Five great walks in the Region of Murcia!

From the Costa Cálida in the south to the mountains of Jumilla, fabulous landscapes and fascinating sights!

Throughout the Region of Murcia and the Costa Cálida there are countless attractive walking routes, popular with those exploring the huge variety of landscapes from the coast and coastal plains to the mountains and moonscapes further inland. Some of these are gentle strolls while others require more physical exertion, but all of them offer chances to admire different aspects of the beauty of the Region, and below are just a few of the options (suggested by the Murcia tourist board) that you might want to consider!

So, don your walking gear, slap on a dollop of sun cream and head out into the great outdoors!

The Sendero Azul of 10,000 Steps between La Manga and Cabo de Palos

The name “Sendero Azul” is given to walks which include beaches flying the prestigious “Bandera Azul” (Blue Flag), which is awarded to quality beaches, and their aims include the promotion of environmental values and our natural heritage. In this case the route includes the beautiful coves of Cabo de Palos as well as its harbour and the lighthouse, not to mention a wide range of natural features.

Ruta del Carche, Jumilla

The regional park of the Sierra del Carche, in the northern inland municipality of Jumilla, contains a range of walking routes along which you can appreciate why this is such an important protected area. All routes are well marked and equipped with rest and recreation areas, and while exploring nature walkers can also see various sites representing the local cultural heritage: these include the famous 17^th-century snow wells and the salt flats of La Rosa, the largest mineral salt production area in the whole of the Region of Murcia.

The Vía Augusta and the dry river bed of Lorca – the Cejo de los Enamorados route

The Vía Augusta was one of the most important communications routes used by the Romans in the whole of the Mediterranean area, and these days it has become one of the most popular walking routes in the Region of Murcia. The Roman milestones found in Lorca (known as Eliocroca in the Roman Empire) confirm that the Via Augusta passed through the area.

This section of the route actually crosses the bed of the River Guadalentín, starting at the Visitors’ Centre before ending at the Puentes reservoir. Along the way walkers can appreciate the scale of the water course, now dry except in times of very heavy rain, with its sandy floor and the typical vegetation of the banks of the Guadalentín, as well as the fertile crop-growing land beside it.

A chance for you to follow in the footsteps of the Romans!

Sendero de Bolvonegro

The 6-kilometre path of Bolvonegro runs through an area which has been named a Special Area of Conservation within the Natura 2000 network due to its great natural, geological and archaeological importance.

The route includes the Alhárabe and Benamor rivers, both tributaries of the River Moratalla, and lies within one of Murcia’s most extraordinarily beautiful landscapes, the Bolvonegro gorge. The name of this feature is derived from that of an even older gorge, the Gorgonegro (“black throat”), which was first written about in 1575 by the Knights Templar!

The Astronomical Walk of Puerto Lumbreras

A very special walk for lovers of fresh air and the stars!

In the mountains outside Puerto Lumbreras, in the south-west of Murcia, there is an astronomical observatory, and alongside it a winding route has been created which, on the one hand, illustrates the vast dimensions of the solar system. At the same time, though, it offers visitors a chance to ponder the dimension of time, its meaning and how it is measured.

On each of the three hills along the route there are sundial and moon clocks, inviting visitors to contemplate the immensity of space, and this fusion of two models – the solar system and our measurement of time – is the only one of its kind in Spain. Some even report that no other such display exists in the whole world!

At the same time, visitors can enjoy an extremely attractive landscape, these days almost unspoilt by the presence of humans beings: the whole rural district of Cabezo de la Jara is reported to have a population of precisely 17!

With such a wide range of options there’s no excuse for failing to get out and explore the Region of Murcia!