RUTA VÍA DE LA PLATA

STAGE 9: EMBALSE DE ALCÁNTARA, GARROVILLAS DE ALCONÉTAR, -CAÑAVERAL - GRIMALDO - SAN GIL, PLASENCIA, /GALISTEO.

Difficulty: Medium/Low

Distance: 35, 0 Km.

 

CONTENTS:

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

STATEMENT OF THE ITINERARY

Opposite the H3 sign, and on the other side of the A-66, we start our route along a pronounced uphill section which goes around the Cerro Garrote, allowing us to see on our right, for the last time, the beautiful countryside created by the Alcántara reservoir. The pathway contains signs of the old roman route, including some stones which were used to fix it laterally. To our left along this stretch to Cañaveral there are some pieces of milestone which led to this path being known locally as “Camino de la Plata" (Silver path).

It is 10 km between the previous H3 sign and next one that we find which contains historical information about the town of Cañaveral. Before reaching that point, the route marked by signs takes us via some gates and cattle grids which belong to the livestock farms in the area. On the route we can also see the imposing outline of the sierra de Cañaveral mountain range, and in the background the towns of Casas de Millán and Mirabel. The countryside we are passing through is dominated by large areas of rockrose.

Close to the H3 sign providing information about Cañaveral we find the San Benito medieval bridge, a historical option for those wishing to visit the town and its gothic-archaizing style Santa Marina church from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries located in a beautiful porticoed square.

Our route takes us down a slight slope until we come to a level crossing with barriers which we use to cross the railway line and walk along the asphalt for few metres, firstly along the road from Cañaveral Station and then, after around 300 m, along the A-66 in the direction of “ puerto de los Castaños”. We cross over to the left side of the road to take the path which is marked next to the San Cristóbal Hermitage.

We cross this road and find ourselves in front of a hotel and, close to this, leaving the A-66 on our right, there is a transformer at the base of which is a path that takes us to the outskirts of the town of Grimaldo, crossing one of the most beautiful and “enchanted” holm and cork oak forests on our way, somewhat paradoxically known as the Valle de los Muertos (Valley of the Dead). For around 3 km from the start of this stretch the walker is guided by fences which rise up on the left hand side and has to cross small streams under the watchful eye of the cattle which must always be respected.

At the end of this stretch there is a path on our left next to a green-yellow sign which points us across a stream, and after finding a new sign among the oak trees we start to ascend. Approximately 1 km further on we meet the road the connects the A-66 with the town of Holguera, first stopping to read a new H3 sign with information about the town of Grimaldo in whose castle there is a milestone which has been retained from the old roman route.

Taking this H3 as our starting point, we pass the Holguera road and opposite, after going through the gate, we move into a woodland area which takes us, between gates and fences, along the edge of the Chuzón and Cabildo hills on the right. We follow this stretch for 6 km, passing the Boquerón reservoir which almost borders onto the district road which connects the A-66 and Ríolobos. Once Cabildo hill has been passed, we move gently downhill until we see a small pond. Before reaching the pond we should go through a gate in the fence to our right. We continue our route following the fence on our left which takes us to a new gate. This in turn leads us to a wider path which contains remains of the roman road.

Following the stone wall, to our left we can make out the nearby town of Ríolobos and shortly afterwards, to our right, the Boquerón reservoir. We descend amongst the holm oaks through a final gate before the path that connects the Ríolobos road with the reservoir. Before crossing the road we must cross the Boqueras del Riveros stream, as indicated by the green-yellow signs, and a few metres further on we come out onto the district road and turn right.

 

We walk along this road for 700 m before turning left and taking a wide path indicated by a yellow sign at the entrance of the Valparaíso farm. This shows us the route to follow.

The landscape on this stretch changes and we enter an area of livestock farming, where we find large expanses of irrigated land, and even cross a bridge over the canal in the so called "arroyo de las monjas” canal and irrigated areas which accompany us for a large part of our route to San Gil y Galisteo, a town which we can make out in the distance on various occasions and is recognisable for its famous "torre de la picota" tower.

Fields full of cows and large expanses of irrigated cultivated land appear on the left and right. We enter where the roman route runs in parallel to the recommended passable route and where we can also see large livestock barns and tobacco driers. At 3 km from our entrance through the Valparaíso farm, the passable route becomes a grey gravel path and we follow this until it meets the EX-108 road. Here we find an H3 sign and the entrance to San Gil. On our right we can make out a large viaduct, part of the EX-108, which was built to cross the waters of the river Alagón, the river which gives its name to this fertile and highly productive agricultural district of Vegas del Alagón.

In the white town of San Gil, which is highly dependent on agriculture and livestock, we can find a milestone in the patio of one of the houses, indicating that the roman route passed through this point in the direction of Carcaboso. Before returning to our path through Pradochano and onto the town of Carcaboso, we recommend a visit to one of the most historically and artistically attractive towns along our route through the north of Extremadura. We are referring to Galisteo, where many scholars suggest that the stopping point "mansio Rusticiana” once stood, although its exact location is in doubt and could be either in “fuente del Sapo” or in “el cerro de las Brujas”, both sites being close to the town.

