Most Dangerous Walkaway In The World
El Caminito del Rey or The King’s Little Path, often regarded as the
most dangerous walkway in the world, is located along the walls of El
Chorro, a gorge in southern Spain near the village of Álora.
Construction of the walkway was started in 1901 when it became apparent
that workers at the hydroelectric power plants at Chorro Falls and
Gaitanejo Falls needed a mean to cross between the falls, to provide for
transport of materials, and for the inspection and maintenance of the
channel. The walkway was completed in 1905, but the inauguration did not
take place until 1921 when Spanish King Alfonso XIII crossed it and the
walkway’s been called The King’s Pathway since.
The walkway is
one meter (3 feet and 3 inches) in width, and rises over 100 meters (350
feet) above the river below. Constructed of concrete resting on steel
rails supported by stanchions at around 45 degrees into the rock face,
it is currently in a highly deteriorated state and there are numerous
sections where part or all of the concrete top has collapsed. The result
is large open air gaps that are bridged only by narrow steel beams or
other support fixtures. Very few of the original handrails exist but a
safety-wire runs the length of the path. This has however turned El
Caminito del Rey into an extreme vacations attraction and crossing the
whole is an adventure sport for tourists. The walkway is over 3
kilometers long.
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