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SIERRA DE GATA

WALK 1

San Martín de Trevejo and the Sierra de Eljas

Start/Finish	San Martín de Trevejo
Distance	19km
Ascent/Descent	710m
Time	6hrs
Terrain	Village streets, rural lanes, earth tracks over moorland, footpaths occasionally paved with granite, cobbled woodland track
Max altitude	1058m
Map	IGN 573-111 Eljas 1:25,000
Refreshments	At San Martín de Trevejo and Eljas around the squares
Access	By car: reach San Martín de Trevejo via Plasencia to Coria on the EX-108, or the adjacent motorway. Then take the EX-109 to Moraleja, the CC-3.1 to Cilleros and the CC-3.2 to a junction on the EX-205. Turn left and San Martín de Trevejo is signposted on the right.
Parking	On the CC-1.1 in a parking area on the right opposite the café/bar ‘Enigma’ and before the entrance to San Martín de Trevejo.
Waymarks	White and yellow flashes
Spring water	One spring just before San Martín de Trevejo
Note	The footpath is vague in places; a compass may be useful. Do not walk in times of poor visibility.

A classic sierra walk. It follows an ancient communication path, the Camino de Navasfrías, over the Sierra de Gata to the Puerto de San Martín, which links Extremadura with Castile and León. The start is on a series of small lanes and a minor road. Once Eljas has been reached, the walk passes through an extensive Pyrenean oak wood followed by a long gentle ascent through wild boulder-strewn moorland to the Puerto de San Martín. Then it is downhill all the way to San Martín de Trevejo through woods of Spanish chestnut and Pyrenean oaks.

There are many opportunities for spotting flowers and birds, especially near the many small waterfalls and water channels on the high sierra. In autumn the colours in the two woods are glorious.

There is no shade on the exposed sierra between two distinct woods, and the Calzado Romano is uneven in places and can be slippery when wet.

Face the ‘Enigma’ café/bar and turn right to walk towards San Martín de Trevejo. At the Y-junction the main road bends to the right; do not go that way, but walk straight on down Calle Entrada al Fuente.

Take the second left turning at a small square. This is Camino del Convento. Cross over a crossroads and walk all the way down. The lane bends right past an outbuilding with a waymark, on the right. Just after a utility post with a waymark on the left is a junction before the Convent of San Miguel, now a hospedería. At this junction, turn left.

Walk on this wide concrete lane with generous verges dotted with trees. The Sierra de Eljas is on the right, and to the left are meadow views across a wide shallow valley to the Sierra de Cachaza beyond. After 1km, turn right at a junction to cross a stream by a concrete bridge with crenellated sides and wooden railings. (Over the bridge, on the right, is a mill restored as a modern dwelling.) Continue for another 600m to make another right turn at a crossroads with agricultural buildings to the left. Within 200m of this there is a T-junction.

Turn left onto the Carretera de Eljas de San Martín de Trevejo, CCV-61: a quiet back road that does take occasional local traffic. It winds steadily up to Eljas but is shaded by trees, with views to the left becoming extensive as the lane ascends. Come to a Y-junction on the edge of the village of Eljas; turn right and follow the main road as it hairpins up to the Plaza de la Constitución. Take on more water from one of the bars, if needed.

From the square, with the town hall on your right and the church on your left, walk ahead. At the T-junction, turn left up the ramp, then immediately right up Calle de Emigrante. At the T-junction with Calle Folnu turn left, then right. Look ahead for a sign saying ‘Calle Cantonis’. Go straight up this tiny road to the right of the sign and turn first right into Calle Orienti – another tiny road but with picturesque, ancient houses. Go straight up this road, ignoring all junctions.

At the end of the road is a T-junction with Calle Forca; turn left onto a wider road. Walk ahead to reach the top of village, still with houses on the left. Reach a Y-junction, to the right of which is a map of walking routes in the area.

Turn right onto a concrete track as it goes up and bends left. On the left are views of the valley and Valverde del Fresno. The sierra lies ahead. The track becomes rougher but continues to ascend. Pass a white and yellow waymark on a rock to the right. At a small open space, ignore the gate on the right. Turn left to a gate with a notice in Spanish: ‘cierre gracias’ (shut thanks). A waymark on the right pillar by the gate reinforces your direction.

