Mazarrón beaches: Playa Cobaticas, dog friendly beach

A long wild beach in the Ifre-Cañada de Gallego stretch of coastline, perfect for dogs

Among the south-westernmost of the 33 beaches which are to be found along the 35-kilometre coastline of Mazarrón between the municipalities of Cartagena and Lorca, Playa Cobaticas is the second to be reached if coming from Bolnuevo in the Ifre-Cañada de Gallego section of the coast.

This area is characterized by a series of long, open beaches backed by rough ground and tomato greenhousing, and Playa Cobaticas is a kilometre long. The surface of the beach is a mixture of pebbles peppered with fine, soft, greyish sand, and is interspersed with deposits of posidonia sea grass washed up onto the shore.

At this point the track running behind the beach is falt and wide, and can easily be driven on, making it a very popular area among wild campers and those who really do enjoy privacy. The beach is very low occupancy, with a vast open space and very few people.

There is plenty of space to park and there are no service, but this beach has been designated a dog beach and for pet lovers is well worth the drive as it offers the luxury of being able to let pets off the lead for a really good run along a vast beach, with plenty of chances to bathe in the sea.

The only disadvantage for dog owners, is that it is very much "out of the way", meaning that most pets will endure a long drive. Owners are advised to bring a plastic cover and a thick blanket for the back of the car as dogs will be returning home smelling of salt and seaweed, and covered in sand.

Finding the beach is fairly straightforward if driving down through Cañadas de Gallego as all roads through the greenhouses eventually end up on the beach. Once there's nowhere to go except the sea, simply follow the road along the coast!

This is one of three dog friendly beaches in the Mazarrón municipality

Click for the other two: Playa Gachero and Playa Castellar.

The other two dog beaches are in the urban area of the Puerto de Mazarrón and by the Bolnuevo roundabout.

Rules for using dog beaches:

Dogs may be let off the lead once on the beach, but must be controlled by their owners and care must be taken not to disturb or annoy other beach users.

Potentially dangerous animals must be muzzled, and kept under control.

Owners must pick up excrement and deposit it in the bins provided.

All of the dog’s paperwork must be in order and up-to-date and animals must be micro-chipped and fully vaccinated.

Failure to abide by these common-sense rules can result in fines of between 750 and 3,000 euros in line with municipal by-laws regarding the ownership of dogs within the municipality.

Dogs are NOT permitted on other beaches and must be kept on a lead at all times, both in the streets and countryside areas of the municipality.

It is a bone of contention with dog owners that by law they are not permitted to allow their dogs off the lead, even in countryside areas, but although a blind eye is frequently turned, severe financial penalties can be imposed should an officer decide to abide by the letter of the law.

The run of wild beaches in Mazarrón

Mazarrón is blessed with an extraordinary range of beaches, with everything from wide sandy urban beaches with a full list of catered services to rocky coves, dog beaches, nudist beaches and long wild swathes of sand.

Between Bolnuevo and Percheles the coast is wild and stunning, and the run of beaches from be accessed only via a rough dirt track on foot or by bicycle, with a succession of secluded bays. From 1st July 2017 most of the track has been closed to motor vehicles and the only access is via cycle or on foot.

If you love natural, beautiful places, this is for you, but there’s not a beachcomber for miles around and you won’t find anyone selling ice lollies!

None of these beaches are equipped with special disabled access, although once the coastline reaches Percheles and Cañada de Gallego it is possible to walk out of the car and straight onto the sand/shingle. Here the coastline is accessed from a rough, bumpy road which runs along for around 12 kilometres.

If you’re the type of person who loves to get away from the crowds and appreciates wild beauty, then you’ll love this stretch and never want to go anywhere else.

The stunning scenery is peppered with abandoned ruins, and there is a huge choice of rocky bays, sandy coves, and secluded corners to bathe privately, even in the busy summer period.

The area is favoured by naturist bathing, so it’s not uncommon to see the odd gleaming bronzed buttock or two, and a couple of the nudist beaches are also very popular with the gay community. But the area is so large that it is always possible to steer away if you choose: you can stop anywhere and be as private, or as public, as you want.

There are absolutely no facilities, so bring everything and remember to take litter home.

It’s also very popular with local cyclists, especially the mountain-bikers, and walkers have many options, particularly on a summer evening with stunning views and sea breezes.

Access

From Bolnuevo, drive along the seafront, past the wind-eroded rocks to the end of the road next to Playa del Rincón, where limited parking is available. From here, the beaches can only be accessed on foot or by bicycle.

From Puntas de Calnegre, just keep the sea on your right!

From Cañada de Gallego, simply head downhill on one of the many dust tracks from the road and the tomato plantations to the coastline. Once there, if the sea is on your right you're heading towards Mazarrón, if it's on your left you're on your way to Puntas de Calnegre!

Click for an overview of all 33 beaches in the municipality of Mazarrón, or for more information relating to Mazarrón.