Cabo de Gata Day 1: All the Sun to Myself

I left Almeria while it was still dark and arrived at the Cabo de Gata village a few minutes after sunrise. A few clouds on the horizon kept the weather shady and pleasantly cool as I strolled down a long empty beach towards the hills of the Natural Park. Separated from the sea by a thin stretch of dunes were the salt marshes, a stopover point for a large variety of migratory birds, including flamingoes. To get a better look at the birds, I tried to navigate the narrow paths on the marshes´edge, but found them so muddy and slippery that I decided not to risk falling into the water with my camera.

I walked further, passing a large salt extraction plant with mountains of salt shining like glaciers in my path. Then I had to follow a quiet highway as it wound its way above some spectacular coastal cliffs. It was Saturday, so I encountered some day hikers on my path, but very few considering the beautiful surroundings. Finally, I reached a set of isolated coves and swent for a long-anticipated swim in the clear greenish Mediterranean.

I spent a couple of hours soaking up the sun on the beach and then continued along the trail, across a beach crawling with billions of flying ants. Even though it was supposed to be a day for relaxation, I ended up walking for 9 hours because I couldn´t find a suitable campsite on the uneven rocky terrain. My last resort was a public campground a little away from the beach, but by the time I approached it, the sun was already well below the horizon. I followed a dirt road inland with the aid of my flashlight, but soon felt completely lost in the network of intersecting paths. I decided to walk towards the brightest set of lights in the distance, and after almost despairing of finding it, suddenly stumbled right through the campground´s main gate.