Walking EuropeEl Lentiscal from Playa de Valdevaqueros, near Tarifa
Walk 6118
Country - Spain
Region - Cadiz Province (Andalucia)
Author - Peter Bailey
Length - 18.0 km / 11.3 miles
Grade - easy/mod
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This is not Spain, it is paradise, miles of golden sands and not a hotel or parasol in sight. And if you make it to the end of the walk, you are rewarded with the beautiful ruins of an ancient Roman town. Please do not do this walk, leave it for me!
From Tarifa you can see the Rif mountains in Africa just 9 miles (15 kms) away. Valdevaqueros Bay is very popular with kitesurfers and there are a couple of camp sites nearby. However this is a vast area of beach and it could never get crowded.
You start from Playa de Valdevaqueros, which is just east of Punta Paloma. To reach the start, follow the coast road from Tarifa in the direction of Cadiz for a few kilometres to Kilometre 74 and turn left down the lane towards Camping Paloma. Pass the camp site and take a left turn a few hundred yards later. This soon leads you down to the beach. There is plenty of parking space.
The walk can be as long as you wish. To complete the whole route adds up around 18 kilometres (11 miles) but you can shorten this and still enjoy the solitude of this beach washed by the Atlantic rather than the Mediterranean.
After parking walk onto the beach and turn right, away from Tarifa. Just turn back when you have had enough. The Roman ruins are at a little place called El Lentiscal and are well worth a visit. If you do not walk all the way, you can get to El Lentiscal by car too. Turn right by the beach to get to Claudia Baela, the Roman town.
Stay Safe
Do enjoy yourself when out walking and choose a route that is within your capabilities especially with regard to navigation.
Do turn back if the weather deteriorates especially in winter or when visibility is poor.
Do wear the right clothing for the anticipated weather conditions. If the weather is likely to change for the worse make sure you have enough extra clothing in your pack.
Do tell someone where you are planning to walk especially in areas that see few other walkers.
Do take maps and other navigational aids. Do not rely on mobile devices in areas where reception is poor. Take spare batteries especially in cold weather.
Do check the weather forecast before leaving. The Met Office has a number of forecasts for walkers that identify specific weather risks.
Please Note - These walks have been published for use by site visitors on the understanding that Walking Britain is not held responsible for the safety or well being of those following the routes as described. It is worth reiterating the point that you should embark on a walk with the correct maps preferably at 1:25000 scale. This will enable any difficulties with route finding to be assessed and corrective action taken if necessary.