La Rambla

In Spanish, the name rambla means an intermittent water flow, and is derived from the Arabic 'ramla' which means 'sandy riverbed'. However, La Rambla is most commonly known as the tree lined pedestrian walkway in central Barcelona. It’s the center of tourism and social time there.


Some Spanish cities have ramblas similar to Barcelona’s and we’ve discovered they were originally a dry sandy riverbed-that actually carried runoff during the heavy rains. We understand the modern pedestrian walkways were constructed over these old riverbeds and they now have drainage built under them.

Las Negras has a rambla too! But it’s the original dry riverbed that is still necessary for runoff from the surrounding mountains.


Tom tells us this rambla is said to run every ten years. A few weeks before we arrived there were heavy rains and the rambla (which runs right next to Tom and Carlos’ house) had two feet of runoff in it. It was dry when we arrived but with all of the rain we’ve had in the past few days we have seen a trickle in it.

It is the perfect place for an easy desert hike and it happens to be Daisy’s favorite place to run. (Here we can let her off leash!) She runs circles around us and after about a 30-45 minute hike she naps and is ready again in a couple of hours.

The hike through la rambla is beautiful! From a distance it can look like a wasteland but up close it is teaming with life. Even though we have seen a few small birds (and one time Daisy flushed some partridge) and we hear there is wild boar (although we haven’t seen them), there doesn't seem to be much in terms of fauna. I’m not sure if there is more fauna at other times of the year but this time of the year it is mostly flora….wild thyme, sage and lavender everywhere!


There are not that many cacti but the few that are here are mostly spineless. Other then the areas near houses there are NO trees. Twice now I have heard that 500 years ago a squirrel could travel from this coast to Madrid (five hours by car) without touching the forest floor….not any more.



A bit up the rambla it splits in two. At the divide you can climb up a slight hill to a plateau where there is evidence of a local shepherd; sheep “berries” on the ground and a holding pen/corral built into the rocky hillside. I’m not sure what those sheep eat up here and I certainly could not tell you where they get a drink but the views of the Sea are fabuloso!