The massive defile of El Chorro's signature feature 'The Gorge' is one of Andalucia's most famous landmarks, made all the more significant by the Walkway (or Camino del Rey - King's Path) the narrow man-made walkway that clings to the walls of the Gorge. The Walkway was built in around 1905 to enable access and inspection to the workings in the Gorge and named after the visit of King Alfonso XIII in around 1921. Over the years the Walkway has fallen into disrepair and some sections have disappeared or been removed. For climbers the Walkway has become one of the great attractions of El Chorro since it offers an atmospheric approach to many of the routes, and adds dizzing exposure to the climbing right from the first move. Despite these attractions, the climbing focus in El Chorro has moved away from the Gorge in recent years and many of the routes are becoming neglected although the best climbs still see ascents, especially in hot weather. The two big multi-pitch classics of Africa and Zeppelin remain as popular as they have ever been.
Routes
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94 sport routes (5...8c+) Graded List of Routes List of First Ascents |         | ||
| Buttress (click for routes) | No. of Routes | Route Type | Sunshine or shade |
Approach walk | Other | Page |
| Pasarela de los Venenos The smooth, vertical wall at the mouth of the Gorge is bisected by the start of the Walkway. All of... |
15 | Sport |
Sun to mid-afternoon |
Up and down 12 mins |
110 | |
| Los Venenos A large and rambling, off-vertical wall that has a handful of reasonable multi-pitch climbs on... |
6 | Trad and Sport |
Sun to mid-afternoon |
Up and down 12 mins |
111 | |
| Sector Santimonia This sector was one of the first sections of the Gorge to be developed but it is now very quite and... |
15 | Sport |
Morning sun |
Up and down 15 mins |
112 | |
| Sector Jauja and Las Guiris The two sectors are both shady and offer hard wall climbing. Although both of these areas were... |
10 | Sport |
No sun |
Up and down 17 mins |
Windy | 113 |
| Africa Wall Directly opposite Sector Santimonia is an enormous wall cut with vertical crack systems that point... |
6 | Trad |
Early morning sun |
Up and down 15 mins |
Windy | 114 |
| El Recodo This superb and atmospheric wall gives the most accessible and developed climbing in the Gorge. It... |
37 | Sport |
No sun |
Up and down 20 mins |
116 | |
| Sector Zeppelin The largest section of wall in the Gorge is opposite El Recodo. The most obvious features of the... |
5 | Trad and Sport |
Sun to mid-afternoon |
Up and down 30 mins |
Windy | 119 |
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