You will hear complaints from town halls along the coast this time of year about camper vans taking up too much space but for the ecologists, it's about protecting natural settings.

Ecologistas en Acción (GENA) have raised the alarm concerning dozens of camper vans invading the Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo natural park on the coastline border of Málaga and Granada.

While in the summer entry to Playa Cantarriján beach is closely restricted when it comes to vehicles, with a shuttle bus providing transport from the road to the beach and back, no such limitation is in place during the winter. Or better said, the restriction exists but there is nobody there to impose it.

And this is not a new problem because it is the third consecutive year that the ecologists have brought the problem to the attention of the authorities. This time last year, for instance, they reported the presence of camper vans, caravans, converted delivery vans for camping, as well as squatters in abandoned buildings and a small campsite settlement.

Whilst the majority of camper-van owners might be very respectful with their surrounding, a minority of visitors are not and rubbish piles up.

As for the new-age travellers, or whatever term offends the politically correct less, many come down from the Alpujarras during the winter for the milder climate of the coast.

Chairman for the ecologist association, Rafael Yus, pointed out that under the pines in the area known as Las Alberquillas, some have set up a camp site, as well as there being a group of squatters in an abandoned building in that same area. This presence is not a weekend one but rather an extended stay. He also points out that overnight stays (camping) is not permitted in the natural park.

(News/Noticias: Cantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo, Axarquia, Costa Tropical, Granada/Malaga, Andalucia)