Campillos

Day 7-Travel to Andalusia, Spain (with stop at the Caminto del Rey hike)

Heading out early to Spain, our day’s mission was to complete the famous hike of Caminito del Rey (The Kings Path). After several twists and turns, a road closure and a bridge pretty sure meant for only half a car, we made it for our group tour.  It has been known in the past as the "world's most dangerous walkway" following several deaths on the previous path. Today, I’m not sure, but I think we would only be protected against falling pebbles by our green hard hats. Our “English-speaking guide” I think said the walkway was built in 1901 to provide workers at the hydroelectric power plants with a means to cross between the falls. The construction began in 1901 and was finished in 1905.  However, I googled these facts afterwards as I caught about every third word. King Alfonso VIII crossed the walkway in 1921 for the inauguration of the dam and it became known by its present name. After she pointed out an elephant shaped rock and a “mysterious glass bottle” on a ledge on the other side, we quietly backed around the next corner and lost our group and joined the rare “blue hats” who were fortunate to be touring sans guide.  

Much more enjoyable on our own, we spotted the original original path below which was constructed of concrete and rested on steel rails supported by trusses into the rock face.  Along the path, part or all of the concrete top had collapsed and only a few handrails existed.  We learned that although the path was closed in 2000, people continued to hike and fall from the path it until 2014 when funds were obtained to rebuild a path on top. The 5 mile trail has about 2 miles of walkway pinned to the side and the rest meandered through a valley that reminded me a little of Zion.  Completing the trail I suspect a good hour before the rest of the group, we dropped off our hats and headsets and caught the bus back to the top.  Margaret took a hard pass on the day and enjoyed a few hours painting and communing with the trees.  Another hour down and up the road and we were greeted by our rental cat Jack at our beautiful Spanish hacienda in the hills for the next three nights.Read more