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Irrigation channels

Diputación de Málaga
Montecorto. Acequias1

Irrigation channels

Other Cultural Heritage Sites > Ethnography > Irrigation Channels and Ditches

Water and its channels are also hotspots for tourists who come to Montecorto. This municipality has its own irrigation channels system, and its waters and plant life are one of the most interesting places to visit there.

Benito Irrigation Channel goes through the village from its top to the bottom. This water has been used for watering fertile and rich gardens and orchards of this area for ages.

We shall start the route round the municipality at the place called Doce Pilares (the Twelve Pools). It is placed at the top of the village and surrounded by green pine trees. The sound of water that drops from one to another pool can be heard, and there are first houses to be found in Lavadero Viejo (the Old Sink). This used to be a place for doing the laundry. Today it is reformed, and only the source of water rushing down the street can be seen. If you follow a rather steep slope, you will not be able to see the water flow any more, but you will feel the smell coming from the gardens and orchards of Montecorto. Some hundred metres away, you will come across the water channel again. This area is famous for its traditional Andalusian market.

There is an area called Lavadero Nuevo (the New Sink) and it still preserves the place where women used to do the washing, and which Carrero orchard takes water from. At that point, two sources with a big water load go down the channel. Further on, there is an area where an old wheat mill used to be. It was supplied by this water that set it in motion so the first electricity power in Montecorto would be produced. This was possible thanks to the steep terrain.

At this spot, water starts moving faster down the channels between houses and fragrant gardens, creating small waterfalls formed by tufa. This beautiful and relaxing route takes us to the area called the Cañillo.

Very soon you shall arrive at a flat zone named Llano, where you can find the already mentioned old mill, called the Factory, which is transformed into a house. From that point and along some 200 metres, the channel goes down the Cine (Cinema) street, which is protected with iron bars so vehicles can go along it. At the end of this one way street, the channel goes into a strong water flow that takes it to the Mill and Perico orchards. It also goes through Andrés and Abajo (Down) Orchard and finishes at the Montecorto Stream.

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