With renovations and a new visitor centre to be completed this … · 2019-04-07 · While the...

With renovations and a new visitor centre to be completed

this year, we traverse Malaga’s Caminito del Rey and ask...

Words Jade Bremner Photographs Juan Trujillo Andrades

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BI_048-058_Kings WalkwayV2.PDV.indd 48 21/03/2019 10:21

Is this still the world's

scariest pathway?

Caminito del Rey


fasten my hard hat and step onto the narrow pathway pinned to the side of a soaring limestone cliff. The boards are held in place by precarious-looking steel rods. “The main rule is don’t fall off,” my guide Cristóbal Leal

smiles. It’s not the most encouraging start, knowing what I know – that this walk has claimed the lives of at least fi ve people.

Its notoriety has fuelled a surge in visitor numbers, and after a recent multi-million-euro refurbishment to make it much safer, it’s become one of the most popular attractions in the province of Malaga. Construction originally started on this dramatic pathway in 1901, and it was later opened to give workers quick access to hydroelectric power plants at either ends of the canyon on Chorro and Gaitanejo Falls.

Known as El Caminito del Rey (the King’s Little Pathway), the pinch-yourself route is something to behold – it hugs the cliff face while snaking through the ancient, deep Gaitanes Gorge, near El Chorro and Ardales. Peculiar angled and jagged rocks scatter the dramatic scene, which was formed by the shifting of tectonic plates, centuries of erosion, and intense weather patterns. Gaping cave-crevices dot the cliff’s base, created by boulders battering against the wall by the gushing Guadalhorce River. The route got its moniker in 1921, when Spanish monarch King Alfonso XIII attended the opening ceremony of the dam Conde del Guadalhorce – a remarkable feat of engineering at the time, and a landmark facility that would provide electricity to the area.

For years, workers crossed the perilous three-kilometre route with no safety rails or harnesses. No wider than a metre the whole way around, the fi rst pathway was made of solid concrete and steel railway track beams – its platforms were suspended 100-300m above ground level. Sadly, the original dizzying pathway fell into

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Through the canyonThe new pathway (left). King Alfonso XIII opens the Conde del Guadalhorce dam (below). The old canyon crossing (below centre). Guide Cristóbal Leal (bottom)

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Caminito del Rey


“The climbers of Europe

need to go to El Chorro

once in their lives”

Caminito del Rey


Large cavities scatter the former walkway, acting as stomach-churning windows into the void below.

“I’ve climbed the original pathway three times,” explains Padilla, still gazing aghast at the old structure. “The fi rst time I walked the pathway, my leg was shaking like I was on a motorcycle. I was so nervous, and I couldn’t control it,” he remembers. “My friend hooked me by the arm and said: ‘Hey! Do it or don’t do it.’ I had to get rid of my fear or it would be more diffi cult.”

Padilla conquered the route at a time when anyone caught on the walkway would be prosecuted and slapped with a €6,000 fi ne, a penalty the local authority hoped would deter daredevils. Offi cials also demolished the fi rst and last fi ve metres of the pathway, making it more challenging to access the walk. “It felt very risky, very risky indeed,” says Padilla. “We walked it because we knew there would be a restoration. It was a case of – go now or never. We joked that Coca-Cola might sponsor the new walk and put a vending machine every fi ve minutes. However, the renovations are amazing, it’s almost the same walk it used to be. It’s the same experience, but safe.”

disrepair in the 1970s. It began to crumble, the metal supports became rusty, and later adventure junkies came to conquer the hike, while expert climbers would use the platform as a springboard onto even more challenging vertical routes.

“Muslims of the world need to go to Mecca once in their lives, while the climbers of Europe need to go to El Chorro once in their lives,” says local guide José Padilla, owner of Sha Adventure, as we stare with mouths agape at the original dilapidated pathway beneath us. Opposite is one of the most challenging climbs – the Tajo de las Tres Cruces (the Three Roofs Cliff) with three large overhanging sections – which is the setting for many climbing competitions.

The new pathway we’re on sits just above the original pathway. Luckily for us it has fi rm handrail, no gaping holes and is no less spectacular a view. The total route spans 7.7km, fi nishing with a 300m tunnel carved into the rock, a wobbly suspension bridge with views of the abyss below, and a vertigo-inducing glass viewing platform. Along the journey, walkers can spy parts of the original pathway clasped by pieces of bent metal protruding from the edges.

High timesThe refurbished pathway above the original walkway (left). Rosemary on the route (top middle). The Malaga-to-Seville train (above). An ancient fossil (below)

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While the Caminito del Rey is fully accessible to those of all levels of fi tness, walkers should be vigilant on the cliff path. There are weight limits along the way, with signs stating only four or 10 people are allowed in certain sections. Plus, there’s a limit of 1,100 daily visitors, and groups are given staggered entries so the hovering pathway is not overloaded.

