Malaga village calls for help to reopen main source of income: the Enchanted Forest
The Parauta village is applying for public aid to repair the access road to the chestnut forest, which could cost more than 200,000 euros
The village of Parauta in Malaga province's Serranía de Ronda district is applying for public aid to recover access to its main source of income: the Enchanted Forest.
The storms in February significantly damaged the entrance road to the point that the site is not accessible. The town hall expects that the repair work will cost more than 200,000 euros.
Few trails have had as rapid an impact on tourism in the Serranía de Ronda as the Enchanted Forest of Parauta. In just a few yers, this short route for families with children turned the small municipality in the Alto Genal Valley into one of the most visited destinations in autumn and spring, with hundreds of visitors every weekend.
Its closure is a serious blow to local economy. The town hall has already started to apply for aid, but there is uncertainty as to how long it will take until approval. "If the Enchanted Forest is closed, nobody here can make a living," Mayor Katia González says.
The closure of this trail highlights the fragility of this type of initiative in small municipalities, where rural tourism is much more than a complementary activity: it is a source of income.
The Enchanted Forest is a light trail of just 1.5 kilometres that runs through chestnut groves. Along the way, visitors can see goblins, magical doors carved in trees or other small fantasy creatures, all the result of the work of sculptor Diego Guerrero.
After a few months in which the chestnut trees had no leaves, they are now beginning to bloom, which makes spring the perfect time to visit the forest. For this reason, the mayor hopes that they can reopen as soon as possible, "for the good of the village".
The forest transforms in autumn and welcomes visitors who prefer more colourful seasons. The trail is the start of a wider route that continues to Cartajima, with Los Riscos and the Genal Valley along the way.
Despite the indefinite closure of the Enchanted Forest, the Alto Genal Valley offers other activities, such as the Senda Pedrida (Lost Path) - another easy route of about two kilometres (one way) that also includes wooden sculptures by Diego Guerrero: eagles, mountain goats, foxes or deer.
