SEAFRONT WALK FROM SANTA POLA TO LA MARINA

Hi Steven,

I often do the walk from La Marina to Santa Pola. Once you have reached the end of the beach at Santa Pola the easiest route is along the beach all the way to La Marina. When you pass the salt mounds which are slightly inland you will have to roll your trousers up as you will need to cross a water inlet that takes salt water from the sea to the salt lakes. It’s not that deep, up to your knees, but there can be quite a fast run on the water so beware if you have any young children with you.

You could also take another route across the waste land as you lease Santa Pola that will take you next to the salt mounds and then past the Spanish black bull, you can then cut back to the beach or walk along the main N332.

It’s a very long walk but on a nice day it’s lovely.

Enjoy, and I hope this info helps

Bryan

Hello Steve,

I walk from Santa Pola to the end of the salt mounds, where all the fishermen stand every morning and have been sizing up the distance to La Marina for a while now. My fear is that once I get there I will not have the energy to come back.

Yesterday, I asked one of the fishermen about the walk and Bryan has confirmed their information. I was specifically asked about distance as this is difficult to estimate. Their experience was that it takes one hour from the end of the mounds, where they stand fishing,  to La Mariana so from Santa Pola it should take about 90 minutes in total. A return walk should be about 3 hours, which is really the same as starting on the mounds walking all the way to the East of Santa Pola and back.

Bryan, do you know if there is a bus I can get back should I decide to get one on my first walk? I used to walk the whole of the sea front, that is from the salt mounds to "La Cadena" the Eastern most point, along the walk and back. Nowadays, walking all the way to La Marina and back, feels like a bit much, at least for a first attempt. 

Look forward to any further information.

Sally

Hi, there is a bus that runs from La Marina, old town, not the urbanisation, that takes you to the bus station in Santa Pola. The bus starts at Cartagena and follows the N332 stopping at La Marina at the La Marina Camping or at the main town. There is a cafe next to the bus stop which if you have to wait can resolve the boredom. I’m not sure but I think the bus company is Costazul, it may be worth a Google to find out their time table.

I hope this helps a little. It is a lovely walk and use the time to look for shells that get washed up.

Hi Bryan and Sally,

Thanks to you both for the most informative of replies, it's more than helpful to know before we set-off that the walk is doable and open to the public. Have you any recommendations for a 'meal of the day' in La Marina before catching the bus back. I'll let you know how the day goes on our return to the UK.

Thanks again for the info.

Regards, Steven

Hi Steven

When you arrive at La Marina beach there is a restaurant on the beach, if it’s still open or closed for the winter, that serves acceptable meals.

However if you are able to take the road up to the La Marina camp site, just before the campsite there are two very good restaurants, one German and the other Spanish/British. I can recommend either of these place as I’ve never had any problems with the food. If you fancy Tapas then you can go into the camp site and eat there, it’s not expensive and a reasonable choice.

The last option is the cafe next to the bus stop in La Marina, serves Spanish food and again not bad.

Mind you everybody has their favourite eating house, if you ask when you are there you should get some good pointers.

Enjoy you stay and I look forward to hearing about your experience on your return.

Kind regards

Bryan

thanks again Bryan,

i look forward to finding and trying one of the mentioned establishments... cheers and regards, Steven

Hello Bryan,

Thank you for the information. It has been very helpful.

If you don't mind, I would like to ask for two more bits of information so that I can plan my walk. You said that

" You could also take another route across the waste land as you lease Santa Pola that will take you next to the salt mounds and then past the Spanish black bull, you can then cut back to the beach or walk along the main N332.".

How much time/distance add onto the walk? Is it a long way out of the way?

Secondly, I know there are two La Marinas, the urbanisation and the town. I have never been to either but can see them both as I walk to the mounds. Are they very far apart? I don't want to be stranded at the end of a long walk, not being able to take another step and having to walk all the way back. This has only ever happened to me once, many years ago, so want to plan until I become familiar with the distances.

The recommendation of the establishments was also very helpful as going into one might be part of pacing myself on my first walk.

As for picking up sea shells, I will look out for them. Yesterday, I picked up a handful of broken glass along the way, about fifteen pieces.  I love to see the variety of bird life.  I see a heron in the same spot every morning.

Thank you, again.

All the best

Sally

Hi Sally,

There is no real difference in distance between walking across the waste land in preference to walking along the beach. If you walk along the waste land you will hit private land, keep left and it will take you onto the beach. It was a choice one day to go across the waste land as i wanted to see the salt mounds and I was also on my bike. You can cycle along the beach if you stick to the water line as the sand is hard and you won’t sink.

With regard to the two La Marina towns. The old town is on the side of the beach and the urbanisation will mean that you will have to cross the N332. As to distance between the two. I often catch the bus from Alicante and get off at the La Marina Camping. If you walk in the direction towards Guadamar you will come to the Chinese shop, at this roundabout turn right you will see Lidi in front of you, walk along the road for about 1 mile. You are now at the bottom of the urbanisation, you will have to walk up the hill at any of the road and you will eventually come to the shops. The walk from the camping to Lidl takes about half and hour and the about 45  minutes to 1 hour to walk to the shops. 

There is another route from the beach to the urbanisation using the road by the beach restaurant. It may be worth asking for the directions from someone at the beach.

I hope this helps

Bryan

Hello Bryan,

Thank you ever so much for your helpful information - with it, I feel confident about going on the walk.  I will follow the directions and your advice, and venture out next week.  I really appreciate your messages because without them, I might have had to have learned the hard way - sore feet and a painful walk back home.  

All the very best.

Sally