Confluence of rivers

The River Guadalfeo in Bérchules is the product of the union of two other rivers.

RÍO GRANDE DE BÉRCHULES: The first is the RÍO GRANDE DE BÉRCHULES, which is located at an altitude of 2900 metres and rises in Ventisquero de las Cabras, at the foot of Tajo Colorado. There is a local legend which holds that the river runs into a natural seawater well, known colloquially as El pozo mantecas; one day, two bulls started to fight, fell into the well and were never seen again. Some of the local residents tried to measure the depth of the well by tying together a series of 20-metre ropes, but failed to reach the bottom. The legend also claims that some locals have heard loud booming noises coming from the well, which they described as like the sound of waves crashing onto rocks.

The second river is the RÍO CHICO, which is located at an altitude of 2750 metres and rises on the southern slopes of the mountain pass. For this reason, the Bérchules area is known as the confluence of rivers. The River Guadalfeo runs east-west from the mountains of Sierra de Los Bérchules (Loma de las Albardas), reaching the sea at Salobreña. It is fed by streams of meltwater from the Sierra Nevada, which enter the river via its right-hand bank. The largest of these tributaries are the Trevélez, Poqueira, Bermejo and Lanjarón: over the years, these rivers have carved deep ravines whose slopes are home to some of the best-known villages in the high Alpujarra region. During the rainy season, a small amount of water from seasonal streams also enters the river via its left-hand bank. In dry periods, these watercourses are often used as roadways, and in some cases are even cultivated.