The route to the guns from Mazarrón has a small but hilly detour which takes you to an excellent view point up by the aerials. Unfortunately, it was a little misty today so the views were a bit hazy, but stunning nonetheless.
Returning from the aerials, we took the road to the right which led us to the Gun Emplacements at Castillitos. Rather than returning via Mazarrón we headed back through Cartegena, a more direct route on roads that were a lot better than we had thought.
These large guns were constructed between 1926 and 1933 as part of a sophisticated defence network which aimed to protect Cartagena and its important military arsenal. 44 elements covered every angle of attack and batteries were constructed in a ring which encircled Cartagena and out along the coast as part of the Plan de Defensa of 1926.
The guns, made in the UK by Vickers, were the best in the world for anti-shipping defence at this time, and had a 35km firing range.
There are 2 different batteries at Cabo Tiñoso, La bateria del Jorel, which houses three 1923 model Vickers 152.4mm, 45 calibre anti-shipping guns, and the Bateria de Castillitos which has the enormous Vickers 381mm guns still in place, measuring 17 metres in length, which could fire a projectile weighing a ton over a distance of 35 km.
