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Puntos de vista - a personal Spain blog

Musings about Spain and Spanish life by Paul Whitelock, hispanophile of 40 years and now resident of Ronda in Andalucía .

Kilometro 19 - gateway to many delights
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 @ 12:33 PM

As we all know, in Spain exits from motorways and main roads correspond to the distance in kilometres from the start of that road. For example, all roads leading from Madrid start at kilómetro cero.

[Photo courtesy of Diario Sur]    

 

The Carretera de Sevilla (A374) in Andalucía starts at Algodonales (Cádiz) and continues to Ronda (Málaga) at kilómetro 34.

 

Kilometro 19 is the exit for Montejaque and Cortes de la Frontera and the start of the MA 8403 road. This fascinating route leads us past Venta La Vega, through a cork oak forest, past cornfields and olive groves to the entrance to the El Hundidero cave system, La Presa de los Caballeros, and then on to Montejaque and Benaojan.


Venta la Vega

This is a local landmark, really. Well located on the corner of the main road from Ronda to Sevilla, it's a popular spot for an early morning coffee or breakfast for Spaniards on their way to work.

Later in the day it's popular with visitors to the area, eg walkers, cyclists and motor cyclists.

 

 

[Photo courtesy of Trivago]   

 

Cork Oaks

This area of the Serrania de Ronda/Sierra de Grazalema is the home to the cork oak. It's an important industry around here.

The bark is harvested every seven years to a height of some two metres and turned into cork products.

 

 

[Photo courtesy of Be The Story]    

 

Wine bottle corks are still used in Spain, but in the UK, Germany and even France they have long since switched to plastic corks or screw-tops, even for top quality wines.

An abomination!

 

Hayfields

After the road climbs up past the cork oak forests, the land changes and there are flat fields where hay is grown as fodder for the animals that are also reared in the area: sheep, goats, cattle and pigs.

Then it's downhill again through a rocky area which is home to …..

 

 

    [Photo courtesy of Malaga Hoy]    

 

El Hundidero

An amazing cave system which takes water from up here down to Cueva del Gato, many hundreds of metres lower on the Benaojan Road.

One can only go through with a qualified guide.

 

 

Entrance to El Hundidero [Malaga Hoy]    


La Presa de los Caballeros

This a dam which was built in 1928 to form a reservoir but the architect got it wrong.

The rocks are sandstone and the water filtered away.

An expensive mistake, to say the least.

At least they've found a way to put it to good use for environmental tourism.

 

 

   [Photo courtesy of Diario Sur]


Heading uphill again we come to olive groves and pasteur for sheep and goats, and a number of smallholdings.


Olives

Olives grow well around here and produce a significant harvest for eating and also for processing into top quality olive oil.

You can buy "home-made" oil in Montejaque for much cheaper than at the supermarket.

 

 

 

[Photo courtesy of Carbonell]    
 

Montejaque

This village of less than 1000 inhabitants lies at the end of the road. It's a dead end for traffic. Yet it is the most charming of the pueblos blancos of Malaga and Cadiz.

So charming, in fact, that my wife and I each have a house there in the old Arabic part of the village.

   Casa Rita with Rita on the roof terrace [K Smallman]          Casa Real facade [K Smallman]


Benaojan

Going down the hill from Montejaque on the MA 7401 to Ronda, within minutes you come to Benaojan.

Less pretty than Montejaque, it is, however, a great place to stop for a coffee, breakfast, tapas or lunch.

Both Montejaque and Benaojan are twinned with Knittlingen in Baden-Wuerttemberg (Germany).

That link is what brought my German wife to Montejaque over 20 years ago. She used to work in Knittlingen.

 

[Photo courtesy of Paul Whitelock]    

I have visited Knittlingen a number of times. Indeed, Rita and I got married in nearby Maulbronn in 2010.

***

As you continue towards Ronda on the MA 7401 you come to the afore-mentioned Cueva del Gato.

A bit further on is Venta El Puente, another fine watering- and eating-hole.

And then it's back onto the Ronda-Sevilla road.

What a great exit Kilometro 19 turns out to be!

 

 

Cueva del Gato [RF Natura]    

 

See also:

Kilómetro 26 - Help me, Ronda

 


Other Links:

A Stroll through Montejaque - Help me, Ronda

A Walk on the Wild Side – of Montejaque - Eye on Spain

Caminito de los Caballeros - Cueva del Hundidero: 99 fotos - Málaga, España | AllTrails

CASA REAL, Montejaque (Malaga) - Help me, Ronda

Casa Rita Holiday Rental Montejaque - Secret Serrania de Ronda

Early morning coffee in Spain - Secret Serrania de Ronda

La otra ruta de senderismo que compite con el Caminito del Rey como la más vertiginosa de Málaga - Malaga Hoy

Wir sprechen Deutsch in Montejaque! - Eye on Spain

 

 

© Pablo de Ronda


With thanks to:

Be The Story, Cadena SER, Diario Sur, Karl Smallman, Málaga Hoy, Paul Whitelock, RF Natura, Secret Serrania, Trivago, www.help-me-ronda.com

 

Tags:

A374, Algodonales, Andalucía, Be The Story, Benaojan, Cadena SER, Caminito de los CaballerosCádiz, Carretera de Sevilla, Cork Oaks, Cornfields, Cortes de la Frontera, Diario Sur, El Hundidero, Eye on Spain, Karl Smallman, Kilometro 19, kilómetro 26, kilómetro 34, kilómetro cero, Málaga, Málaga Hoy, Montejaque, Olives, Presa de los Caballeros, RF Natura, Ronda, Secret Serrania, Trivago, Venta la Vega, www.help-me-ronda.com



Like 2




4 Comments


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Thursday, June 12, 2025 @ 2:26 PM

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migueldelnorte said:
Saturday, June 14, 2025 @ 11:09 AM

Thanks, Pablo, for such an interesting and well illustrated article on this beautiful part of Andalucía. Sadly, the majority of visitors to Spain will ignore its better parts - or maybe it is actually a blessing, lest they overwhelm it and so spoil it!
This type of article is why I enjoy Eye On Spain, designed to present the beauty and culture of Spain, and thus enriching us readers.
Editor, please note and leave out the divisive political harangues that have crept in over recent months from other sources. Let us have the articles like this one that promote Spain and help readers to enjoy it more fully: travel, customs, culture, food and recipes, information on legislation changes, etc, rather than politics that fill other media.
Keep up your good work, Pablo!


PablodeRonda said:
Saturday, June 14, 2025 @ 11:40 AM

Thank you, migueldelnorte. I appreciate your kind comments.
However, I have to confess that I have another thread where I criticise those who deserve my disapproval, mainly politicians like Trump, "Bojo the Clown" Johnson, Putin, and others who are beyond the Paul.
And another where I expose dodgy companies and individuals who have ripped me off.


migueldelnorte said:
Saturday, June 14, 2025 @ 12:02 PM

Please, Pablo, no criticism was implied. We all have our own views, but I believe there is an appropriate place for all viewpoints to be aired.
My contention was that with politics occupying so much of our media time, Eye On Spain should provide an oasis to escape into the more uplifting matters. That remark was aimed at the editors who select what to publish here.
Mind you, I wouldn't mind knowing about the dodgy companies myself - might help keep me out of trouble? I believe that comes under one of my previous suggestion for articles, that of helping readers to enjoy Spain more fully!
Have a good weekend,
Miguel


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