RUTA VÍA DE LA PLATA

STAGE 6: MÉRIDA - CARRASCALEJO - ALJUCÉN - CRUCE DE LAS HERRERÍAS (ALCUÉSCAR)

Difficulty: Low

Distance: 33,6 Km.

 

CONTENTS:

• STATEMENT
• WHAT TO EAT
• SHOPPING
• WALKING, PEDALLING AND HORSE RIDING
• ALTERNATIVE ROUTES
• SURROUNDING AREA

STATEMENT OF THE ITINERARY

We leave behind Emerita Augusta and its monuments and from the Roman bridge over the river Albarregas we leave the city along the Avenida Vía de la Plata road which goes past a graveyard and brings us to the A-66.Recent work on this road to turn it into a dual carriageway mean that we have to walk along the left hand side of this road in the direction of Cáceres. We pass in front of Los Milagros petrol station and then cross the dual carriageway using the footbridge. When we get to kilometre 618 of this highway we leave it behind and turn off to the right to follow the roman route which can be made out at around one hundred metres along a slight uphill stretch. This is indicated by a green-yellow sign.

Our route runs alongside the A-66, which is to our left, for around the first 2.5 km after leaving Mérida. At this point, a yellow sign shows us the passable route to follow, which on various occasions from this point onwards crosses the historical roman route.

 

Several signs mark the way to the road connecting Mirandilla with the A-66 and a little before this on our right we can make out the town of Trujillanos in the foreground and the Cornalvo National Park in the background, a magnificent example of a Mediterranean Forest. This has an interesting Interpretation Centre dedicated to water, the element which adds beauty to the Roman reservoir located in the Park and which supplied the capital of Lusitania through the aqueducts.

Once we have crossed the Mirandilla road and we are in the oak forest, we continue until we reach an H3 sign which tells us about the Mérida-Aljucén stage. This is located next to the path of the old roman road and the milestone number VI which forms part of a fence. We pass the Mérida Casa de Campo and following the signs we cross the A-66 and for a couple of kilometres we follow an asphalt path which leads to the Proserpina reservoir. We leave on our right the Vía de la Plata Motocross track and some irrigation channels and streams which carry their waters to the Roman reservoir.

A new yellow sign to our right points us in the direction of the route, amongst the oak trees, which leads us to El Carrascalejo, walking through land devoted to livestock rearing and crossing some cattle grids.At the entrance to El Carrascalejo three signs attract our attention: a yellow sign which marks our route, an arrow for "Amigos del Camino" (friends of the route) and a Cross from the Santiago Order. These signs are repeated behind the Church of la Consolación church from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries which in olden times was known as Santa María del Camino. Here we find an H3 sign with information about the route.

Shortly afterwards, we leave on our left a beautiful crossing constructed on a Roman arch with the cross of the Order of Santiago. We walk uphill in the direction shown by the yellow sign until we reach Aljucén, scarcely 3 km away, but not without first having passed under the dual carriageway. Next to the Aljucén Parish Church, constructed between the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, is an H3 sign which tells us about some interesting sites close to the roman route, such as the famous Lácara dolmen with its circular chamber and corridor. We leave this welcoming town along the road called “Avenida de Extremadura” as we take the old road which leads from Aljucén over the river Aljucén. A few metres further on, on the right hand side of the road, there is a service station and here we can find yellow signs which show us the way to go, which is behind the petrol station towards Cruce de las Herrerías.

The path continues almost parallel to the river Aljucén between wide expanses of oak groves that form part of the Cornalvo National Park. Here we find two signs. The green one shows us the old roman route, along which, only a few metres away, we can see the remains of a roman bridge over the river Aljucén. The yellow one indicates the route we should follow. This passable route forces us to go through some gates which protect wide mountain areas where the Iberian Pig "roams free”. A H3 sign contains some interesting information about the historical town of Montánchez, a town famed for its gastronomy thanks to its sausages, cold meats and wines.

For a few kilometres the path continues through similar countryside, with the Cruz de San Juan surprising us on our way. This is located very close to the first houses in the middle of the countryside and this indicates that we are close to Cruce de las Herrerías, an emblematic location recorded in various historical times as a resting and eating point. We continue our route on the other side of the road and this is very well marked out until the Casas de Don Antonio where an H3 sign contains information on the area.

