ARCHIVED - Closure of coastal track between Bolnuevo and Cañada de Gallego in the Mazarron municipality

This affects those using nudist beaches on this stretch of coastline

In 2017 the municipal council of Mazarrón announced that the dirt track running along the coastline between Bolnuevo and the Cañada de Gallego beaches would be closed to mechanised transport from 1st July 2017, limiting access to the stretch of wild and nudist beaches along this coastline to those on foot or bicycle.

Although the condition of the dirt road has always been questionable, it has been possible up to this point to park alongside the nudist beaches.

The closure of the track is intended to be permanent, although this may change at some point in the future.

The beaches affected start just over the top of the headland in Bolnuevo after driving past the Oasis de las Palmeras complex.

The first cove is not affected: the Playa del Rincón, although parking is always lacking in this corner during the busy summer months. The track which leads from Playa del Rincón will now be closed, starting alongside the thin strip of beach known as Playa de Piedra Mala, and running for four and a half kilometres alongside Playa Cueva de Lobos/Moreras, Playa Amarilla, Cala de Leño, Cala Desnuda, Playa del Barranco Ancho to Playa Hondón del Fondo.

At this point, the track becomes flatter and opens out into the beaches which are easily accessed from Cañada de Gallego via the tracks which run down between the agricultural greenhousing, starting with Playa Cabezo de Pelea. This stretch of wild beaches is unaffected by the track closure.

Nudist beaches

This decision to close the track most affects the nudist beaches, and indeed makes it difficult to access the nudist beaches of the municipality from the Bolnuevo end. Although in theory access is not restricted to those on foot or riding bicycles, this does make it difficult to reach the nudist beaches as the track is in poor condition, and it’s a long way to carry chairs, towels, provisions and even basics such as drinking water on foot in 35 degrees of heat, as there are no services in these areas. Camper vans could previously drive right down to Cala de Leño.

This of course, makes it even more important to carry a mobile phone if using these beaches in case medical assistance is required and to ensure that sunscreen, hats and water are taken along, particularly during the peak summer period.

Earlier in 2017 the municipal council of Mazarrón passed a municipal ordenanza making it illegal to bathe nude on any of the beaches other than those specifically designated as nudist beaches in the municipality. In particular this legislation aimed to stop nude bathing on the first two beaches in this stretch of coastline, namely Playa del Rincón and Playa Piedra Mala, which are NOT nudist beaches, but are regularly used by nudists not wishing to use the bumpy track to drive down to the designated nudist beaches.

The only official nudist beaches are: Cueva de los Lobos, Playa Amarilla, Playa de la Grúa, Cala de Leño, Cala Desnuda, Playa del Barranco Ancho and Playa Hondón.

This track closure means that nudists are best advised to access the beaches from the Cañada de Gallego end, as there is plenty of space to park a camper van and walk to the nudist beaches from here. This section of beach, however, is not signposted from Cañada de Gallego, and the best advice is to turn left into the greenhouse complexes and follow the sandy tracks until reaching the sea, then drive left along the coastline until reaching the new barrier.