Walking the Camino

Many of us think about walking the camino, and when we do, we are usually thinking about the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. Not me! It’s just too long and the weather would probably be awful anyway. No, I’ve found another camino to walk!!

Rojales, in rural Alicante, has its own camino. The Camino de la Huerta can usually be walked in the beautiful Spanish sunshine and this circular walk can be completed in just a couple of hours. I mean, who wants to walk in a straight line for a couple of weeks anyway?! Okay, so the idea of it being a camino is more my idea. The actual route is called SL-CV 148 and it is officially the “Huerta Histórica de Rojales”.

The walk starts from the car park where the market is held every Thursday. Alongside the River Segura there is an information post with a map of the route. There are green and white flashes along the way and a few useful signs, but it’s best to take a photo of the map (or pick up a leaflet at the town hall) because some of them appear to be missing.

It is an easy, flat walk and equally accessible by bicycle. Along the way you’ll see the full range of fruit and vegetables which are grown in the Vega Baja. On display today were oranges and lemons, of course, along with broccoli, artichokes and cabbage. It really is quite interesting to see where the produce on the local markets comes from.

If you are afraid of dogs, you’ll have to keep your nerve as you pass some of the farms. The guard dogs are quite vociferous, but if you keep walking past the properties they are guarding, they soon go quiet again. Some of them are really rather cute!

About half way along the route is Hacienda de los Llanos which now houses the Museo de la Huerta. It would appear to be open from Monday to Friday 9am – 3pm with other hours and days available for groups making a prior booking. It looks an intriguing piece of local heritage and further details can be found on their pdf leaflet.

It is a beautiful walk and not strenuous by any means, so if you are looking for a bit of fresh air and a stretch of the legs, you should head to Rojales and walk the camino.