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Walking Holidays in the Sierra Morena, Andalucia, Spain

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Walking Holidays in the Sierra Morena staying in a mountain lodge

Walking and hiking tours in the unique setting of the Natural Parks of the Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche. An endless network of paths starts from the door of the Refugio Bonales where you will stay. The refuge is located on the route up to the highest point of the Sierra Morena (Tentudia Monastery, 1,100 m).

Great walking from the hut doorway. A warm welcome is extended to all visitors. Details of some of the walking routes is given below.

Grade: Leisurely Grade: Moderate

What is the Sierra Morena like?

Walking and Trekking in the Sierra Morena and Tentudia

walking and trekking in the Sierra Morena Arroyomolinos - Abismo-Puerto de los Ciegos- Arrroyomolinos
Type: leisure
Time: 3 hours
Distance: 7 km

Description:
We then go deep right into mediterranean forest traversing plentiful vegetable gardens all along the stream la Morera. Scenery is made of Holm Oaks, some of them with more than five hundred years old, Cork Oaks, and many fruit trees.

We will ascend through a forest track, becoming a humid and lush path, around Iberian pigs, sheep, goats , donkeys that appear and disappear joyfully until we reach the highest point in our trekking, Puerto de los Ciegos, near 1.000 m altitude. Throughout the way we encounter water sources. Panoramic views are astonishing from any point we are and very rich in biodiversity , we can highlight among other things centenary Oaks and Chestnuts trees.

Arroyomolinos de Leon-Abismo- Mirador-Arroyomolinos de Leon

walking and trekking in the Sierra Morena Type: leisure
Time: 3 hours
Distance: 7 km

Description:
We start our trekking at sierra village Arroyomolinos de Leon, 600 m altitude. Once we reach the local picnic area we take a semi hidden path on the right hand side, it was the old route to go from Andalucia to Extremadura provinces. Yesteryear long donkey queues were formed loaded with olives on their way to the mill for making olive oil (almazara).

We go across a cultivated land (olive grove), and soon we restart the ascent surrounded by typical mediterranean vegetation (rockrose, thyme, rosemary). Arriving to Era de Garrido (over 900m altitude) views are spectacular, to the North, Badajoz province, the big unknown treasure, glimpsing in the distance village Calera de Leon, famous for its national historic monuments Monastery of Tentudia and Colegiata. A bit further we arrive to a viewpoint where we enjoy 360 degrees scenery of Sierra Morena range.

Cabeza la Vaca - la Pisa del Caballo-Era de Garrido -Cabeza la Vaca

walking and trekking in the Sierra Morena Type: Moderate
Time: 5 hours
Distance: 12 km

Description:
Once we leave the village behind us we start going up through a lush path towards Sierra de las Buitreras (1.021m) where typical Sierra landscape (mediterranean forest) and Dehesa (holm oak, cork oak, amd clearing forest for cultivation), is mixed with millennial chestnust cultivation land.

Leyend goes that Santiago Apostle was passing through this sierra on horse back riding and when he reached this area his horse stepped on a rock of big dimension, and right from that moment water comes out constantly (la Pisa del Caballo). We will continue walking up surrounded by grapevines, fig trees and family livestock ranchs until highest point from our walk. (over 1.000m altitude)

Cabeza la Vaca- Barranco Martin Gil- rio Ardila- Calera de Leon

walking and trekking in the Sierra Morena Type: Moderate
Time: 6 hours
Distance: 18 km

Description:
This route goes north towards Fuentes de Cantos, a town out of the Sierra that has always been in close contact with Cabeza la Vaca, trading wood for wheat. Our walk will go across Ardila river and we will be able to enjoy water ecosystem in the middle of big Dehesas. Half way we turn right and we rejoin another path to Calera de Leon. No big altitude but beautiful scenery.

Calera de Leon- Pinar de Calera- Monasterio de Tentudia- Arroyomolinos de Leon

walking and trekking in the Sierra Morena Type: Challenging
Time: 8 hours
Distance: 20 km

Description:
We leave early morning Calera de Leon, famous for its Colegiata monument and traditional pastries, heading up south looking for the andalucian border, and following Los Lomitos old way we ascend to Tentudia Monastery (1.104m) after 10 km of tough walking.

Legend says that during battle between moors and cristians, the latter expelled the moor army at dusk asking the Virgin to stop daylight from getting dark (deten tu dia means stop the day). On our way down towards Arroyomolinos de Leon,we will follow the contraband route used during Dictatorship to transport wheat undeclared to spanish government. Natural richness again uncountable, highlighting Oak forest and bird watching (eagle and vulture).

The thouand metre peaks: Buitreras - Cerro Gordo - Bonales - Tentudia

walking and trekking in the Sierra Morena Type: Challenging
Time: 7 hours
Distance: 10 km

Description:
Although it is not Everest, it is quite popular to do the four 1000 m summits. There is a lot of going up and down and the route is very changing and dynamic. We will stop at several water sources, a lot of thingS to learn from small family vegetable gardens (huertas) always close to water fountains. In this route we will try to go across private land walking across forest without a following a track

Calera de Leon- Pinar de Calera- Monasterio de Tentudia- Arroyomoilonos de Leon

Type: Challenging
Time. 8 hours
Distance: 20km

Description:
We leave early morning from Calera de Leon, famous for its Colegiata monument and traditional pastries, heading south looking for the andalucian border. We follow the old route of Los Lomitos as we ascend to Tentudia Monastery (1.104m). 10 km of tough walking. Legends abound here of battles between moors and cristians. On our way down towards Arroyomolinos de Leon, we will follow the contraband route used during teh dictatorship to transport undeclared wheat to the spanish government. Lots of natural surroundings and richness in this walk, highlighted by Oak forest and bird watching (eagles and vultures).

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