The hilly country begins immediately on leaving Piños de la puente, and a fine view is obtained from the heights above the village: Granada, and the line of mountains beyond, are seen to great advantage, and to the right lies the rich _vega_, stretching westward as far as Loja. The _Soto de Roma_[154] occupies the very heart of the fruitful plain; appearing from hence to be thickly wooded. Such, however, is not the case, although some well grown timber is upon one part of it.
Proceeding onwards, over a very hilly country, and crossing the little river Moclin, in an hour and a half we reached the _Venta del puerto Lope_, (pass of Lopez) distant six miles from _Piños de la puente_. About three miles beyond the _Venta_, a view of the most romantic kind presents itself. The _Sierra Nevada_, and part of the plain of Granada, are seen through a tremendous rent that intersects the lofty mountains which now encircle the traveller; the entrance of the rugged defile being defended by two towers, standing on bold, and almost inaccessible, rocks.
Some miles up this impracticable _tajo_, is situated the crag-based fortress of Moclin, which, from the command it possessed of the principal pass through this mountain range, was called by the Moors, "the Shield of Granada." The celebrated _Conde de Cabra_ experienced a signal defeat in attempting to surprise this fortress; which, a few years after, (A.D. 1487) fell into the hands of Ferdinand the Catholic, by the accidental explosion of its powder-magazine.
About a league from the _Puerto de Lope_, the town of Illora, erroneously placed _on_ the road in most maps, is seen two miles off, on the left. It stands on a rocky eminence, crowned by an old castle, and overlooking a fertile plain. The ancient name of the place is lost; but it was one of the strongholds of the Moors, and fell to the Christian arms only a few weeks prior to the capture of Moclin, when the renowned _Gonzalvo_ was appointed its _Alcaide_.
The country henceforth becomes more open and cultivated, but the soil looks cold and ungrateful after that of the plain of Granada. The hills bordering the road are studded with towers at the distance of about a league asunder, which, in the days of the Moslems, must have formed a very perfect line of telegraphic communication between the capital and the northern frontier towns of the kingdom of Granada.