Cabo de Gata National Park

It does exist in Spain, in Andalucia: 60 km of protected unspoilt rocky coastline - only 3 small fishing villages, no buildings almost no roads, beautiful beaches and lots of untouched space. Cabo de Gata is a paradise for hikers and divers and all those who like the slower pace. A phantastic antidote to the Costa del Sol or anything west of Almeria ...  

This report is about the 13 km coastal hike between the fishing villages of Aguamarga and Las Negras. The hiking trail follows the coastal line high above the cliffs only to dive down 3 times to skirt turquoise blue coves which generally are difficult to reach from inland. As with all coastal walks of this type, the views are amazing - at every turn the fusion of the sea, the cliffs and the green wild inland arid pastures changes and opens up a new picture. 

I left at 2.30pm and arrived at ca. 7pm to Las Negras while hiking at a leasure pace and taking ots of time for the surroundings to sink in ... ideal temperature of ca. 20 C a slight breeze adn open skies. The path is marked ad unmarked, but it cannot be missed - always try to follow the coast, keep your left...

From Aguamarga beach head up the S side of the village onto the "sendero" - you pass a sign describing the entire walk. The path then clims up the hill and follows slightly inland before heading down to the stunning Cala de Enmedio - a lost paradise - surrounded by jagged kalk cliffs and blue sea. The beach can only be reached on foot or by boat. The path then follows the dry barranco, passes some ruins inland before taking a left and getting into Cala del Plomo with its few palmtrees and houses skirting the beach. A place for a movie .... this beach only can be reached only by a 7km dirt track and only a few freaky campers stay here - I have the feeling these people will want to stay here forever... The path then negotiates the main ascent of the route ca. 250 Hm. freeing up views over the entire coast around Aguamarga. Now follows to most isolated part high up on the cliffs with stunning views for the next several kilometers. I take a detour off track and suddely find myself above a rocky outcrop: down below at sea level lies Cala de San Pedro, a mythical cove where only peaceful Hippie people live all year long among the ruins of an old watch tower. The beach can only be reached on foot via the coastal path either 1.5 h from cala del Plomo or 1h from Las Negras. I climb down a few rocks (T3+) meet the steep path that descends all the way down. Thisi sure is close to paradise with ruins of AD 1700, a watch tower with the peace and love people living there close to the only water source along the whole coast... I meet some of them, buy a few leather bracelets to support their lifestyle.. they say that even here police does not let them live their live...after a short chat from here onwards the path climbs up via stunning vegetation and follows along the steep coast - phantastic views again. The surrounding now change into lava stones and the colors change due to the approaching sunset. Another hour and I get to Las Negras with its white washed seafront, the fishing boats and of course a taverna for a great aperitivo at the seaside ...

What a stunning hike - while I write this I can still clearly remember the feeling of freedom and remoteness that coast conveys ...  What a perfect day... a bit later in the season I'd love to dive there and see what nature has to offer under water ... apparently its a real tresure ...