Sunny Walkers 131019: Bolonia-Faro de Camarinal-Playa del Canuelo

This hike starts in the beautiful coastal village of Bolonia overlooking the equally beautiful Playa de Bolonia caressed by the Atlantic Ocean.
The beach is about 3.8 kilometres (2.4 mi) in length, with an average width of about 70 metres.
Bolonia is situated on the headland of Punta Camarinal with views that will take your breath away. This place is so secluded, bordered as it is by hills and national parkland, that when we say it is unspoilt, it really is! The Parque Natural del Estrecho, part of the intercontinental Biosphere Reserve of the Mediterranean, surrounds the area.

The hike takes you West along the beautiful boardwalk at the rear of the beach past the ruins of the Roman town of Baelo Claudia considered to be the most complete Roman town ruins yet uncovered in Spain.
Superbly uncovered and preserved, these ancient ruins are a fine example of the brilliance of Roman town planning. This famous archaeological discovery suggests that the link with tuna and other fishing in this area, along with trade across the straits and with North Africa, have all been in existence for thousands of years.
Throughout the hike you’ll pass a number of Old Roman quarries exploited during the first century to build the 5.7 Km long aqueduct from Punta Paloma wellspring to the old Roman village of Baelo Claudia in Bolonia Bay, Tarifa municipality, Cadiz province, Andalusia.
Near the main quarry, located at top of the hillside, there are some minor quarrys at lower level exploiting smaller outcrops of the same rock: a bioclastic, conglomeratic, calcareous sandstone of Early Pliocene age.

The quarries supplied carved sandstone elongated blocks with U section for aqueduct gutters, square formats for structural building, cylindrical blocks for columns, and the essential calcite to make lime mortar used for joints and interior watertight coating of the channel.

Karstic (ambient temperature) calcite is found filling some collapsed clefts and occasionally in vugs lined by crystals up to 10 cm. This calcite is quite fluorescent under LW UV, glowing in yellow or bright orange depending if it is interior material (fresh fracture) or external (long term exposed to sunlight).

Progressing along we come to the end of the boardwalk and start to climb through the pine forest continuing on the path towards the Camarinal Lighthouse where we have amazing views towards the beaches of Los Alemanes and Canuelo a secluded beach often occupied by naturists.
From here we make our way down to the beautiful Playa Canuelo for a swim and lunch.
From here we continue along the beach picking up the trail that circumnavigates the military camp all the way back to Bolonia with a stroll along the beach to finish with a nice cold beer or what ever takes your fancy.

If freedom and tranquility are what you desire then you must come to Bolonia. The beaches, waters and the views of Africa, demand nothing of you but your presence. Relax! Let the wind blow your cares away on these sandy shores.