Beires: Sierra Nevada, Castle Ruins and La Pileta

Nature and Trails

The section of the Sendero Sulayr accessible from Beires offers views from the peaks of the Sierra Nevada to the sea horizon and passes through areas with pine and holm oak groves. The Sendero Sulayr is a 300-kilometre-long, major circular hiking trail that encircles the entire Sierra Nevada massif.

From Beires, the AL-4402 road leads towards Ohanes; after 3.3 kilometres, an ascending dirt track branches off towards the Sierra and joins the Sendero Sulayr after a further 13.4 kilometres at the Collado de los Huertecillos.

Shrubs, fruit trees, poplars and laurels grow mainly along the Barranco del Nacimiento. Before arriving in Beires, a track branches off to the right towards the Fuente de Nacimiento recreation area. Fuente de Nacimiento is considered a place to cool off or rest.

The Barranco del Nacimiento separates the eastern district of Zambrón from the western district of Beires. From the church square at the western edge of the town, the panoramic view extends from the Sierra de Gádor to Cabo de Gata.

History and Culture

The church of Beires was built between 1676 and 1679 under the direction of Pedro de Cerezuela, replacing the previous church building. The stone bridge in the Barranco del Nacimiento was built between 1682 and 1715.

La Pileta was initially used to collect water for some of the town's irrigators and later developed into a recreational area for Beires. The pool at La Pileta is fed by water emerging from a small mine adit.

The castle of Beires stands on a south-facing, plateau-like hill and offers extensive views over the nearby towns or alquerías of Beires, Almócita and Padules.

The castle of Beires secured the historic route linking the Middle Alpujarra with the Alto Andarax and the Valle del Nacimiento. This natural route between Almería and Granada passed through Laujar, Beires, Ohanes, Tices, the Puerto de Santillana and Abla and was the only passable route during harsh winters.

Only remnants remain of the castle of Beires, which has almost completely disappeared today. It is protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the Monument category and received special recognition from the Junta de Andalucía in 1993.

The festivals of Beires are held in honour of the municipality's patron saint, San Roque, on the weekend closest to 16 August. The XII Velada Minera in Beires commemorates the town's intensive mining past and conveys the associated historical and cultural heritage.

Other places in the same broader area include Oria, Fuente Victoria, Vera, Las Norias, Pechina, San Isidro de Níjar, Bayárcal and Huércal de Almería.

For the broader travel overview: Almeria.