Nature Walk on The Strait of Gibraltar ?

The Limestone crags of the Sierra de la Plata come right down to the coast near Atlanterra.

These were once the bed of the ocean and are still rising as the two continents of Europe and Africa continue to push into each other.

The Natural History and beauty of the area is quite stunning, providing nature lovers with the perfect backdrop for a lovely walk from Cabo de Plata along to Bolonia. The walk is roughly 4.5 kms long and will take about two hours at an easy pace.

Eroded by wind, many of the higher rocky outcrops are quite inaccessible and can be difficult places to explore which can be seen as their salvation as it effectively precludes large-scale disturbance through coastal development. The whole coastline on the Strait of Gibraltar is now protected under the umbrella of the local government and is now the Parque Natural del Estecho , and access is free. Other areas along the Strait remain under the control of the Ministry of Defence and are marked Zona Militar and should be respected .

A Griffon Vulture over the Sierra de la Plata

To get to the start of the walk take the road from Zahara de los Atunes to Atlanterra and follow the road right through to the eastern end, following the signs for the lighthouse called the Faro de Camarinal where the coastal road ends. The tower or Torre dates back to the 16thC. and was converted into a modern lighthouse in 1989.

Leaving your car in the car park, go around the green metal gate and take the tarred track to the lighthouse. From here you will ll get a good impression of the area with Africa and on a clear day you can see the bustling city of Tanger across the Strait in Morocco. Griffon Vultures have nests all around the area and you should have good chances of spotting a few. The track has quite an array of typical Mediterranean plants including Juniper, several Pines and a few species of pink and white Cistus flowering from May until October.

Bolonia and the Roman ruins of Baleo Claudia

Continuing on from the Lighthouse the stony track climbs slightly to a goat farm, then meets a tarmac military road. Watch out for several different species of Lizard here including the beautiful large Ocellated Lizard. Chameleon's can also be seen here. Once reaching the tarmac road here go right, downhill towards Bolonia and the Roman ruins.

During the autumn bird migration you will have the opportunity to see Honey Buzzards, Short-toed and Booted Eagles making their way south to over-winter in Africa. Huge numbers of White Storks and rarer Black Storks cross here too as well as lots of other different smaller birds including Swifts, Swallows and Martins.

During your walk you will spot one or two sandy coves where access can only be gained on foot. The surrounding Umbrella Pine forest were planted to anchor the huge dunes that build up from the easterly Levante .

Returning to the start of the walk is by the reverse route.