The Caminito del Rey translated to English means the Kings little pathway and was aptly named so because King Alfonso the 13th in 1921, 16 years after it was completed for its inauguration, walked the pathway to the hydroelectric plant. Prior to its recent face-lift it used to be considered one of the worlds scariest hikes because of its neglected pathway (seen in the photo) with hardly any safety apparatuses. After four hikers fell to their death, it was officially closed for renovation in 2005, 10 years later and about 5.5 million euros it was officially reopened for tourism in 2015.
The Caminito was built in 1906 as a result of the regions need to find an alternative energy source to coal. They settled on hydroelectric power and due to the already existing elevation gradient at the beginning and gateway of the gorge the area was the perfect place. The Caminito was a patheway built into the rock in order to facilitate the maintenance and inspection of the channel and provided a path for the workers children to go to school.
Years ago when I was at University using stumbleupon I came across this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmDhRvvs5Xw , I was at awe that a place even existed and that people walked along it; it always stuck with me. I never thought I’d do it because I wouldn’t risk my life with something that looked so obviously unsafe and luckily I didn’t have to. Unless your terrified of heights the new Caminito can be easily done. The views and beauty the area provides is absolutely astounding and I’m happy [many years later] to have safely had the opportunity to hike it.
*Don’t forget to look for people in some of the pictures! They’re there, just really small.