The ecologist group, GENA-Ecologistas en Acción, has denounced the presence of illegal campsites within the Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo, before the Provincial Environmental Department.
It’s not the first time that this Axarquía-based ecologist group has brought complaints before the relevant administration over the years. On previous occasions they reported camper vans pulled up in camping mode just off the N-340 near the entrance to this natural park.
They have also reported paraglider landings within the park and illegal fishing off Playa de El Cañuelo in 2020. Then in 2021, they reported the presence of jet skis operating in park waters just off the cliffs and coves. They also denounced a “massive presence” of camper vans in the parking area for the park.
However, GENA claims that despite all the complaints that they have sent in, they have never received any response from the authorities. The last one they sent in was on the 14th of February 2022 about the presence of camper vans and campers in general in several places within the park, explained the Head of the ecologist group, Rafael Yus.
But the problem is not just restricted to the main beaches within the park, such as El Cañuelo, but also near the Molino de Papel and Alberquillas in Maro. However, it’s El Cañuelo that is most affected.
According to Sr. Yus, the camper-van tourist stay several weeks, meaning that we’re not talking about somebody parking up and spending the night, or even two, but stays stretching into weeks.
Furthermore, Sr. Yus points out that we’re not even talking about elderly couples enjoying their retirement but younger visitors in converted vehicles turning up in groups and organising communal meals and fiestas. On one occasion, the Guardia Civil had to be called in because an argument ending in a knifing incident, he says.
For these reasons, these visitors cannot be classified as temporary visitors but rather settlements on public land making them squatters – not tourists.
(News: Maro, Nerja, Axarquia, Costa del Sol, Malaga, Andalucia – Source Article: Eugenio Cabezas)
Of course they take their rubbish and effluent to recognised places for disposal. !!?? ?? In my youth they were called New Age Travelers. Some nice. Some bad. But could be a blooming pain.