Irishman’s guide to five hot walks in south of Spain

Hillwalking in Ireland is a joy but there is something particularly special about the south of Spain with its year-round clear skies and its easy access from Irish airports, writes Dan McCarthy

The cliffs are high and the light that reaches down to the chasm floor is of the dappled variety. At one point by extending your arms you can touch both sides of the gorge through which, the anything but chilly Rio Chillar flows.

It is a mesmerising walk up river from the town of Nerja on the Costa del Sol to the town of Frigilliana - name-checked in Christy Moore’s song as possibly the only place in the world to rhyme with Lisdoonvarna.