Читать книгу Coastal Walks in Andalucia. The best hiking trails close to Andalucía's Mediterranean and Atlantic Coastlines онлайн

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Most notable is the swathe of stone pines or pinos pinoñeros (Pinus pinea) of La Breña. The trees were planted in the 19th century as a means of halting the advance of the coastal dune system which until then had little protection against the force of the levante winds. An added bonus came in the annual harvest of nuts from the pine cones of the trees. The network of footpaths which cut through the forest are enjoyable even in summer thanks to the trees’ dense, umbrella-like canopies.

The ecosystem of the cliffs between Barbate and Los Caños de Meca is very different in feel. Here the flora and fauna are born of the interplay of ocean spray and the sweet water springs which rise at the base of its sand and limestone cliffs: these are the caños after which Los Caños de Meca was named. The cliffs rise to 100m and the path which runs along their edge is a highlight of any visit to the area.

The path cuts past the Torre del Tajo, one of a string of watchtowers built in the 16th century as a deterrent to Turkish and North African corsairs who frequently raided the coastal settlements. Next to the tower are two of the finest miradors (viewing points) of the Andalusian seaboard: on clear days you’ll see the coast of Morocco and the towering silhouette of Jebel Musa just across the Strait. The cliffs are home to large colonies of gulls and are a favoured nesting site of cattle egrets. And this is one of the few places on the Atlantic Coast where you have a decent chance of spotting peregrine falcons.