Kirsty Mckenzie
IN case you didn’t know, Pecho de las Cuevas de Marbella has been undergoing renovations for a while now and it has officially reopened to the public.
Work has been underway to restore a vital part of one of Marbella’s greatest trails, right in the heart of the city.
The walkway runs for 2km to the Paco Cantos municipal outdoor sports centre and provides a scenic access route into Parque de las cuevas.
The pine tree-canopied path is within spitting distance of Marbella Town centre but allows walkers, runners and rock climbers stunning access to the natural world.
Pecho de las Cuevas, literally ‘the chest of the Caves’, was once used by the goatherds to take shelter with their flocks from the rain.
Now the hillside, which is pockmarked with shallow naturally formed caves, has become a popular beauty spot for locals and tourists alike and an ideal training ground for athletes of all kinds.
In recent years the path had significantly degraded, with often very wet and muddy sections.
The project to revamp the path was part of the €1.2 million Sports Facilities Conservation Plan.
This important work has significantly improved the flooding problems with the installation of 16 new water drainage points, as well as paving two kilometres of the route, the installation of 32 lampposts and the renovation of half a kilometre of fencing.
More than 70% of the project has now been completed and the next phase of the project will see the renovation of a further 1,000 metres of the footpath.
Marbella’s mayor Angeles Muñoz visited to see the progress of the works last Tuesday along with councillor Diego Lopez.
Both agreed that the new lighting and removal of dangerous tree branches would make activities much safer for athletes, particularly in the coming winter months.
The walk is undemanding in terms of difficulty, but it is certainly rewarding.
READ MORE
Spain’s Marbella begins work on extending coastal pathway
