Gibraltar ridgeline seen from the Mediterranean Steps (Walk 10)
GPS tracks
The GPX trail files for all of the walks featured in this guide are available as free downloads from Cicerone (www.cicerone.co.uk/803/gpx) and via the author’s website (www.guyhunterwatts.com). On both websites simply request the GPX files for the book via the Contact page.
By using a programme such as Garmin’s BaseCamp you can download the files to your desktop, import them into the programme and then transfer them to your handheld device. You can download Basecamp for Mac and PC at www.garmin.com/garmin/cms/us/onthetrail/basecamp.
GPX files are provided in good faith, but neither the author nor Cicerone can accept responsibility for their accuracy. Your first point of reference should always be the walking notes themselves.
The path leading up to the Pico de Mijas (Costa del Sol, Walk 22)
1 COSTA DE LA LUZ
The lighthouse at Cape Trafalgar (Walk 5)
PARQUE NATURAL DE LA BREÑA Y LAS MARISMAS
Track in the Barbate marshes, with Vejer in the background (Walk 2)
The Parque Natural de la Breña y las Marismas covers an area of 5077 hectares of which one fifth fall within the marine park which stretches a kilometre out into the Atlantic. This is the smallest of Andalucía’s Natural Parks yet the ecosystems found within its limits are surprisingly varied and walks described here aim to introduce you to its three principal habitats.
Most notable is the swathe of stone pines or pinos pinoñeros (Pinus pinea) of La Breña. The trees were planted in the 19th century as a means of halting the advance of the coastal dune system which until then had little protection against the force of the levante winds. An added bonus came in the annual harvest of nuts from the pine cones of the trees. The network of footpaths which cut through the forest are enjoyable even in summer thanks to the trees’ dense, umbrella-like canopies.
The ecosystem of the cliffs between Barbate and Los Caños de Meca is very different in feel. Here the flora and fauna are born of the interplay of ocean spray and the sweet water springs which rise at the base of its sand and limestone cliffs: these are the caños after which Los Caños de Meca was named. The cliffs rise to 100m and the path which runs along their edge is a highlight of any visit to the area.
The path cuts past the Torre del Tajo, one of a string of watchtowers built in the 16th century as a deterrent to Turkish and North African corsairs who frequently raided the coastal settlements. Next to the tower are two of the finest miradors (viewing points) of the Andalusian seaboard: on clear days you’ll see the coast of Morocco and the towering silhouette of Jebel Musa just across the Strait. The cliffs are home to large colonies of gulls and are a favoured nesting site of cattle egrets. And this is one of the few places on the Atlantic Coast where you have a decent chance of spotting peregrine falcons.
The third natural jewel of the park are the wetlands of the Marismas del Río Barbate. The marshes are on the main migratory route to Africa and are also home to a large population of resident wading birds: the dykes that criss-cross the marismas (marshes) are perfect ornithological viewing platforms. Stretches of the marshes were drained in the last century to create grazing for livestock but much of this land has been returned to its natural state.
The area is blessed with one of Andalucía’s most exquisite towns, Vejer de la Frontera, which fans out along a ridge 7km back from the coast. The old town is an architectural arabesque, with buzzing bars and restaurants, and is home to a fast-growing ex-pat community. Barbate is very different in feel, a modern town with dingy suburbs and one of the highest unemployment rates in Spain. The town has one of the largest fishing fleets in Spain and is best known for the annual almadraba when shoals of tuna are making their way from the Atlantic to the warmer waters of the Mediterranean: the fish are netted in much the same way as they were in Roman times. Los Caños de Meca is home to a multi-ethnic crowd of New Agers and is quiet in all but the summer months. It has a couple of excellent fish restaurants.
A further treat comes in the form of some of the finest beaches along the Costa de la Luz. To either side of the Trafalgar lighthouse, near the spot where the naval battle took place in 1805, are long stretches of fine sand where even in summer you can escape the crowds.
Where to stay
Vejer de la Frontera and Los Caños de Meca – both are close to the start points of all walks in this section – have a huge range of accommodation for all budgets. The characterful Casa de Califa in Vejer is one of Andalucía’s most charming small hotels with an excellent courtyard restaurant. See Appendix C for hotel listings.
Maps
All five walks in the area are covered by IGN 1:50,000 quadrant Barbate 1073 (12-47).
Taxis
Vejer de la Frontera 956 450 185
Conil de la Frontera 956 440 975 or 629 991 682
Los Caños de Meca (nearest taxis in Barbate) 956 43 10 84
WALK 1
Santa Lucía circuit
| Start/finish | Venta El Toro in Santa Lucía |
| Distance | 11km |
| Ascent/descent | 275m |
| Grade | Medium |
| Time | 3hr 10min |
| Refreshments | None en route |
| Access | From the Cepsa petrol station just northeast of Vejer head along the N-340 towards Cádiz. Continue past the turning for Medina Sidonia then after 350m turn right at a small sign Santa Lucía. Follow a narrow road for 900m to Venta El Toro, to the right of the road, where the walk begins. |
This figure-of-eight route combines two waymarked walks close to Vejer, the Route of the Watermills and the Route of the Bee-eaters. The circuit begins in the sleepy hamlet of Santa Lucía where, since Roman times, the waters of the Peñas stream have been channelled past a series of mill houses. The first section of the walk is deeply bucolic as you climb past a 16th-century aqueduct.
After a short section of tarmac road, farm tracks lead you down from La Muela then up round the southern flank of the Abejaruco peak. From here you follow ancient bridleways back to your point of departure with views south to Vejer and its rice paddies and east towards the Grazalema mountains. By setting out early you’ll get back to Santa Lucía in time for lunch
