Lorca beaches: Playa Larga
A long wild beach on the unspoilt coast north of Cabo Cope
Playa Larga is the one of the series of beaches and coves which lie along the coastline of Lorca and Águilas to the north of the imposing headland of Cabo Cope, and is especially popular among those who are seeking a quiet location in which to enjoy the Mediterranean and the sunshine away from the distractions of built-up resorts and large crowds during the summer months.
The beach, which is actually the south-westernmost in Lorca and reaches the boundary with Águilas, extends over a length of some 600 metres and is protected by a low cliff-face behind it, but is never much more than 5 metres wide: there is no danger of facing a long walk to the water’s edge! Mainly composed of thick dark sand or fine gravelly pebbles, it offers relatively calm bathing on most days, although it is not protected by any headlands and the waves can become quite rough at times.
Due to its nature Playa Larga tends to attract “wild” beachgoers of the type who may arrive in a motorhome with the idea of staying all day, or even overnight, and who often dispense with formalities such as swimwear. This is not an officially designated nudist beach – as of summer 2018 Lorca's only nudist beach is La Junquera – but despite this visitors should be aware that it is not uncommon to encounter sunbathers chasing that elusive all-over tan, although this is rarer in the height of summer!
So rural is the area that it is also possible to find the occasional goat wandering along the cliff path, and this affinity with wildlife is doubtless one of the reasons for Playa Larga having been named a dog-freindly beach for the summer of 2018!
As is to be expected at such an unspoilt location, there are no lifeguards or other services at Playa Larga, other than a couple of rubbish bins along the length of the cliff-top path behind it (all users are requested to make use of these, or to take litter away with them when they leave, in order to protect the natural environment). Similarly, access from the path is not easy: at most points it is necessary to make one’s way down from the path without the aid of any staircase, and those with mobility problems of any kind will find it extremely hard to do so.
However, beachgoers who make the effort are rewarded with a rare taste of what the wilder parts of the Spanish Mediterranean coast might still look like had it not been for the advent of mass tourism, and can enjoy a day away from it all with nothing but the sounds, sights and smells of nature for company.
How to get to Playa Larga
It is possible to reach the southernmost beach of Lorca in many ways – by boat, for example, or on foot (the GR-92 walking route follows this stretch of the coastline) - but for those arriving by car the simplest route, although not the shortest, takes beachgoers on a small detour of the agricultural land which lies behind the coast.
Those reaching the area along the AP-7 motorway should take the exit at kilometre 866 and at first follow the signs along the RM-D14 road towards Calabardina and Águilas. After just over a kilometre there is a petrol station on the left, and at this point a sharp left turn is required onto a narrow but tarmacked track which leads off into the countryside: keep the bar-restaurant at the junction on your right!
After around 1.5 kilometres the road bends round to the left (it is possible at this point to take a rougher track to the right down towards the coast, but the surface is smoother following the road) and leads to the small village of El Cantar. At the entry to the village is a right fork which takes vehicles right down to the coast 2km away: this is officially named the CRS-24-96 track, but unfortunately not all of the signposts are in good repair!
On arrival at the coast there is parking space for a couple of dozen cars next to an abandoned building which stands looking out over the Mediterranean: one option is to leave the car parked here, and head down to Playa Larga (on the right) on foot.
Alternatively, approximately 100 metres before reaching the parking area there is another (unsurfaced) track which leads off to the right and allows vehicles to be parked even closer to the beach. However, there are no obvious parking areas here, and it may be necessary to leave the car perched on a rocky outcrop or on rough ground alongside the path.
For more local information visit the home page of Lorca Today.
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