On the Camino de Navasfrías

Beyond the gate is a granite-paved path going straight ahead. This continues, with long grassy and earth breaks, all the way to the Puerto de San Martín. This path is the ancient Camino de Navasfrías; it is a wild, uncultivated part of the sierra but it is not barren. Walk straight ahead on the paved path and pass a small stone-built corral on the right. At a large boulder there is a definite bend, right, to start the zig-zags upwards, steadily but not steeply, with views over the valley on the right becoming more extensive. Already there are birds and hawks to be spotted – depending on the time of day. As the path reaches a summit, take one last look behind at the view of Eljas and Valverde.

The path goes over the top to the other side of the sierra and enters a wooded area. Pass granite boulders, reassuring waymarks and glimpses of the Sierra de Cachaza through the trees on the right. As the path narrows and becomes a bit rough, come to and go through a gate.

The walk enters the thickest part of the wood with trees on both sides of the path. Pass a gate on the left but do not go through it. Ahead, on a big boulder on the left, is a waymark. Pass another gate tucked in on the left but don’t go through it. Continue on the path to come to yet another gate, which opens on the right side. Go through this one.

Granite boulders with Pico Jálama behind

Reach a Y-junction but ignore the tiny path, right, that plunges into the wood. The trees start to thin; reach a gate with a waymark on its right gatepost and go through it. The trees end on the left and the view is of granite boulders and low-growing shrubs. Trees continue on the right and the path is now rough and boulder-strewn.

Come to an old gatepost with no gate, followed by a gate made of bedsprings, usually open. Go through these. There are two little gates, right, and some small outbuildings. Usually there are goats here, and occasionally the goatherd.

Ignoring the two gates, emerge at an open meadow. The path is clearly defined by granite paving, and ahead is the summit of Pico Jálama (Walk 2). Occasionally the path becomes compacted earth but it is clear as no grass grows on it. Keep Pico Jálama as a vague point of orientation – it should be ahead and sometimes a bit right. Ahead and slightly to the left are jagged outcrops called the Torres de Fermán Centeno.

Many legends surround Fermán Centeno, who was a knight from Cuidad Rodrigo to the north of the Sierra de Eljas. He was involved in local power struggles between various factions and seized the defensive castles of Eljas and Trevejo in 1474. He then aspired to take over the western part of the region, which was vital to the defence of Spain against the Portuguese. Today he is known as a legendary bandit who terrorised the local people and hid out in these ‘towers’.

Just after a distinctive outcrop of granite on the right, cross a water channel, with glimpses of San Martín in the valley below. Come to a strange but distinctive area of giant rounded granite boulders, possibly tumbled from the sierra on the left and eroded over centuries. The path bends left to go through the middle of the boulders and then bends left again. This part of the sierra has a wild, primitive aura but is pretty in spring with colourful flowering bushes.

Reach a stream with stepping-stones, after which it becomes hard to pick the way and the path disappears. Veer left; the path appears again and climbs towards the jagged outcrops once more. This is an isolated and solitary place although cattle may be chewing contentedly on the higher slopes.

The path, now very rocky, crosses more water channels. (If walking after a lot of rain, it may be boggy in places.) The ground becomes grassier with boulders strewn around randomly. The path becomes a tiny dirt line with a few granite slabs; it comes and goes but keep Pico Jálama slightly to your right to be sure of staying in the correct direction.

Over to the right the minor road, CC-193/CCV-12, comes into view. The Puerto de San Martín is not far away. The path comes to an inverted Y-junction where it is joined by a path from the left. Continue right on the joined path, which now makes a track.

Walk through a very open area with rounded rocks, pasture, ferns and flowering bushes. Reach a fence, turn right and follow the track, with the fence on the left. The fence goes off to the left as the track bends right and goes towards the tree-covered hillside ahead. It narrows and becomes granite-paved and winds its way down between the flowered, but rocky, side of the sierra, left.

Come to the head of the valley with impressive views down. Reach a gate and go through it: this is the area of the Puerto de San Martín and there are information boards and signposts. The next part of the walk is waymarked with white and yellow. Facing the main road, turn right to find the track to San Martín, which for the next 4km runs through beautiful Spanish chestnut and Pyrenean oak wood.

On the Calzado Romano

The granite-paved track is ancient and had the name Calzado Romano, literally meaning ‘Roman Shoes’. It is a communication route that links San Martín de Trevejo with towns and villages in Castile and León. Considering its age, it is remarkably well preserved with thousands of original granite paving stones. However, it is thought that it is unlikely to have been laid during Roman times but is more a medieval construction.

Ten minutes into the wood there is a cascading waterfall on the left. The path becomes a bridge here as the water flows under the track down to the right and the valley below. Further on, occasional water channels cross the track but these are easily negotiated.

