The shuttle service to access the beach at Cantarrijan will begin again on 1st July and will continue until August 31st. So, if you fancy a 10-minute wait in the blistering sun, followed by a 5-minute descent squashed up against a sweaty fat bloke in a thong, then read on!
The service which runs from the car park on the N340 just after the tunnel, will be available from 9am through to 9pm and should run every 10 minutes for so, at a price of one euro.
Visitors will also notice a new ‘information point’ with brochures available which include information about the service, and details about the characteristics of the area, environmental values and rules to be adhered to when visiting this protected area.
The delegate for the Environment, Francisco Javier Aragon, insisted that the huge increase in motor vehicle numbers during the summer months was always far in excess of the capacity of the site and was “an important factor in the degradation of the natural beauty of the area.”
As with all things hereabouts, there was a counter argument from the Councillor for the Environment and Beaches at the Town Hall, Daniel Barbero, who insisted that the possibility of leaving limited vehicle access to the beach should have been considered, pointing out that if the numbers are regulated “it would not prejudice or affect the conservation of the natural landscape.”
For its part, the Ministry of the Environment intends to diminish the pressure that the continuous transition of road vehicles puts on the site, and also reduce the risk of fire, which is a constant danger with an accumulation of vehicles, high summer temperatures and tinder dry vegetation.
Moreover, in recent weeks the third phase of works to improve access to the beach have been carried out, with the aim, it is said, to regulate tourism and make access to the site enjoyable with proper protections and management.
The budget for these works has exceeded 400,000 euros and have mainly been spent on improving the track leading to the beach, and after a recent visit, the Ed and myself can confirm that they have made a fine job.
Very enjoyable visit it was too, although I couldn’t eat sausages for a week afterwards.[mappress]
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