The last day of the trip! Going through the pastures of upper land from Villaluenga to Montejaque, then last pass followed by descent to valley of Ronda and up to the cliffs. Will be some 26 kms, 670 meters of altitude gain, lots of sun and nice views. Link to map

Managed to get up and on the way before 8AM (when the local hunters have a licence to shoot). The first part is a swift descent on the 4WD road to the Llanos de Republicanos. I can here some bangs from further away and finally I also see the game. Three black pigs are leisurly diggong the ground some 50meters by the road. Than I am at tthe Llano, if I understand it correctly a closed valley with a flat bottom. The route crosses it perpendicularly and then vlimbs thewall on the opposite side through Passeo de Correos. Its around one hour to get to the pass, some good places to camp on the way. Finally at the pass I meet sun and can get rid of some of th e layers. Next the path descends to a parallel, just narrower but flatrer Llano. The whole thing is a pasture, split into several parts by fences. The path descends to the pastures, and follows it to the left. Its not overcrowded here, couple of horses here, couple of cows over there, and a lot of grass.
The path follows the valley for a really long time, somemtimes the slopes on the side constrict it a little and force me up, but then its the same thing on the other side. Its not only pasture though, there are some oak groves thrown in the mix as well. Then, after one such constriction and rise, the valley drops down guarded by crag on the right side, two solitary rocks on the left side and steeply descends to above Montejaque. Montejaque emerges from a gorge between two rocks, from a distance its white houses look like a leftover tongou of snow in the mountains. Cold snow. That would be amazing for both my head and my feet. Eventually I go for a coffee in there, refill the last bottle and start zigzagging to the last pass on my way. Once I cross it I will be descending into the Ronda valley.
Its truly a short rise and the valley opens with all its features. Backed by imposant gray and arid masses of high mountains, its white houses sit comfortably on the ochre coloured cliffs, overlooking the signiture green and brown fields of the farms in the valley bellow. To the right, the apparent homogeneity of the densly wooded mountainside is broken by flashes of orange, crags of the gorge through which the mountain can be passed through. As always the path drops right down to reach the fields, then travels traverses left and finally down to cross the railroad and rio Guadalevin, that just passed through Ronda on its way to Mediterranien Sea. Last chance to cool tired feet in calming water and then the path goes up, skirts the left side of the ridge and comes up to Ronda proper.
I am really desperate to have a shower but still linger on the mirador and watch how the setting sun makes the countrisied softer and softer by the angled light. What a delight.

Next day is a leasurely Saturday. I watch families and couples to go for the picnic in the olive groves below the cliffs of Ronda and realize part of Ronda’s magic.

There are no layers of boring residential areas, or ugly industrial hangars or farms between the old city and pristine countryside. Like somebody just cut out the best pieces and served them cleanly together.