Andalucía
Every popular image associated with Spain can be found in Andalucía. It’s the land of mighty bulls, strutting thoroughbred horses, flamenco dancers and machine-gun guitar. Of searing heat and white-washed villages; sherry, siesta and fiesta; the Alhambra palace and Mezquita cathedral.
It caters for millions of tourists, but away from the Costa resorts and cities, Spain’s second largest region has remote and mountainous areas which are not so accessible and off the tourist trail.
The Cazorla, Segura y las Villas natural park is one of them; an expanse of peaks, ravines and river valleys with very few roads, served in the main by tracks and footpaths. It’s the largest protected area in Spain.
Better known is the Sierra Nevada, home to the highest mountain in mainland Spain (Mulhacén, 3,482 metres). Footpaths in the national park offer routes to summits which also include Veleta (3,394m) and Alcazaba (3,371m).
Sections of coast have been spared the scarring inflicted by the construction industry. The Cabo de Gata in Almería is perhaps the most impressive of these ‘saved’ areas.
Strung along the shore, the coastal sierra is dissected by volcanic-sand coves and fishing villages; there’s a fantastic six-day hike, reported in this section.
Cabo de Gata – day 5 (part 1)
Unless you are on a small island or peninsula, there are not many places where you can watch the sun rise out of the sea and then, after a day's walking, observe the sun sinking into the sea. But day 5 of the Cabo de Gata hike allows you do exactly that;...
Cabo de Gata – day 5 (part 2)
From the vantage point high above Playa de Mónsul, pick your way down the slope to the beach. The route moves slightly to the right on the descent. You will probably want to have an explore of the beach and maybe a sit down in the shade provided by the...
Cabo de Gata – day 6
This is the final stage of the walk. It's as flat as a pancake and runs from the town of Cabo de Gata to Almería along the seashore. It's the least interesting leg of the hike; but still has some merits which could persuade you to walk to the city rather...