La Breña y Marismas de Barbate Natural Park make up one of the most impressive natural landscapes on all of the atlantic coast.
One of the most spectacular hiking trails takes you through the pine forests along the more than 100m high clifftops, looking out over the ocean and with Trafalgar Lighthouse in the background accompanying you all the way. It is well worth the effort.
There are numerous different hiking trails throughout the Park. The starting point is generally from Los Caños and go to San Ambrosio and even as far as the marshlands and the river in Barbate. At the Tourist Office at the port in Barbate they will provide you with more detailed information.
Cliff-top Trail or Torre del Tajo Trail.
(7 kms-3 hours approx.)
The trail starts at the restaurant La Pequeña Lulu. A little gate gives access into the Natural Park and this is where we go. Pine trees give shade most of the way along the trail and the cliffs drop off on the right. Seagulls, cormorants, herons and egrets are all part of the beautiful landscape. Halfway along the trail we arrive at La Torre del Tajo, an impressive viewpoint from where to take in the most amazing views of the cliffs as well as the coast of Morocco just across the strait. From here we can either turn around and go back the way we came or continue on to Playa de la Hierbabuena, the beach just before Barbate.
Torre de Meca Trail
(3kms-2 hours approx.)
This trail starts out at the crossroads of the road that goes to Barbate. As you go up the road you will find the trail on your left leading into the forest. A little further on the track veers off to the right and goes the whole way up to the top of the hill overlooking the whole of Los Caños de Meca. The lookout tower is up here and just a few metre away there is a viewpoint with the most spectacular panoramic views of the sea and Trafalgar Lighthouse. Taking extreme caution you can take a shortcut back down the firebreak. It´s quite steep but it´s fun to slide down the sandy slope.