With 763 steps to descend, do you have the legs for one of the most spectacularly located lighthouses in Spain?

At the entrance to the bay of Santoña and the Parque Natural de las Marismas de Santoña, Victoria and Joyel, at the foot of the cliffs of Monte Buciero - a 600-hectare peninsula that conserves the best patch of Cantabrian holm oak forest in the country - stands the Faro del Caballo (or horse lighthouse in English), one of the most spectacular picture-postcard shots of the Cantabria region in the north of Spain.

This lighthouse, which takes its name from the Alto del Caballo, the highest point in the area, began operating on 31 August 1863. In the early days the building was divided into two blocks, the first was the lighthouse keeper's house and the other was the lighthouse tower itself. The house had a rectangular layout with two floors and a façade of square-cut, dressed masonry that has been plastered and whitewashed. The tower is cylindrical in shape and the lantern, now removed, was located in the upper part of a glazed structure with a prismatic, glazed, hemispherical covering. It is topped by a narrow passageway on the outside secured by a metal railing. The lantern top stands 24 metres above sea level and 13.36 metres above ground level.

In 1993 the lighthouse stopped working and suffered several acts of vandalism, which led to the demolition of the lighthouse keeper's house a year later. In 2013 the inmates of El Dueso penitentiary centre refurbished the surroundings and the steps as part of the Nácar (Nature and Prison) project.

Due to the rugged terrain, this magical viewpoint can only be reached on foot via a flight of steps - all 763 of them. If the sea is calm, it is also possible to walk down to the water via a further flight of 111 steps. Swimming is not allowed in this area as it is dangerous, but it is very common to see people jumping into the water.

To reach this lighthouse that stands below some steep cliffs, you can choose one of the different walks available.

The trail from Santoña to the lighthouse, which starts at the church of Santa María del Puerto, passes by the Fort of San Martín (originally more of a battery than a fort, equipped with four cannons and named after the shrine that previously existed on the site) and then by the viewpoint of La Punta or Peña del Frail , a place with spectacular views of the area where you can, of course, enjoy great panoramic views. This route is only 3.86 kilometres long, but with a gradient of 475 metres it is classed as medium difficulty. The estimated walking time is about 80 minutes.

Another option is the trail that leaves Santoña and passes through El Dueso and Berria beach, which stretches for 2,200 metres between Mount Brusco to the west and the Buciero massif to the east, then on past the Faro del Pescador, a working lighthouse that was lit for the first time on 1 February 1864, eventually reaching the Faro del Caballo. This route is 6.31 kilometres long, with a gradient of 540 metres and thus also of medium difficulty.

Finally, there is the circular route, which is 10.17 kilometres long, with a cumulative difference in altitude of 1,015 metres and of medium difficulty. This option combines the two previous routes to cover all the points of interest in the area. The average time is around three to four hours.

For those who go with children or simply do not want to make this effort, they can choose to approach the lighthouse by boat and photograph it from the sea. To do this, you can take different boat trips that depart from Santoña or Laredo, and the more adventurous can choose to paddle to the turquoise waters surrounding the lighthouse in a kayak or canoe.

- The closest car park to the lighthouse is next to the church of Santa María del Puerto.

- The hiking trails run mostly along stone and dirt tracks with steep slopes, so it is advisable to wear suitable and comfortable footwear.

- The trails are not lit, so it is advisable to walk them during sufficient natural daylight or, if not, to carry a torch or headlamp to avoid accidents.

- Access to the lighthouse is free. To date, it has not been necessary to book or obtain a ticket in advance but, due to recent overcrowding, the regional government is considering limiting access to the lighthouse. In fact, since the end of August, a pre-booking system has been introduced as a test during the month of September, with the aim of "gathering data, identifying real needs and being able to adjust measures in the future", according to the regional government. The system offers daily bookings in five two-hour time slots, issuing 100 places every two hours. Reservations can be made here.