Recovery of an Abandoned Singular Infrastructure as a Key Factor for Regional Sustainable Development; A Study Case: “ El Caminito del Rey ” [“The King’s Little Path”]

Although the realm of sustainable development has been sharply associated with energy savings and a decrease in contamination, the concept deserves a much more comprehensive approach. Sustainable development, as the only respectful and safe way to progress, involves—besides the mentioned rational use of energy and resources—a broad variety of economic, technical, cultural, and behavioral issues. In this context, the total or partial recovery of abandoned singular infrastructure facilities for alternative uses (leisure time activities for human welfare) is to be considered an original, interesting, and efficient approach. In this research, the so-called “ El Caminito del Rey ” [The King’s Little Path] will be studied as a paradigmatic model of successful achievement. The path is located in Málaga, South of Spain, and was originally built to provide access to a hydroelectric power plant. Due to the construction of new routes, the track and walkways were progressively abandoned. The recovery enterprise was conceived in the framework of circular economy-based planning and with full respect to environmental requirements. The facts and figures that will be presented and analyzed will show that when the project is thoroughly designed and carefully implemented, the rehabilitation of obsolete infrastructure facilities located in natural spaces is suitable, feasible, and profitable. Prudent and rational use of these assets for alternative purposes (human welfare through rural tourism and open-air activities) may be fruitful not only in economic terms but also in environmental, cultural, and social ones. The main objective of the current work is to demonstrate that obsolete abandoned facilities can be rehabilitated into worthwhile amenities that may turn into key factors for the sustainable development of determined rural areas. Moreover, the “ El Caminito del Rey ” experience could represent a model for similar development projects.