Caminito del Rey
In disrepair but still popular.
This walk along the gorge at El Chorro is probably most famous for having featured in the closing scenes of Von Ryan’s Express starring Frank Sinatra. It is certainly not for those with any sort of a fear of heights. The railway bridge in the picture (above) is the one that the video starts on but the access has since been destroyed for reasons of public safety.
El Camino del Rey was built in the early 20th century as a way to move material, for communication and monitoring and maintenance of the pipeline for the hydroelectric power station at El Chorro. El Caminito was built between 1901 and 1905 and owes its name to King Alfonso XIII who, in1921, used the path for the official opening of the dam.
While access to the path has been forbidden for some years, it was walked regularly by whole families (some with small children). After fatal accidents in1999 and 2000, the need for restoration of el Caminito became urgent. The province of Malaga and the Junta Andalucia argued about responsibility for years.
In 2004, access to the trail at various places was demolished.
The trail is still a magnet for dare-devils and specialist mountain rescue teams still have to risk their lives to rescue the fool-hardy and ill-equipped.
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