Location Guide - Lecrin Valley, Granada Province

The Lecrin Valley by Vernon Grant

It is with good reason that the Lecrin Valley is known locally as "the valley of happiness". Not only is that the literal translation of the place name, but for some years now it has been a location that has brought much joy to the few hundred British people who live there.

It is where comedian and writer Alexi Sayle lives for three months of the year. Comic actor Peter Capaldi ("The Thick of It") has also bought here. Until recently Rowan Atkinson was also residing in a neighbouring village. Clearly the Lecrin is a place for those who like a good laugh.

Nola Lyttle works as a creative gardener (www.granadagardens.blogspot.com) from her base in the historic village of Mondujar.

She says: "I think the valley is perfect. It has short winters. Temperatures have reached into the 70's on our roof terrace in January. What I really like about living here is that I can achieve a quality of life that I personally don’t believe exists in the UK any longer."

Somehow the Lecrin Valley has found the right balance between providing a home to many such adventurous Britons and yet retains its indisputable charm. That has much to do with the friendliness of the indigenous Andalucians, the majority of whom have welcomed the influx of foreigners with open arms. They acknowledge that but for the new lifeblood many villages would have ceased to exist as thriving communities.

Large towns such as the popular Durcal would have always been busy, as this is where many people who work in nearby Granada choose to live. However, small villages such as Salares, Beznar and Murchas would have struggled had not a generous sprinkling of British made their permanent homes in such places.

They came for the weather. They came for the variety of landscape that is on their doorstep. They probably didn’t come for the history of the area, but be assured that if you buy in the Lecrin Valley you will be living in one of the most historic areas of Spain. Luis Benavides-Barajas wrote "En Valle de Allegria", the only book that details the background of the area (buy from www.luisbenavides.barajas.blogspot.com)

He says: "The Lecrin Valley is a very important region in Spain. It is steeped in history, but few people living there realise it. You cannot lecture on the wars between the Moors and the Christians without including the Valley. Mulhey Hacen lived and died in Mondujar. He was the father of the last Nasrid King of Spain, Boabdil.

"Coming from the north, Padul is the entrance to the Valley of Lecrin. Today people just drive through the place but there used to be a lake in Padul and it was a very important strategic meeting place for the armies.

"They found the bones of prehistoric animals where that lake used to be and now they are displayed in the science museum in Granada."

History wasn’t uppermost in the mind of Cliff Nicholls when he bought in the village of Niguelas. Cliff is the head of the School of Architecture and Visual Arts, which is part of the University of East London. Despite its reputation as the coldest place in the Lecrin Valley, Cliff so likes Niguelas that he recently bought a second property there.

He says: "The spectacular journey from the coast to Granada led me to the Lecrin Valley. Many of the villages have stunning views of the Sierra Nevada mountains, including Niguleas. The climate is great. The village is peaceful and the culture of Granada is on your doorstep. The British that are here appreciate the quality of life in this area of Spain."

Surprisingly the Valley is somewhere that many Spanish know nothing about. They drive past it on the nearby motorway, often escaping the colder winter weather in places like Madrid. They are heading for the coast that is but a twenty minute drive from Lecrin itself.

Only recently have Spanish coach parties headed inland to pretty villages such as Melegis where some unique and quirky outdoor sculptures have been constructed outside the popular Los Naranjos restaurant. Such tourism and the cash it brings have been a blessing for many local businesses but make no mistake, the lifeblood of these Andalucian communities’ remains firmly rooted in farming.

Mules are common place on the roads here, laden down with oranges, almonds or herbs – depending on the time of the year. This is not the only sight that stands out on the roads in the valley.

You will also see the women of the villages taking long walks on the country roads, usually in their slippers. There isn’t always an end destination for their stroll, but doctor knows best, and the doctor has told the local people they must exercise more. When one sees the recent signs of prosperity here it is easy to forget that traditionally this has been one of the poorest areas of Spain. For many years the local diet consisted of - at best - bread, pork and chickpeas. Brits are shocked to discover that their Spanish neighbours often turn out to be twenty years younger than they look.

During the past three years property prices here have increased so steeply that many would be investors are instead exploring villages north of Granada. According to many property experts, this will be the next boom area in Andalucia.

That should ensure that the Lecrin Valley does not becoming a home county of the UK. Somewhere more resembling Spainshire than Spain. The locals won’t let that happen.

The more southern villages of the valley are only 40 kms from the coastal town of Motril. Almunecar and Salobrena are almost as close.

The village of Mondujar was split in two when the motorway linking Granada to the coast was built. It is the perfect location to use as a base to explore the area (www.lecrinlet.blogspot.com)

Luis Benavides-Barajas says:

"Mondujar was only famous because Mulhey Hacen built a castle there. That is where he got married and where he died. Then just a few years ago when they modernised the autovia they found the remains of seven kings buried in Mondujar. Hundreds of people flocked to the sight to see the bodies of the kings and it caused terrible upheaval on the motorway. It’s incredible to think that those kings were buried there for hundreds of years.

Boabdil’s mother is also buried high on a hill overlooking Mondujar. The authorities don’t advertise the fact that the Lecrin Valley is so historic because they wouldn’t want tourists going there instead of to the Alhambra Palace in Granada."

More northern lying villages such as Conchar and Cozvijar are just a twenty minute drive from the thriving City of Granada. From here the snow that brings such great business to the Sierra Nevada ski resort can be seen for much of the year.

If Durcal is the main town in the Lecrin Valley then its real hub are the villages of Talara and Lecrin itself.

The more healthy types, such as walkers and cyclists, are unanimous in their admiration of this area. They love the sheer variety of scenery available here. A round trip from Lecrin through villages such as Pinos de Valle, Restabal and

Albunuelas – the most outlying village in the valley – will ensure that you drive past orange and almond trees and will afford you views of the nearby Alpujarra mountains.

Mr. Bean may have left the area and gone on his holiday; but many of his countrymen have stayed. They are enjoying life in one of the most appropriately named areas of Spain.

Happiness is indeed a valley called Lecrin.