La Union, Portman Bay and Cenizas

This an "interesting" rather than scenic outing, showing the environmental damage that can be done by uncontrolled industry, and a visit to some abandoned military installations.

To travel from Mazarron you need to pass through Cartagena and take the road to La Union. You can either follow the motorway or the old N-332.

Old Market - La Union 

La Union is an interesting small town with a history of mining - there is a Museum of Mining there and the Old Market has splendid architecture. The name of the town comes from an amalgamation (union) of the villages of El Garbanzal, Herreriás, Portman and Roche when in 1859 they decided to form their own municipality with independence from Cartagena. There is a very popular fiesta in August when mining choirs from all over Spain arrive for the Festival Nacional del Cante de las Minas. Recent years have attracted an international attendance.

From La Union take the winding road to Portman which will take you through an ugly science fiction landscape of abandoned mines. At Portman Bay you will see the environmental damage which successive uncaring administrations allowed when profit exceeded all other considerations. The Bay is almost entirely silted up with mining residue, and the local fishermen are forced to use a small channel to the East of the Bay. There have been many proposals in recent years to clean up Portman Bay but so far little has been done.

Follow the road through Portman and out of the village towards Llano de Beal; the road rises and after approximately 1·5Km there is a gateway and gravel road to the right. This is the best point to embark on an exploration of Cenizas nature reserve and the route to the abandoned coastal battery of the same name.

The track has an easy gradient but as it's of rough stone chips is hard underfoot and stout footwear is needed. The climb takes about 45 minutes before you reach the guns.

The ornate entrance to Cenizas Battery

These monster guns were put here as part of the coastal defences of Cartagena in the early 1930s and are the twin to a similar (but larger) abandoned defence installation at Cabo Tiñoso.

One of the two Vickers 381mm coastal cannons at Cenizas

Munitions were stored in two magazines under the guns and apparently used a miniature railway system and crane to lift them to the firing point.

The whole site has been badly defaced and vandalised. Here are some aircraft recognition markings - very few of such artifacts remain.

Mazarron.com