WHAT TO EAT

The sausages and cold meats from the Iberian pig are famous, as are the marinated tench and broad beans in vinegar (escabeche). In many establishments visitors can also sample typical dishes from Extremadura such as frite (kid casserole), migas (fried breadcrumbs with pork) and calderetas (casseroles), all of which can be washed down with a good Pitarra wine. Special mention should be made of the cakes, above all for the roscas de piñonate (candied pine nut cakes) and las mangas de gitano rellenas (sweet rolls).

SHOPPING

The product that most represents the handicraft from Alcuesqueña is the carapacho. This is a bowl extracted from the cork of the cork oak. The way it is made and treated is the subject of great secrecy.

WALKING, PEDALLING AND HORSE RIDING

Route from Charca del Cura

This natural area is of great ecological value because of the quantity of birds that can be seen around this pond. This route takes us to the most important stretch of water in Alcuéscar where we can go bird watching and discover the plants that live in this eco-system. Length 5 km. Difficulty: low, this route can be followed all year round and is particularly recommended when the young birds are in the nests. It is suitable for hiking, horse riding and cycling. It can also be completed by car. It is also very suitable for school trips and pupils can observe the birdlife which is characteristic of pond eco-systems and can collect samples and carry out workshops and simulations about the environmental changes in the area.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

From Montánchez to Trujillo

This route includes a large proportion of the Trujillano-Cacereña peneplain, located slightly to the north of the centre of the Extremaduran region and the Montánchez and San Pedro mountain ranges. It is a route of contrasts in which the dominant scenery is beautiful forests of cork and holm oaks around steep mountains, the permanent habitat for game birds and birds of prey. The district is home to some fine cooking and popular traditional festivals.

Wonderful historical and artistic heritage abounds, above all in the city of Trujillo, home of the Conquistadores.

SURROUNDING AREA

The thirty kilometres that separate Roman Emerita Augusta from Cruce de las Herrerías, a crossroads since ancient times, offer the walker wonderful diversity in terms of the countryside.To both the east and west of Mérida, the Vegas del Guadiana plains reflect the agricultural cultivation, born within the protection of this irrigated land, which is the main production in the area. These reach from the east to the areas covered by the large Orellana and Zújar reservoirs, or La Serena which has Don Benito and Villanueva de la Serena as its main towns.

Towards the west, through the Vegas Bajas the cultivation is of rice (Extremadura is the second largest producer of rice in Spain), sweet corn, tomatoes, and, above all, fruits and vegetables. This countryside stretches to the provincial capital, Badajoz, which was one of the most important Arab centres on the Peninsular with the fall of the Caliphase of Córdoba.

Only a few kilometres from Mérida is the Cornalvo National Park, a beautiful example of a Mediterranean forest which contains one of the oldest reservoirs in Spain. Its Water Interpretation Centre explains the usefulness and value of this element.

Amongst holm and cork oak trees and lots of bird species, the Vía de la Plata moves towards the north of Extremadura, inviting the walker to discover places of great historical value such as the Lácara dolmen or the Santa Lucía del Trampal Hispanic-Visigoth basilica close to Alcuéscar. In the Alcuéscar area, almost next to the town of Carmonita, amongst the cork oak trees, is the Balneario de Fuentes del Trampal Spa whose oligometallic waters with their high iron content attract many visitors throughout the entire year.

Cruce de las Herrerías is a strategic point from which to discover the Sierra de Montánchez district in the mountain range of this name. The Almohad castle was constructed in the twelfth century. Nowadays, both Montánchez and nearby towns such as Alcuéscar and Arroyomolinos are known for their top quality Extremaduran gastronomy with highlights including the wines and the famous sausages, cold meats and hams.

Nearby Almoharín produces its famous “bombones de higos” (fig chocolates) and in Zarza de Montánchez the visitor can see one of the most emblematic trees in Extremadura, the La Terrona holm oak, which at over 800 years old has been declared a Special Extremaduran Tree.