On the hike, signs of the incredible lie all around us; in the million-year-old rock faces are vibrant layers and prehistoric fossils including clear ammonite and sea cephalopod imprints dating back 400 million years. Historic viaducts channel water in different directions around the mountains, while antique lock wheels and metal brackets, which once held century-old electricity cables, can be spotted en route. On the other side of the vast canyon is a railway line – with one of the most scenic rail routes in Spain. A high-speed train rumbles past travelling from Malaga to Seville through a carved-out tunnel in the mountain. It will stop at the nearby El Chorro Railway Station, which has become a meeting point for walkers and climbers, who unwind at its rather good bar.

Stone pines, eucalyptuses and holm oaks grow in the forested sections of the route. Leal gestures to a hundred-year-old juniper growing out of the rock face. Lucky hikers may also spot mountain goats balancing on the ridges. Pigeons nest in the canyon’s crevices and vultures circle overhead waiting for an opportunity to steal their eggs. Reptiles, including lizards and viper snakes, call this canyon home, and although we don’t see any on our walk, the scene is a peek into a prehistoric time.

An enormous, eagerly anticipated new visitor centre (due to be opened in 2019) will offer displays on the history of the

Don’t look downSailors built the walkway more than 100 years ago with no safety equipment (right and far right). The new path pays homage to their incredible feat (below right)

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“The renovations

are amazing, it’s almost the same walk it used to be”


Caminito del Rey


area, but for now Leal pulls an old black and white photo from his bag. The men in the picture constructed the original pathway. “They were amazing,” says Padilla. “They were sailors in the Armada. They were used to heights, high winds, hanging from boats, being exposed to the elements in the middle of the sea and all while moving. They had the skill.”

Leal agrees. “They didn’t consider if they were going to kill themselves,” he says. “Sometimes they would have no safety ropes at all, other times they would have simple cords wrapped around their waists.”

A huge puff of wind nearly swipes the photo out of Leal’s hand. The gust whistles through the canyon, with an eerie sound. Area manager Marcelino Mendez-Trelles Juarez hastily walks up to us and explains that they’ve had to shut a section of the pathway due to high winds. This is why the hard hats are so important, it’s common for rocks and boulders to slide off the

mountain in adverse weather conditions. “The pathway is safer than it has ever been, but we are still at the mercy of nature,” he says. Only a few months ago a severe storm caused a landslide that wiped out a section of the pathway. It took two weeks to repair the track before visitors were allowed on the walkway once again.

We are directed to a tunnel – a dark and atmospheric diversion from the section of pathway that suffers from intense gusty conditions. The winds are whipping around us as we join the fi nal section of mountain pathway and enter a rickety suspension bridge with a jaw-droppingly beautiful view. The bridge for the original walkway sits in front.

“It cost only €180 to build the original bridge here,” explains Leal, “the architect also worked on the Eiffel Tower.” Local guide Toni Cifuentes ushers a small apprehensive group of walkers across the quivering structure and peers down the valley. “These big hunks of rock are just amazing,” he says. “Just look at those limestone layers. I just love this place. It’s very special, there’s no other place in the world like it. ” caminitodelrey.info/en

Open for businessDaredevils on the fabled pathway (right). The new visitor centre shaped like the canyon will open in 2019 (bottom left). Guide Toni Cifuentes (below)



Where to stay

Apartamentos Ardalesis a great base to explore the natural beauty of the area. Its simple, modern apartments sleep two to eight people. The decent breakfast will set hikers up for the day.apartamentosardales.com

Where to eat

Hilltop Restaurante el Mirador specialises in barbecued meat and fish, including large swordfish and pork steaks. Eat in a charming Spanish farmhouse setting or grab a terrace table for lake views.

Don't miss...

Riding the train from Malaga through the mountains. Trains arrive at the quaint El Chorro station after passing through tunnels carved into the cliff s past the dramatic canyon and the Caminito del Rey.

Remember

to pack...

Comfortable clothesand walking shoes or trainers, plus sunscreen and an extra layer – it may be sunny outside but the winds can pick up inside the canyon.

Travel notes

Caminito del Rey




→ J’attache mon casque et m’engage sur l’étroit passage qui longe une falaise de calcaire à pic. Les planches sont maintenues par des tiges d’acier d’apparence précaire. « Une seule règle : ne pas tomber, indique mon guide Cristóbal en souriant. » Pas très rassurant, d’autant que je sais qu’une demi-douzaine de personnes ont trouvé la mort ici.

Cette notoriété a fait monter le nombre de visiteurs en flèche. Une fois rénové à coups de millions d’euros, le site est devenu l’une des attractions les plus prisées de la région. a construction de ce sentier vertigineux a

débuté en 1901, pour ménager aux ouvriers l’accès aux centrales hydroélectriques à chaque extrémité des gorges, aux chutes Chorro et Gaitanejo.

L’itinéraire est hallucinant : il serpente et s’accroche le long de la falaise, à travers la profonde gorge de Gaitanes, près d’El Chorro et d’Ardales dans la province de Málaga. Des rochers aux formes étranges et dentelées parsèment ce décor spectaculaire, résultat du déplacement des plaques tectoniques, de siècles d’érosion et d’événements météorologiques extrêmes. Le sentier a reçu son surnom de Caminito del Rey (« petit chemin du roi ») en 1921, lorsque le roi espagnol Alphonse XIII assista à l’inauguration du barrage de Conde dal Guadalhorce, prouesse d’ingénierie pour l’époque et infrastructure phare fournissant de l’électricité à toute la région.

