Jan 17

Jan 17 Long distance trail running in Málaga and hiking the Caminito Del Rey - Málaga, Spain

A trip to the southern coast of Spain is a great way to extend the running season. Prior to the travel lockdowns in late 2019, I spent a weekend in Málaga, Spain. I’d been east of Málaga to the Sierra Nevada Mountains for a biking trip the prior year and wanted to get back to experience the area on foot. Besides a couple of beautiful long runs, I also took time out to hike the Caminito del Rey, once known as the “most dangerous path in the world.”

The trip started with a flight into the Málaga Airport that has very convenient flights from all over Europe, including Stockholm, Sweden, where I was working. I rented a car and headed west to the town of Fuengirola, Spain, where I had booked a hotel.

I had looked around for some loop courses, but a point-to-point option seemed the best way to do an ultra run in this region. So I decided I’d take a taxi to Ojén, Spain and then run along the GR 249 trail east to Mijas, Spain. From Mijas I’d take an Uber back to my hotel since the run through that area was more urban and less scenic. Overall, the trail is very scenic and made up mostly of gravel roads through rolling hills. The ocean comes into view very often, and as you can see in the pictures, I was lucky to have a day with perfect blue skies and a slight chill in the air.

On Day 2, I drove up to Caminito Del Rey for the hike through the gorge. Be sure to get tickets ahead of time! The pictures can’t do the hike justice. For nearly the entire length of the hike, the trail is suspended over a deep gorge. The hike ends with a bus ride back to your car.

After the hike through the gorge I headed back south to the coastal town of Torremolinos, Spain where I picked up some pastries for lunch then drove just a short 15 minutes to get to a run with sweeping views of the coast. About 5 miles (8km) in distance, but with 1500 feet (450m), and nearly all of it single-track, it was a tough but rewarding run. At the top is a nice place to rest and take pictures of the coast.

I highly recommend Malaga, Spain for your own ultrarunning destination. Whether you go east to the Sierra Nevada Mountains, or west as I did on this trip, you will find excellent places to stay in coastal towns, good food, and especially nice trails that are perfect to challenge every ultra runner.