Moralicos to Mojacar: A 32km overnight stroll

By Susan Leach

Fifty-six people, including six Britons, took part in the Los Moralicos Association’s (LMA), fourth annual full-moon hike.  

The youngest hiker was eight and the oldest was over seventy.

The 31.8km route included mountain trails and roads, footpaths and coastal paths.  One trail had very recently been cleared by volunteers and the full-moon hikers were the first to tread it.  

The group were accompanied by a “Proteccion Civil,” (PC) vehicle medically trained volunteers, and guides.  

During a rest stop, the LMA addressed the crowd, telling hikers about the history of their village and their hikers’ hostel (refugio) project. They plan to build the refugio, on the old Moralicos school site, with help from Turre town hall and the Junta de Andalucia.  

In Sopalmo, some hikers were extremely tired so the group divided into three.  Some were driven by the PC to the finish point near the Hotel Indalo, on Mojacar Beach.  Others walked on a short-cut down the rambla.  Twenty-two people stuck to the original route, taking the coastal path by Macenas, as the sun rose, arriving at their final destination at about 7.30am.   

This year’s walk was the LMA’s longest so far.  The organisers said that some hikers on last years’ walk had expressed a desire to lengthen the route.  On finishing the walk last Sunday however, they said that although it had been amazing, most people had found it very tough.  Next year they would probably shorten it.  They said that with a shorter route, more hikers would be able finish, and the group wouldn’t have to split up.

For more information about LMA and their refugio project, e-mail losmoralicos@gmail.com or search for, “Los Moralicos Turre,” on Facebook.