As the track descends, the woods thin and you come to an open rural landscape with San Martín visible below and right. At a T-junction turn right, then turn left to drop down into the outskirts of the village. Pass a water trough on the left with clear running water; a good place to ‘wash up’ before seeking refreshments in San Martín.

To get to the Plaza Mayor, walk ahead and at a Y-junction turn right. (There is an information board here about the Calzada Romano.) Follow this street, Calle del Puerto, as it becomes Calle de la Iglesia and reaches the main square of San Martín de Trevejo.

To get back to the start point, walk down Calle el Concejo, turn right down Calle Cordero and turn left into Calle del Fuente, which becomes Calle Entrada al Fuente and goes straight back to the car parking area.

WALK 2

Pico Jálama

Start/Finish	Picnic area on the CV-193 between San Martín de Trevejo and El Payo
Distance	9km
Ascent/Descent	540m
Time	3hrs
Terrain	Woodland tracks, rough tracks, rough footpaths, soft earth footpaths
Max altitude	1487m
Map	IGN 573 Gata 1:50,000 (only partly helpful)
Refreshments	In nearby San Martín de Trevejo
Access	From San Martín de Trevejo on the CV-193. The start is on the left of the road approximately 5km from the village.
Parking	At the start
Waymarks	Signposts, cairns, granite markers
Spring water	One marked spring on the descent
Note	There may be cows grazing but they are used to walkers. Do not walk with dogs.

This walk is rewarded with amazing views in all directions from the summit. The first part of the ascent is through mature pine woods on an easy track; the next part is on a small footpath through low-growing flowering bushes and past rocky outcrops, the way marked with numerous cairns. A well for storing snow and ice is impressive but faintly derelict.

The summit is a place to enjoy with a picnic and binoculars. There are birds of prey, huge eroded granite boulders, flowering bushes and butterflies. Afterwards, the descent is on a footpath marked by cairns and then a wide track. The views on the descent are extensive.

The majority of this walk is not in Extremadura but in Castile and León. The summit, Pico Jálama, is in Extremadura and is the highest peak in the Sierra de Gata at 1487m.

From the picnic area, walk 200m on the road, back in the direction of San Martín until just before the signpost on the right indicating Navafrías and Portugal. Cross the road. On the right, in the bushes and fallen in recent times, is a signpost for Pozo de las Nieves (Well of Snows) 2.8km.

Go through an entrance indicated by two impressive gateposts and cross a cattle grid. Enter the pine wood, turn right and follow the rough, wide track going slightly uphill. The track makes the first of several zig-zags by bending sharply left. After a few meters go through a low swing barrier which normally stands open.

Reach a T-junction and follow the main track as it goes around to the right. (To the left is where the return rejoins the track.) The track zig-zags, becomes rougher and narrower and ascends. The zig-zags stop as the track goes straight ahead and gets much steeper. Continue to ascend as the track becomes narrower and enters a deeper part of the woods. Go straight over a small round clearing and ascend a hillock. The path then makes a decisive bend to the left. Ahead is a view of the sierra slope covered in bushes with granite outcrops. Behind are views of Salamanca province.

Ignore a wide junction on the left and follow the track as it bears right. On the horizon up ahead and to the left is a line of high rocky outcrops, and to the left of these are tall pine trees that end abruptly: this is the site of the Well of Snows. The track continues to ascend and becomes very rocky, and you come to a lone pine tree on the left. Just after this are groups of cairns; this is where the walk leaves the track. At least eight cairns are visible from the track.

Turn to face the cairns. Continue the walk by going from cairn to cairn: from each one you should be able to see the next, and mostly the next two. Keep as much as possible to the old granite-paved footpath that is visible between the flowering bushes. The going is up and the cairns are very regularly spaced, mainly balanced on large granite boulders so they are visible above the bushes. Keep going up, following both path and cairns.

Come out at a more open area and the cairns are ahead and left. The path goes between tall pine trees. Looking left, you can see both the path and the cairns. It’s quite steep now with large boulders to negotiate. Tall pines grow in clumps of twos and threes but the little path continues.

Follow path and cairns to the left and below a rocky outcrop and trees. Walk up to the trees; the wooden fence around the Well of Snows, nestling in the trees, is already visible. The path arrives at the back of the well, through a gap in a low wall with cairns on either side. Turn left to reach the information board (Spanish only).

