Rambla de Castro Protected Landscape

The sea view starts at the car park: the Atlantic spread out below, palms along the slope. From there cobbled paths and stairs wind down to Castro Beach (Playa de Castro), a cove of more stones than sand about twenty minutes below the top.

The way down passes the buildings that give the place its history — the Castro manor house (Casa de Castro) among the palms, and San Fernando Fort (Fortín de San Fernando), a gun battery built to watch the sea. The paths and steps are well made, the walking is easy to moderate with some steep bits, and at sunset the whole coastline takes the last of the light.

• Wear hiking shoes or trainers with thick soles: the paths are cobbled and stony, and flip-flops are a poor choice.
• There are no toilets and no drinking water in the reserve or nearby — bring water with you.
• The way down to Castro Beach is mostly stairs, and the climb back up takes as long as the descent.
• Castro Beach is more stones than sand.
• Dogs are allowed on the paths.

Drivers leave the car at the top of the reserve, where signposts stand beside the car park and point the way in. The sea view begins right there, so even without the walk the stop is worth making.

The descent to Castro Beach takes about twenty minutes on cobbled paths and stairs, with some steep bits, and the climb back up takes about twenty more. By bus, two stops, La Tropicana and San Agustin, lie about 170 m away in a straight line.

Best: late afternoon into sunset, when the light drops low over the Atlantic and the palms and the old buildings catch it.

Avoid: wet days and rough seas.

Cobbles and stony steps turn slippery in the rain, and the beach at the bottom is only worth the stairs when the weather is calm.