Lorca beaches: Puntas de Calnegre

Popular restaurants right next to the sea at the longest beach in Lorca

In general terms it is fair to say that most of the 8-kilometre coastline of the municipality of Lorca consists of rocky cliffs and a series of beaches and coves, some of which are spectacularly picturesque but most of them also rather remote and, in some cases, inaccessible.

However, there is one notable exception at the north-eastern end of the Lorca coastline, and this is the beach of Puntas de Calnegre. In 2017 the neighbouring cove of the same name became one of the latest additions to the list of beaches in the Region of Murcia to boast the prestigious Blue Flag award, reflecting water quality, cleanliness, beach services and other aspects, and some of the reflected glory of this considerable achievement has fallen on the seafront in the village of Puntas de Calnegre, which has traditionally been treated as something of a backwater of the Costa Cálida.

Puntas de Calnegre is next to the boundary between Lorca and Mazarrón, and just south of the long beach of Parazuelos in the neighbouring municipality, but it does not have much more in common with Parazuelos. For a start, this beach is actually in the middle of a built-up area – albeit only a very small village – to the extent that the five beach-front restaurants all back right out onto the sand and stones of the beach itself.

These restaurants do a roaring trade not only during July and August but also at weekends throughout the year, and no-one should imagine that they are a secret kept to themselves by Spanish visitors: that might have been the case in the past, but now the non-Spaniards have found out about Puntas de Calnegre and it is possible to hear a wide variety of languages being spoken on the outdoor terraces!

The beach itself measures 1.1 kilometres in length and just 30 metres in breadth, and while the water is clean there is a fairly steep slope initially when entering the Mediterranean. The surface consists mainly of stones although there are some areas of sand along its length, particularly after heading a short distance north-eastwards out of the village.

Among the facilities at the beach of Puntas de Calnegre are the summer lifeguard service, the wooden walkways leading down to the water, the information boards and signposting, the accessibility, the provision of temporary toilet facilities during the summer, foot showers, the proximity of the restaurants, a children’s play area and regular beach cleaning. While of course while Puntas de Calnegre is still a long way short of major urban beaches in other, larger coastal towns in terms of the services provided, this is offset by the almost unique location and character of the village.

Apart from the restaurant there are just a couple of small shops, a tiny church (at which Mass is held every Saturday during the summer) and a well-appointed youth hostel which makes it possible to hike down to this part of the Costa Cálida and stay for a few nights, exploring the coastline.

How to get to Puntas de Calnegre

Puntas de Calnegre is on the RM-D-21 road which loops south from the RM-332 between Mazarrón and Águilas, and which end of the loop drivers take will depend on where they are approaching from.

Those coming from Águilas are advised to take the AP-7 motorway heading towards Cartagena and exit at kilometre 857, from where it is relatively simple to follow the signs to Puntas de Calnegre. Anyone with time on their hands and a strong desire to avoid motorway toll charges will prefer the RM-332, although this will take considerably longer: again, Puntas de Calnegre is signposted shortly before reaching Ramonete.

Anyone heading to this beach from Mazarrón, on the other hand, is likely to prefer taking the RM-D21 at the other end, and approaching Puntas de Calnegre via Cañada de Gallego. This takes drivers on a trip through the tomato-growing greenhouse fields of the Mazarrón countryside before hitting the coast in time to follow the beach of Parazuelos and enter the village from the north.

For more local information visit the home page of Lorca Today.