The Camino de Santiago reaches Ribera de Abajo; nearby hikes offer a different experience, with circular routes, viewpoints and eroded rambla landscapes. The selection therefore ranges from a route that continues beyond the town to walks with their own destination or landscape focus. This gives you a choice of different types of route for your stay, without treating circular walks and continuing stages as the same thing.

The Camino de Santiago: the sequence of stops

After following the RM-560, the Camino de Santiago reaches Ribera de Abajo. From there, it continues to Ribera de Arriba and then to El Salgar. Beyond El Salgar, the route leaves the river and heads to the Ermita de la Consolación; the stage ends in Molina de Segura. Ribera de Abajo is therefore a point between arriving in the town and reaching the next stops in the sequence described. The sequence of place names gives you a clear point of reference when considering the route beyond Ribera de Abajo.

Hikes between the viewpoint and the rambla

An easy hike in the area links the Mirador de Agridulce, Ribera de Molina and the Vía Verde del Noroeste. Its stated length is 6.54 kilometres. Another route starts in Ribera de Abajo and follows a circular trail along the Rambla de los García, passing eroded, layered rock walls before reaching Cabezo Blanco. There, 360-degree panoramas await. By comparison, the first hike links several named points, while the circular route focuses on the rambla trail and the viewpoint.

Another hike in the area follows the bed of the Rambla de Talón. The path runs between eroded walls and small water-formed steps in the stream bed; on the north side of the rambla, it passes numerous individual cork oaks on the slope. As well as panoramic views, the route features distinctive geological formations and vegetation. Check the route and current terrain and water conditions before setting out.

For mountain biking, Tramo 1 MarchaCaravaca RECCE is a moderate, one-way route from Ribera de Abajo to Mula. A route recording from December 2023 gives its distance as 36.58 kilometres. This is quite different from the 6.54-kilometre easy hike: the figures refer to different activities, and the cycling route is explicitly described as one-way.

Soto de la Hijuela riverside area

The municipal Soto de la Hijuela riverside area underwent ecological improvements in 1999. It has poplars, tamarisks and elms. Public amenities nearby include tables, benches, a children's play area, rubbish bins and information boards, as well as a riverside viewpoint. The trees and river views offer a different focus from the eroded rambla trails. As the amenities may change, it is a good idea to check their condition before visiting.

The Vía Verde and landscapes across the municipality

The Vía Verde del Noroeste links Murcia and Caravaca de la Cruz along a former railway line. In the municipality of Molina de Segura, the Murcia–Baños de Mula section leads from the fertile Huertas of the Vega del Segura to badlands, or barren wastelands. Within the municipality, the Vía Verde also passes through La Ribera and Torrealta, goes by Estación de Molina and Huerta de Arriba, crosses the Segura and continues to Alguazas. This gives a picture of the route in its municipal context, both through its changing landscapes and the sequence of named places.

Discover more destinations: Portman, Puntas De Calnegre, Valladolises, Caravaca De La Cruz, Aljucer, Hoya Hermosa, El Albujón, El Esparragal.

For the broader travel overview: Murcia.