Cartagena, Cenizas and Negrete Military Batteries

Cartagena Spain, The Cenizas Battery and Negrete Anti-aircraft Battery

Cartagena military batteries

These are within a very short drive of the La Chapa Battery (click La Chapa) which is just down the road in the Bay of Portmán, so it is easy to visit all three locations in one morning.

As a sheltered bay with valuable mineral deposits, Cartagena was an important strategical location and the doorway to inland and sea trade. Occupied by a succession of cultures, the city has been coveted and attacked for centuries, and throughout the years had developed a succession of fortifications which were modified continuously as technology changed the face of warfare.

The first World War, 1914-1918, resulted in huge technological advances, which rendered Cartagenas’ defences obsolete and in 1926, the Plan de Defensa para bases navales de 1926 called for the construction of a new defence system, comprising a total of 44 elements surrounding Cartagena, giving it full protection against attacks from air, land and sea.

The Cenizas Battery was built between 1930 and 1934, the major part of the construction being the access which leads up from the road below, which had to be cleared, cut and re-enforced in order to bring up the massive Vickers 381mm guns, designed to keep enemy shipping away from the coastline.

These landed in Portmán Bay prior to the open-cast mining which silted up the bay we see today and were brought along the back of the bay on a specially built rail track before being dragged up the hill by teams of mules.

Weighing 88,000 kilos each, the two guns were built in the Vickers-Armstrong factory in Sheffield in 1923, and their massive 18.6 metre gun barrels were capable of firing a projectile which weighed nearly a ton, for a distance of 35 km.

In total , 4 of these guns were purchased, 2 placed on this side of Cartagena and the others at Cabo Tinosa on the Mazarron side of Cartagena. ( Click for Castillitos Cabo Tinosa)

When the Spanish Civil War took place between 1936 and 1939, the battery was in service and operational.

Although the Vickers Guns themselves were never called into service, they were instrumental in deterring the nationalist fleet from attacking Cartagena which was in the hands of the II Republican government.

The battery remained in active service until 1994 when it was officially decommissioned and since then has fallen into a sad state of repair.

It’s still owned by the MOD, although works are underway to clear it up and rehabilitate for leisure visits, but visitors are left to wander around the ruins of the gun emplacements , munitions stores below and military accommodation at will. The 2 Vickers are still in place and have recently been repainted to clear up the graffiti which defaced them formerly.

Below the guns are munition stores and the operational buildings, all built in a neoclassical modernist style, which was popularly used in Cartagena during the 1930’s.

Arriving at the entrance to the main gate, which is a most extraordinary structure in its’ own right and believed to have been inspired by Mayan ruins, visitors have the option of going straight up to the Cenizas battery, or following a right hand track which leads to the Negrete anti-aircraft battery, which is about 300 metres further along the track.

The Negrete Battery

The First World War proved how lethal air warfare could be, and Cartagena realized it was extremely vulnerable to attack from above. Air bombardment was one of the main motivations for the upgrading of the defence system in the 1926 plan, and the anti-aircraft batteries were an essential element of the plan.

This Negrete battery protected not only the Cenizas Battery, but also the La Chapa Battery at Portman and was fitted with four Vickers 105mm, 45 calibre Vickers anti-aircraft guns, which had a range of nearly 13km.

This battery was very busy during the Spanish civil war, during which 2 of the pieces were dismantled and moved to Sierra Gorda and Los Dolores, then in 1952 the remaining 2 pieces also went to Los Dolores.

After this the site was decommissioned and left to fall into disrepair.

Access to the Batteries

The batteries are high up on the Monte de las Cinezas, which today is in included within a protected natural park area, via the original military road.

This site can only be reached by foot, which is approximately a 40 minute walk via the road, which slopes gently upwards through pine forests, pleasantly shading the route on all but the hottest of days.Its a good walk and a steady climb but is well worth the effort as the guns are such an iconic photo opportunity.

From the MU-312, take the exit for the La Manga Club, then drive on straight through the club, heading for Portman. The road widens out with a green cycle lane, and the main entrance is just past the sign for Llano del Beal.

However, there is no parking at the actual entrance, so take the right hand turn for Llano del Beal and there is a good sized car park on the left hand side.

From here it’s a 3km walk up the hill to the Battery. Click for rough map, Cenizas Battery

Please note, there are no services at the batteries and it is necessary to carry water and wear strong, practical shoes.

The route up to the guns is actually signposted as a senderismo route, the GR92, and is extremely popular with Spanish walkers, so is surprisingly busy, but it does afford some spectacular views out across Portman and the La Manga Club, and is a thoroughly enjoyable walk for walkers in its’ own right.

Would we recommend it?

If you’re fit enough this is a lovely walk, with an interesting conclusion, fabulous views and is perfect for a summers evening or a place to take a picnic in the winter months.

It’s also a great way of getting some bracing exercise in the early morning before collapsing onto the beach at Portman just down the road and is popular with mountain bikers who can lift their bikes over the entrance chain at the bottom. At the nearby beach there is a small marina with restaurant, very popular with weekenders, or several bars and restaurants in Portmán itself. The La Chapa guns can easily be visited from the marina.