Durant des années, les ouvriers parcoururent ces trois kilomètres sans garde-fou ni harnais. D’un mètre de large au maximum sur toute sa longueur, le premier passage était construit en béton massif et traverses de

chemin de fer en acier. Ses plateformes étaient suspendues à 100 à 300 mètres dans les airs. Malheureusement, le vertigineux chemin d’origine commence à s’écrouler dans les années 70, les renforts en métal rouillent. Des accros à l’adrénaline ont alors vent de l’existence du site et viennent y tester leurs limites. Les grimpeurs experts, quant à eux, utilisent la plateforme comme étape vers des itinéraires verticaux encore plus impraticables.

« C’était risqué, vraiment très risqué, explique le guide local José Padilla, propriétaire de l’agence d’excursions d’aventure Sha qui a fait le parcours d’origine. On y allait car on savait qu’il serait rénové. C’était maintenant ou jamais. Mais les rénovations sont superbes. C’est presque la même randonnée et la même expérience mais en toute sécurité. » Le Caminito del Rey fait partie des incontournables des aventuriers, estime Padilla. « Tout comme les musulmans du monde doivent se rendre à La Mecque une fois dans leur existence, les grimpeurs européens doivent aller en pèlerinage à El Chorro. »caminitodelrey.info

→ Ik maak mijn helm vast en stap op het nauwe wandelpad dat aan de wand van een reusachtige kalksteenrots hangt. De planken worden op hun plaats gehouden door stalen staven die er niet zo stevig uitzien. “De hoofdregel is: val er niet af”, lacht mijn gids Cristóbal Leal. Niet de meest bemoedigende start, zeker omdat ik weet dat deze wandeling al het leven heeft geëist van een half dozijn mensen.

Ondertussen is het pad zo berucht, dat er steeds meer mensen op afkomen. Na een recente renovatie van meerdere miljoenen euro’s om het veiliger te maken, is het een van

de populairste attracties in het gebied geworden. In 1901 startte de oorspronkelijke aanleg van de indrukwekkende loopbrug, die diende om arbeiders snel toegang te geven tot de waterkrachtcentrales aan beide uiteinden van de kloof van de Chorro- en Gaitanejo-watervallen.

De ongelooflijk mooie route is onvergetelijk. Hij loopt vlak langs de rotswand en kronkelt door de oude diepe Gaitanes-kloof, in de buurt van El Chorro en Ardales in de provincie Málaga. Hoekige en grillige rotsen liggen verspreid over het indrukwekkende gebied, dat gevormd werd door de verschuiving van tektonische platen, eeuwen erosie en intense weerpatronen. De route kreeg de naam Caminito Del Rey (het Koningspad) in 1921, toen de Spaanse koning Alfonso XIII de openingsceremonie bijwoonde van de Conde del Guadalhorce-dam. Deze dam was sterk staaltje techniek in zijn tijd, en een belangrijke elektriciteitsvoorziening.

Jarenlang volgden werknemers de gevaarlijke route van drie kilometer zonder relingen of veiligheidstuig. Het oorspronkelijke pad was nergens breder dan een meter en was

gemaakt van massief beton en stalen treinsporen. De platforms hingen 100 tot 300 meter boven de grond. Helaas raakte het originele duizelingwekkende pad in verval in de jaren zeventig. Het begon af te brokkelen en de metalen steunen werden roestig. Avonturiers hoorden van de gevaarlijke plek en kwamen er snel op af. Ondertussen gebruikten deskundige klimmers het platform als springplank naar nog moeilijker verticale routes.

“Het voelde heel gevaarlijk aan”, zegt de lokale gids José Padilla, eigenaar van het avonturenbedrijf Sha, dat de oorspronkelijke route bewandelt. “We volgden het pad omdat we wisten dat er een restauratie zou plaatsvinden. Voor ons wat het nu of nooit. De renovaties zijn echter bijzonder geslaagd. Het is bijna dezelfde wandeling, dezelfde ervaring, maar dan veilig.” Caminito Del Rey heeft zijn plaats veroverd op de kaart voor avonturiers, meent Padilla. “Zoals moslims van over de wereld één keer in hun leven Mekka moeten bezoeken, moeten Europese klimmers één keer in hun leven op bedevaart naar El Chorro gaan.” caminitodelrey.info

Au bord du précipice

Jade Bremner parcourt l’époustoufl ant Caminito del Rey en Andalousie, autrefois considéré comme le plus dangereux sentier du monde, dont la rénovation et un nouveau centre touristique devraient être achevés cette année

De leegte onder je voeten

In afwachting van het einde van de renovaties en het nieuwe bezoekerscentrum later dit jaar volgt Jade Bremner de spectaculaire Caminito Del Rey in Andalusië, ook wel ‘het gevaarlijkste wandelpad ter wereld’ genoemd

Caminito del Rey


With renovations and a new visitor centre to be completed this … · 2019-04-07 · While the...

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