Spain has some of the most spectacular trails in Europe and even some that were once considered amongst the most dangerous in the world. If you fancy a walk with a little more excitement you might just want to check out these breathtaking but vertiginous walks around Spain...here are the top 10 (in no particular order.)
1. Bejía Canal, Anaga, Tenerife
Located on Tenerife’s northeast coast, the path out of the village of Bejía, on the northern slope of the Anaga massif (above), offers plenty of photo opportunities. Moderately difficult, the trail is four kilometres long and follows the Bejía canal through the Seco ravine that eventually drops down to Punta del Hidalgo. The walk can be circular – and longer (7.5 km) – if you climb the ravine from Punta del Hidalgo and come up from the bottom of the valley to Bejía.
2. Faja de las Flores, Pyrenees, Huesca
In one of the most spectacular belts of Ordesa, there is a challenging trail across the valley that requires some rock climbing. It takes about eight hours but the effort is rewarded by breathtaking views.
3. Cañón de Añisclo, Pyrenees
The Canyon of Añisclo, generated by the Bellós river, is oriented from north to south and extends for almost 25 kilometres, from the Circus of Añisclo - at the foot of Monte Perdido - to the confluence with the Aso valley. Its minimum altitude is 700 m, in the Fountain of the Baths; And the maximum of 3,022 m, in Punta de las Olas.
4. Cares Route, Picos de Europa, Asturias y León
Accessible and amazing, this magical 12-kilometre walk is carved into the edge of the mountainside in the Picos de Europa. Known as the Cares trail, it connects the Asturian town of Poncebos with Caín in León, offering the kind of views that have made it one of the most popular hikes in the national park. The trick is to have a friend walk from the other end so you can swap car keys midway through the hike and avoid having to trudge the 12 kilometres back to your vehicle!
5. Penya Roja, Mallorca
There are plenty of exciting and secret climbs on the peninsula of Alcudia in Mallorca, like the trail to Penya Roja from the Victoria sanctuary that hugs the cliff face and is dizzying enough to require a handrail. The highlight of this walk is the Atalaya crossing (above), a narrow 15th-century tunnel designed to protect access to the fort at the top. The climb not only leads you to the ruins of this fort but also gives you a magnificent view of the Mallorcan coastline.
6. Caminito del Rey, Málaga
For a long time, the Caminito del Rey – King’s Path – was considered one of the most dangerous trails in the world, but the construction of a brand new footbridge over the old and deteriorated trail in 2015 now allows walkers to safely cross the vertiginous 100-meter-high Gaitanes stretch over the River Guadalhorce. A real treat.
7.Cahorros de Monachil, Granada
Just minutes from the center of Granada, the Monachil River runs through a narrow gorge at the base of the Sierra Nevada massif where an exciting mountain trail – three hours long and moderate to difficult – climbs above the ravine (above), taking you to a suspension bridge that’s 63 meters long and a passageway that forces you to crouch at the part known as The Pigeons’ Cave.
8. Congosto de Mont-rebei, Lleida, and Pasarela de Montfalcó, Huesca
The most hair-raising part of this walk that takes you along the Mont-rebei gorge – 500 meters high and barely 20 meters wide – has a steel handrail to stop you falling into the abyss. Running through the gorge is the River Noguera Ribagorzana on the border between Aragon and Catalonia in the Montsec mountain range. The round trip is 14 kilometres, with the footbridge of Montfalcó providing the dramatic ending. You can hire mountain guides if needed from the Montfalcó hostal. (www.guiasdelmontsec.es).
9. Grau de Barrots, Montsant, Tarragona
The ‘graus’ that crisscross the Montsant mountain range, such as l’Escletxa (above), are narrow trails with sudden ascents. The most vertiginous one is Barrots – 5.5 kilometres of moderate to difficult hiking – which follows terraces that cling to the rock faces overlooking the Priotat vineyards.
10. Mao River Footbridge, Ourense
The last stretch of the River Mao drops 600 meters in just a few kilometres, creating a stunning series of small waterfalls before it snakes through a narrow valley. A wooden walkway built into the hillside takes you to the point where this tributary meets the River Sil. The walk is an easy two kilometres that leave from La Fábrica, an old power station that has been converted into a lodge.