Widipedia:
El Caminito del Rey (English: The King’s little pathway) is a walkway or via ferrata, now fallen into disrepair, pinned along the steep walls of a narrow gorge in El Chorro, near Álora in the province of Málaga, Spain. The name is often shortened to Camino del Rey (English: King’s pathway).
A video of Camino del Rey has been on DU before. However, this is an updated version in HD with stedi-cam. Watch full screen, 720p.
I suppose one relevant question is: “Why isn’t the trail maintained?” and the answer is always $$ and how many people are actually going to use this trail?
At a guess, I’d think more people would use the river for rafting than the trail for hiking, but thats just “my” interest.
Wilderness/Being Alone/with Friends always has an appeal as does a toga party.
It’s in bad shape now, but it sure was one helluva of a construction feat in its day (1901-1905). Looks like it’s about to get renovated, too:
http://euroweeklynews.com/2010121584994/news/costa-del-sol/caminito-del-rey-restoration-set-for-2011.html
Reminds me of some paths in Japan. (I’m not scared of heights, but this was pretty, uh, bracing.)
Brings a new meaning to the phrase Raining Cats And Dogs. Stuff so sheer that it throws mountain goats down a few thousand feet in bad weather.
There is stuff like that in the Andes, in the Himalayas and around the Three Gorges area in China.
Scary Shit!
Wow… just WOW… the first video posted here at DU was enough to make my stomach crawl into my throat.. in HD it’s even worse! I don’t think I’d walk that trail even after the renovation!
#1: Money for construction is always a problem when rebuilding something like this. So is agoraphobia among the construction workers, if any will volunteer.
Glad to see that JCD took the steady-cam on the recent Spain trip. LOL. Stomach-turning video!
I like the way he “tests” the load bearing capacity of the corroded iron by putting 1/10th his body weight on it, then he fully steps on it. Master Work!
Amusing, usually its the other way around but right now all the websites are down except for DU!
I know agoraphobia is fear of being outside but can’t recall what fear of heights is.
will this shred?
Geezo Peezo. Why would they have built that trail in the first place? It’s not exactly the kind of walk you take your kids on.
Imagine building that thing in the first place. This guy is just going for a leisurely stroll… imagine carrying an 80 pound sack of concrete or balancing one of those metal beams between several of you as you walk up the trail over and over and over.
acrophobia. Knew it would come to me in a time.
Wow. Gorgeous views. Absolutely terrifying. I think it would have been terrifying BEFORE it fell into disarray.
I enjoyed the view but walking on most of that structure is playing Russian roulette. No amount of skill is going to save you if what you are walking on simply falls a hundred feet or more.
My monitor could display something closer to 4k. Yes it is an improvement.
I think the mountain drivers are a bigger thrill not that this bad but the mountain divers are tops in my view.
With this thing in good shape I _think_ I would like to make the hike. I know I’d have loved it at one time.
A very good link.
No way in hell!
I presume that this has medical uses (i.e. to assist those who are colonically challenged [constipated])?
It looks like there was a safety rope along most of the trail. I imagine the guy was clipped onto the rope, and there are times when the shot dissolves into another shot which I imagine is when he is un-clipping the harness to change to another. I have done some rock climbing in the past but I wouldn’t be brave enough to try this.