THE WELL OF SNOWS

Before the invention of the refrigerator, the collection, storage and sale of snow was an important source of revenue. In winter, local people would climb the mountain ranges and roll the snow into balls of ice; they would put an oak branch through the ball, allow it to freeze overnight and then carry the ball over their shoulders down the mountains to a specially built ‘well of snows’ (pozo de las nieves). The balls were stored in the well, tamped down into disc shapes and every few metres were covered with straw. In the summer months the ice was cut, wrapped and transported all over the region for the preservation of food and the chilling of drinks.

From the well, continue all the way around to the right and look ahead on a small footpath. There is a metal gate in a fence; go through and follow the small granite markers to the left – not the right – to climb towards the summit. (At one point there is a junction on the left but this is where the return from the summit rejoins the path.) Ascend in zig-zags on the footpath guided by the markers. Near the top, go through a second metal gate, turn right and explore the summit area where there is a geodesic marker. The views looking south are of Hoyos, and to the left can be seen Pico Jañona (Walk 3) and the Torre de Almenara (Walk 4).

Pause to admire the view to the south of Pico Jálama summit

Retrace your steps through the gate to reach the junction. Turn right and follow the footpath as it descends in a fairly straight direction. Pass through a fence where it is tied up to allow access (this is marked by a cairn). The path goes through a narrow gully with bushes and large rocks on either side, occasionally nearing a fence over on the right. Continue downwards past boulders with cairns on them – although the path is easily defined.

Reach a fire-watch tower on the right. The footpath ends and a series of zig-zags on a well-made wide track begins. At the end of the first descent, just before the track zigs to the right, there is a spring on the left. Ahead is a fine view of the Sierra de Eljas.

On the descent path with the Sierra de Eljas beyond

Continue the descent, ignoring any junctions. Enter the pine wood once more, passing a fire break on the left and an open area on the right. The track bears left and reaches a Y-junction; go right and down. Pass back through the low metal barrier to reach the cattle grid and gateposts. Cross over, turn right to cross the road and arrive back at the picnic area.

WALK 3

Puerto de Castilla and Pico Jañona

Start/Finish	Plaza de la Constitución, Gata
Distance	16km
Ascent/Descent	800m
Time	6hrs
Terrain	Village streets, granite cobbled tracks, dirt tracks, rough footpaths
Max altitude	1353m
Map	IGN 573 Gata 1:50,000
Refreshments	Good range of restaurants and cafés in Gata
Access	From Hoyos or Villasbuenas de Gata on the EX-205, turn at the junction for Ciudad Rodrigo. After a few metres turn right at the sign for Gata on the CC-6.1.
Parking	On the side of the CC-6.1 near the Ermita del Humilladero
Waymarks	Signposts, white and yellow flashes, cairns, low granite markers
Spring water	Numerous
Note	There is little shade on the tracks; very hot days should be avoided. There may be cows grazing near the water pool below Pico Jañona but they are used to people. Do not walk with dogs.

A glorious ramble over a pretty part of the Sierra de Gata. The walk goes relentlessly upwards for the first 6km but the ancient granite cobbled track passes many points of interest. There are granite crosses, springs of water, the ruins of a hydroelectric system, the Hermitage of San Blas and unfolding views.

The easy walk on the dirt track from the Puerto de Castilla to Pico Jañona passes through open areas swept with thousands of flowering bushes and views every step of the way. There is a site of archaeological interest, granite outcrops, birds of prey overhead and the view from Pico Jañona to come. Once the track rounds the head of the valley there are views towards the hermitage and down to the valley.

The final part of the walk is a delightful zig-zag path, guided by cairns, down the wild sierra side through flowering bushes, copses of trees and granite outcrops. Altogether a stunning experience.

Walk back to the Ermita del Humilladero on the left and take the street opposite, Calle del Humilladero. Keep on that street to reach the side of the church. Turn right at the sign for the square and then turn left to walk into the square.

Face the town hall in the Plaza de la Constitución. Walk around the town hall, keeping it on the left. Turn left into Calle Negrón past a drinking water fountain on the left, and reach a crossroads. Go straight on into Calle Virgin del Puerto and follow this small street as it bends to the left and ascends sharply to leave the village where the street ends and a granite cobbled track begins.

Come to a few small stone-built buildings on the right, and just after these reach a Y-junction. Keep on the track as it continues to the right, passing the granite Cruz de Gago on the right. Look back for views of the village, while on the left the Torre de Almenara (Walk 4) can be seen. Come to a crossroads and go straight on. Pass signposts for Ermita de San Blas and Puerto de Castilla; white and yellow waymarks start at this point, and views of Pico Jálama (Walk 2) are dominant on the left.