MOZARABIC TRAILS
During the early centuries of the Islamic occupation of Southern and Mediterranean Spain, a large percentage of the local population converted to Islam. Those who chose to remain Christian were not persecuted, but given full legal protection secured by the payment of tax. Local Christians mixed freely with the Moslems and slowly became indistinguishable in appearance from their Arab neighbours, causing the Christians of northern Spain to name them the mozárabes, the "Arabised" or Arab-like.
The mozárabes also adopted elements of the Arab culture including craft skills and building techniques (which over time filtered into the northern Christian kingdoms) and even built their churches in an Arabic style.
Ancient stepped tracks through the mountains of Valencia and Andalusia are also the work of the mozárabes. Typically, these trails zigzag across the steepest slopes and down into the deepest ravines, tracing routes that would be treacherous if cobbled stone paths had not been built. It is also likely that many of these trails were constructed by Mudéjars, Muslim settlers who stayed after the Reconquest and converted to Christianity.
Many of these paths are still in good condition, standing testament to the
merits of solid construction and the skills of mozárabes and Muslim
craftsmen. A good example of a mozárabic trail is in the Val de Laguart
to the north of the Marina Alta , where the Camino de Juvias descends into
the Barranco del Infierno.
(text from "Walking in Spain" - Lonely Planet 1999)