[SkateDC] World's Most Challenging Skate Routes: #117

[George Marinkovich]

In the region of Andalusia in the south of Spain, not too far from the city of Málaga, there is an impressive limestone gorge called El Chorro.  Like many gorges there is a river at the bottom.  What makes this gorge different is the presence of the Caminito del Rey (King's little pathway), a concrete walkway that is pinned to the side of the gorge 984 feet above the river.   Caminito del Rey can be seen in this picture:  http://tinyurl.com/582ang. 

The walkway is approximately 3 feet wide.  It took 4 years to build and was finished in 1905.   King Alphonso XIII crossed the walkway in 1921 (hence the name).   Let's just say maintenance since that time hasn't always been a high priority. 

>From a skating perspective there would be some tricky bits, but it's generally flat, and in some places actually smooth.  You would want to be especially careful at the start of the walkway as there are some stairs to ascend, but we've probably all skated worse places than that before. 

That said, I get the distinct impression that this might be a "skate-at-your-own-risk" type place.  Its best days may be behind it but as you can see in the following video it is still possible to get from one end to the other: http://tinyurl.com/brupmy.

The good news is that the regional government of Andalusia has budgeted seven million Euros to bring the Caminito del Rey back to tip-top shape.  It's been rumored that this might even include a handrail.

Some nice pictures here (though interestingly none of the people pictured are wearing skates):  http://tinyurl.com/b4a8bc

The Caminito del Rey has even been the inspiration for a flash game: 
http://tinyurl.com/db6np6

For more information:  http://tinyurl.com/34b3dt

Cheers,
George