The Camino del Rey (Kings Path) is a concrete walkway which travels the entire length of the El Chorro Gorge. Built in the 1920's to allow the King of Spain (Not Ashley Giles) to see the construction of a new hydroelectric power station.
<< The walkway starts about 1 1/2 miles from El Chorro at the start of the gorge where dilapidated dams still reside. A path from the impressive new dams winds around the river until the gorge is reached.
<< The start of the walkway has been removed in a bid to deter would be adveturers....what we didin;t know was they had also stripped the bolt heads!!
< Mike traverses the first section. PRotection was arranged through small dynema slings knotted onto the bolt stems!!
>> View from the start....note the lack of walkway!
<< The narrow goge greets us upon arrival onto the Camino del Ray.
> A view down to the fantastic rock forms below...imagine the roaring sound of water echoing through the narroe gorge....
>> Walking along the walkway deeper and deeper into the forbidding gorge....
<< Looking back to the dams and a dissaperaing security...although having traveresed the first section we were in no mood to go back!!
< Looking out and to the gorge swelling into the next section.
>> Maybe a trick of the light but the water lloking both beatiful...and fobidding....
<< The gorge was full
of fantastic rock formations...what you probably cannot make out is the
iron work and wires allowing access to some awesome and...difficult
climbs!!
<< The gorge once again opens out into a confusing array of stairs, tunnels, waterways and bridges...
>> Onwards and upwards we go....
>>> The steps hide a series of water channels and shutes which must have been impressive and awe inspiring in their day.
<< The central bridge in the gorge...wow!!
< More walkway....
<<< One of many broken sections in the walkway....this one was a little trickierdue to the fixed wire having snapped. With a little lateral thinking and courage this was passed using the cable to lean away from the rail whilst balencing...awesome!!
> This was a former water channel, having no head torches we felt the sidewalls using the camera for a quick flash to check that there were no obtructions....this exits halfway along the last section of the walkway.
>> The impressive final bridge on the walkway. The bridge carries a now redundant pipe from the former hydro electric scheme.
Rich