The network of Natural Trails in Spain has established itself as a benchmark for quality alternative tourism

The acting Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, has highlighted the evolution of the network of Natural Trails in Spain which, since its creation in 1993, has contributed to the revitalisation of rural areas to become a benchmark for alternative quality tourism. In addition, old communication routes have been recovered and given public use.

Planas closed an event celebrating the 30 years of this program, which took place at the ministry’s headquarters. In his speech, he explained the three main objectives of the program: promoting healthy mobility of body and spirit, developing alternative tourism to the classic sun and beach, and contributing to the need to preserve our natural environment.

With an invested budget of 270 million euro, partially financed by European funds, the minister has indicated that traveling this network responds to the social demand for alternative tourist services of a sporting, cultural, gastronomic nature and contact with nature. At the same time, it implies supporting the development of the local economy through the employment opportunities that are generated.

In total, there are 130 itineraries and more than 10,700 kilometres, which run through all the autonomous communities, which are prepared to be done on foot or by bicycle, since 60% of its network has characteristics ideal for the practice of cycle tourism.

The minister recalled how at the beginning this initiative aimed to rehabilitate old railway lines or disused tracks so that they could serve as tourist routes, such as the Carrilet (Girona), the first route built in 1993 and which came into operation four years later.

Little by little, interest and demand increased – and so did public investment – until historic roads, livestock trails, public land rights of way, footpaths and towpaths (which run along the banks of the canals and ditches), were included.

The turning point took place in 2009, when actions focused on the main axes of the network. Firstly, with the launch of the Ebro Natural Trail, a path that accompanies this great river for more than 1,300 kilometres, and later with other routes.

The minister explained that the recovery of these old road networks has made it possible to offer routes of exceptional natural and landscape quality, while contributing to the sustainable development of rural areas in its triple aspect, social, economic and environmental. And although the main attraction of this program is the natural heritage, Planas has highlighted that in many areas the cultural and historical aspects are also relevant, in addition to facilitating the discovery of our magnificent gastronomy.

Nature trails for everyone

Natural paths offer leisure for everyone that promotes, in the words of Planas, “healthy mobility of the body and spirit. We are talking about our ability to stay healthy by walking or cycling and also to refresh our heads.” They are routes, he has pointed out, that lead us to know our territory better and to discover, sometimes, lesser-known areas and parts. An experience that “not only allows us to see, but also to feel. And that is why it contributes to something fundamental such as knowing ourselves.”

Planas has highlighted that the ministry is making efforts to make the roads increasingly accessible and diversify the possibilities to reach a larger audience. Thus, the minister recalled that, in collaboration with the ONCE Foundation, work is being done to ensure that at least part of the roads are passable by those people who have the most difficulties accessing tourism offers and moving through natural environments. A technical accessibility guide is now available, edited by the ministry in collaboration with this foundation, which offers guidelines for action aimed at generating friendlier, more appropriate and safer spaces for all people.

In addition, the program actively collaborates in the development of the state strategy in favour of safer and more sustainable mobility by bicycle, and works on the creation of a national network of bicycle routes, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda. In fact, some of the routes of the Nature Trails connect with the routes of the cross-border network of Eurovelo cycling routes, which allows links with the paths taken by cyclists throughout Europe.

This initiative, a pioneer of the Government, is in continuous growth and improvement. In the first stage, the roads were less than 50 kilometres long, with the actions being widely dispersed throughout the territory. Subsequent interventions were aimed at configuring what is today a single network at the national level. Currently working on these strategic axes:

• Camino Natural Vía de la Plata
• Camino Natural Santander-Mediterráneo
• Caminos que discurren por los grandes ríos
• Camino Natural vertiente sur del Pirineo
• Camino Natural Guadix-Almendricos
• Camino Natural del antiguo ferrocarril Baeza-Utiel

The post The network of Natural Trails in Spain has established itself as a benchmark for quality alternative tourism appeared first on Spain Today – Breaking Spanish News, Sport, and Information.