley, before a gentle ascent back to Finca Los Pinos, to the doors of our accommodation on foot. As we walked down the mount track and into the valley we delighted in the scenes of small ‘shepherd’ dwellings, typical Spanish haciendas, white washed with grape vine threaded shades over their front verandas, dotted around the mountains. We were surprised to walk through Eucaplytus tree lined tracks – did not expect to see Eucalyptus trees outside of Australia. We wound our way down into the bottom of the valley, where the vegetation turned into that of a tropical forest and we crossed through two rivers that appear as gurgling deep streams across the mountain track. We stopped for some water and juice and fresh fruit at the bottom of the valley before we had a gentle climb out of the valley and straight back to our accommodation front doors at Finca Los Pinos. David and Sarah had prepared a lovely home made beef stew and dump
lings for our lunch on return, which was absolutely delicious, and lined our stomachs well for our upcoming wine tasting tour later that afternoon. A great hike, spectacular views, interesting history and fauna, and perfect if you are going to take part in a separate afternoon activity.
by Sarah Mills | Jul 23, 2014 | Diary of a walker
On a clear and temperate morning, 9:30am we set off from Finca Los Pinos accommodation, to complete the half day mountain goat trail walk that Competa Hikes offers. We climbed straight up the mountain, from right outside one of the log cabins on the property. It was excellent to be able to start a hike from right outside our front door. A green rope tied from post to tree, guided us up the 30 meter climb to get to one of the many mountain goat trails that cross the splendid mountains here. That 30 meter initial climb certainly got the blood racing and the muscles warmed up for what turned out to be a simply stunnin
g hike, where it felt like we were on the roof of the Almejera mountains. As we walked I could smell the scent of wild Thyme, blooming Sayge and Wild Rosemary. This scent never left us throughout this hike, it was a truly welcoming scent that fit so well with the wilderness of fauna we were walking through. I did not know whether to continue to look at the ground, amazed at all the wonderful wild flowers, or look across at the view of the mountains and the sea.
The path meandered around the top of the mountain and we came across many large boulder clusters, dotted with tropical and savannah type fauna all in one place. As we came across a sheer cliff face reaching upwards from our path, David pointed out two wild eagle nests hanging from the cliff faces. Stepping over fallen trees, that had been there some time by the look of the wild orchids, and other green plants growing amongst them, we continued to stroll along thees pleasant tracks until we came to a ‘cross-roads’ – well David said it was a cross roads, but to my eye I would never have found it – simply a fork in the track – to continue to ramble around the tops of the mountains for an extra two hours, or to start winding down the mountain to the river and back along the mountain road to Finca Los Pinos. As we had only been walking a couple of hours by this time, we decided as a group to continue around the tops of the mountains. So at this point we all perched on some “comfortable” boulders and enjoyed a refreshment of cold water and fresh juice, and some fresh fruit to energise the rest of our hike, all supplied by David and Sarah as part of our package. I am glad we decided to continue with the walk around the tops of the mountains as we came across wild orchids, starting their Spring pursuit, and the views continued to be absolutely breathtaking. The walk took us through some forested areas as well, which were lush and green, but on the whole we climbed quite gently and descended gently throughout the walk and had clear views to the sea, and to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco – which were surprisingly large, showing how close they really are. A real treat was when David spotted some Ibex – a mother and two babies scuttling up the cliff faces of the mountains above us. David told us that the Ibex had become an endangered species in Spain only ten years ago, but they are thankfully starting to grow in population again. So we were very pleased to see some today.
A
nother fork in the paths ( again, only seen by David) brought us to begin our descent, down a well defined mountain track through Eucalyptus tree lined paths and across the river, past La Fabrica de la Luz III, back towards Finca Los Pinos. The descent was a good challenge, as the path really narrowed at this point and was fairly overgrown. We were glad of our long paths that we had been advised by David to hike in. When we reached Finca Los Pinos by around 1:30-2pm a delicious lunch oh warm salads and ho
me cooked breads welcomed us back, and I prepared for a little book reading and siesta in the hammocks of the “Tranquil Zone” of Finca Los Pinos for my afternoon. Others in the group decided to take on an activity of an African and Latino drumming workshop around the pool. It all sounded great as I drifted off, a gentle breeze whispering through the pines…
Back at Finca Los Pinos, the walking lodge of Competa Hikes, the children enjoyed a well deserved swim in the heated outdoor pool and a large freshly made Paella and salads. And then it was time for the quiz.
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