In Galisteo in the thirteenth century the Almohads built their wonderful city walls with stones and river banks. With the passing of time these city walls have retained one of the most beautiful examples of Mudejar art in Extremadura, the Mudejar apse in the Ntra Sra de la Asunción parish church which, together with the "torre de la picota" tower marks this out as one of the most emblematic sites in the area. It is washed by the waters of the river Jerte over which there stands an attractive medieval bridge.

WHAT TO EAT

Some of the most typical dishes from this area include la ensalada de naranja, an orange salad dressed with olive oil and accompanied by olives, figs or grapes, la sopa de tomate con albahaca, tomato soup with basil and migas, fried breadcrumbs with pork. The most famous products are honey and artisan cheeses.

SHOPPING

It is worth mentioning some of the old artisan crafts which still remain today. These include making country footwear to order and the hand production of candles.

WALKING, PEDALLING AND HORSE RIDING

This stretch is based in the north of Extremadura, just where the valleys of the north of the Extremadura come together at the city of Plasencia, the starting point for the route to the Monfragüe National Park which borders onto the trujillano-cacereña peneplain and the Alagón Valley area.

The route allows walkers to discover the incredible historical and artistic heritage of Plasencia and some neighbouring towns. It can be combined with a visit to the majestic Monfragüe National Park. Visitors can walk through the Park or seek somewhere to stay the night from its every increasing range of hotels, rural accommodation and camping.

There are various routes that can be used to discover the Park and information can also be obtained from the excellent interpretation centre in Villarreal de San Carlos. Along with the towns along the route, Jaraicejo, Serrejón, Toril and Casa de Miravete also form part of the Monfragüe National Park.

ALTERNATIVE ROUTES

Cañaveral-Pedroso de Acim route

The route starts in Cañaveral in the square housing the Town Hall, called “Plaza del Ayuntamiento". It continues along “calle Real” and “calle Palacios” streets, el Calvario and along an asphalt track until we reach the old path connecting Cañaveral with Pedroso. We take this until we reach the well known “El Caño” pass from where we have a good view of Cañaveral and Alcántara reservoir. Once we have crossed the mountain and after we have reached a dirt track, we take a path to our right and later turn left uphill, either along the fire line or track, in the direction of El Palancar Convent.

SURROUNDING AREA

This countryside of beautiful contrasts can be appreciated from the Vía de la Plata which moves through these Extremaduran districts, from the Alcántara reservoir to Vegas del río Alagón, crossing the sierra de Santa Catalina mountain range through the Puerto de los Castaños, the emblematic mountain pass which opens the way to Upper Extremadura.

Alcántara reservoir is a wonderful place for water sports and above all for fishing. Its waters are used for various regional and national competitions during the season. Between Cañaveral and Vegas del Alagón we find spaces dedicated to sheepherding and wide and beautiful forests of cork and holm oak trees, as we do around Grimaldo and the Boquerón reservoir, a site that is well known to fishermen.

The countryside in Alagón Valley is as you would expect for an area which is irrigated and cultivated and where sweet corn, tobacco and some horticultural plants occupy a large proportion of these rich lands irrigated by the river. To the west of our route we find towns which hold traditional festivals declared Extremaduran festivals of Interest to Tourists and which are a powerful attraction for thousands of visitors. This is the case for Aceúche whose famous Carantoñas are held in January, the Encamisá held in Torejoncillo overnight on 7 December and the Toros de San Juan held in Coria in June. Very close to Aceúche, the town of Ceclavín is famous for the wonderful pottery and ceramics made by its artisans. In Pedroso de Acim visitors will find the Franciscan convent San Pedro de Alcántara, know as El Palancar, which in its time was home to the Saint.

In the Alagón Valley district, Coria, called Curium in Roman times, stands out for its historical and artistic importance. It still retains part of the old roman walls and important religious buildings such as its cathedral from the end of the fifteenth century with its Plateresque Perdón (forgiveness) façade. From Coria, the neighbouring district of Sierra de Gata offers many natural, gastronomic and historical and artistic attractions.

To the east of our route, only a few kilometres away, is the Monfragüe National Park, a biosphere reserve and one of the best examples of conservation of the Mediterranean forest in Europe. This is home to a large number of birds of prey, amongst which the imperial eagle, the black stork, the griffon vulture, the Egyptian vulture and the royal eagle are some of the most interesting.

The Park has an educational Interpretation Centre which explains to the visitor the importance of the fauna in Monfragüe and the beauty of its flora which can be admired walking along routes marked through the Park.

Forming part of the Monfragüe National Park, the town of Serradilla contains the Agustinas Recoletas convent in which we can admire the beautiful Cristo de la Victoria carving by Domingo de la Rioja and an excellent collection of baroque paintings.