 Several of the upright stones are still vertical and one of the huge roof stones in position on this Dolmen. It can be found on a small plateau behind Cortijo del Chopo with impressive views of the Sierra de las Nieves and Sierra de Grazalema montain ranges. A cortijo is a traditional farm building designed around a courtyard, this one is on the eastern edge of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park and falls in the province of Malaga, looking out over the main road between Ronda and Jerez. The closet village is that of Montecorto.
Dolmens are built stone burial chambers or tombs. They are created by standing huge stones on their edges to create the basic form and then capping these with more massive slabs. A simple shape may be box-like but those we look at here are longer structures forming a burial corridor. Another name for these are Megaliths which refers to the huge stone slabs used, they are dated to the Neolithic period around 4000 to 3000 BC, to the early Bronze age (early bronze age = around 2300 to 2000 BC). Findings within the better preserved tombs include hand thrown pottery, stone tools including flint axes, beads and other ornaments. They are often positioned on high plateaux or places surrounded by tremendous scenery.
There are no signposts to give the position away of the Dolmen del Chopo and it is tucked well out of view, so a little detective work was needed to find this site. Those people who have an avid interest in such history will not be put off by the fact that it is situated on a private, locked driveway, bordered by a fence and over hung by power cables. (If however you would like to visit a Dolmen with fantastic views and space for a family picnic then Dolmen del Gigante / Charcón near El Gastor is better for you). 
To access the Dolmen del Chopo leave the Ronda to Jerez road at the Puerto de Montejaque, (kilometre 17.5) signposted towards Grazalema. As this road curves to the left you can see ahead a tight right bend that goes behind a small white farm house and animal sheds. As you draw closer to this right bend the track that you will be taking leads off to the left. (Only 1km from the main rd junction). Park by the entrance to this track and walk from here as there is a chain across a little further along. Walk passed the rear of the now derelict Cortijo del Chopo (chopo being a poplar tree) and continue as the track climbs steeply up to the right where it is roughly concreted. At the top of this bank turn left, this will take you past a plantation of eucalyptus trees along a steep bank. The open fields on your right are cultivated.
After a short distance you will see a grove of olive trees on your right which are bordered by a fence. Continue along the top of the bank until you get to the far edge of these olive trees where there is a private driveway, gated and locked.
 At the far side of the fence turn right into the cultivated field, following the fence line and the power cables. At five electric posts in, on your right is the dolmen – behind the olive grove fence.
There are fabulous vistas to be enjoyed from here taking in the surrounding mountains and foothills
These images were taken on the first of December with a smattering of snow to add to the panorama. Be aware that the access along the edge of the field may be muddy for the last stretch if it has rained recently.
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Giants live for a long time it is said. More than one hundred times the lives of a man but as the world has changed and the old souls have dwindled, all we have now are childrens bedtime stories and ruins in the dirt....But it wasn't always so....
Many thousands of years ago in the hills and mountains of what is now known as the Sierra de Grazalema a giant was born. His mother named him Treow after the huge oak trees that had been planted by his father in the mountains and as he grew, his father taught him how to tend the countryside. For giants were not the evil killing creatures that some fairytale stories would have you believe. No, the giants kept the mountains tall and proud. They planted the mighty oaks and graceful willows to hold the soil and they tended the valleys down to the sea protecting the land as guardians.
Growing up as most giants did he knew little of what lay outside his fathers domain. He learned and tended and protected the trees but When Treow was one thousand four hundred and fifty years old his thoughts turned to a land of his own and maybe even a wife. A place to tend, a lady giant to love and children of his own one day to leave the land in their care when he was gone.
Many years later, times were changing in the world. Giants were few and far between, Killed by the smaller greedy humanna for their supposed treasure and persecuted out of fear and ignorance....Now, torch lights in the night signified it was the end of the peaceful time in the valleys of the snowy mountains. The attack was well planned and at the end lay dead two gentle giants that had only ever made good deeds. The last words to Treow from his father as he fell to axe and arrow protecting the body of his wife were "Run Treow!, run!... and Treow ran as the trees fell before him. he ran in his despair and rage and fear. Why did this happen? Why? We only ever tended the land and gave the treasure freely to all... Why? he cried... What is this madness? At last Treow went to seek Willow who lived to the east. maybe she could help him find the answers to his desperate questions....Many days later, half blinded, starving and frightened he fell to the ground and slept...
In the high valleys between the towering peaks there lived a peaceful race of humanaa... Since time immemorial they had helped a lone giantess tend the slopes, planting trees and keeping the water flows clear...the valley was beautiful, teeming with life and love, protected and guarded as it was by such beings... They had heard of the plight of Treow and sent messengers to Willow and as they knew she would, she went to him and held him and brought him to her home fixing wounds and hurts....As giants do, they became friends and worked together with the help of the community around them.... More trees were planted and mountains were shaped. Rivers were moulded and the land became so full of diversity that even the giants themselves were left breathless at the wonder before them.....
After 10 generations of humanna had passed and the world had once again began to speed up it was time for Treow and Willow to leave this world and pass to a different place...No children to leave their land to, they placed it into the care of the humanna elders trusting them to protect and nourish the land... The community built two huge stone chambers with standing stones and lintels on two hills and the bodies of the giants were laid, Treow in one and Willow in the other... To face each other and hold the mountains together in binding love for eternity.......
And today? In our world...Thousands of years have passed and you can still see the ruined dolmens of the giants on Finca "El Chopo" and on the other side of the valley you can see the even more ruined dolmen of "The Giant".... There they were and here we are standing in this incredible scenery where their treasure is here for us all to see...
This tale is based on an old and seldom used bedtime story told to children in the the area around Grazalema....