Pinos del Valle, lake Beznar and the snow capped Sierra Nevada

Acequias

Chite

Gym's studio, Chite, for unusual artefacts

Sunset in the Lecrin Valley

Acequias

A small white washed village high on the banks of the Rio Torrente, a deep gorge that was carved out by the river flowing down from the Sierra Nevada mountains that make the back drop for this pretty village. The river is now tamed and is used for Hydro Electricity generation, and for feeding the irrigation channels that water the fields and orchards of this lush valley. The village takes its name from the Spanish for irrigation channel. The Sierra Nevada National park runs along the edge of the village and there are numerous footpaths leading out of the village, including the GR7 long distance footpath. The village does not have any shops or bars, but local delivery vans call on a daily basis. The surrounding villages have the usual array of bars,banks and supermarkets.

Villages

Nigúelas
On the opposite bank of the Rio Torrente to Acequias sits Nigúelas, a large village with bars and village shops. With its narrow twisting streets rising up to the Sierra Nevada mountains, which even in June are tipped with snow, Nigúelas is in a spectacular position. Situated at nearly 3000ft these villages are said to have some of the cleanest air in Europe. Its week long Fiesta in the middle of September is well worth visiting.

Pinos del Valle
Overlooking the Beznar dam with its excellent stock of fish, and nestling into the hillside of the Sierra Almijarra, Pinos del Valle has shops, bars and a bank. It has numerous footpaths leading into the mountains, giving extensive views of the Lecrin Valley.

Chite
A small village about 2 klms from Lecrin divided into 2 parts, the upper and lower barrios, connected by narrow twisting streets. The village is surrounded by orange groves and has extensive views of the Lecrin Valley and Beznar dam. It is home to Gym the British artist well known for her post cards on sale locally depicting local scenes and her antique shop called the Camel Stop.

Lecrin
The largest of the villages in the valley to which it gives its name ( The happy Valley). It has 3 local supermarkets of which one, Puras, is no bigger than a small house, offers an extensive range of fresh produce, much of it produced locally. There are a number of good bars and restaurants serving food and Tapa, which in this area of Spain still comes FREE with an alcoholic drink. The church in Lecrin is said to contain the bodies of the moorish Kings of Granada and the wife of Boadil, the last Nazrid monarch to live in the Alhambra Palace.