|
|
|
|
Monachil - Puente colgante - Tunel de las Palomas - Acequia de los Habices - Monachil |
|
|
|
| Map for the route (ED50) | How to get there: Drive 1
km from Monachil on Carretera de la Sierra towards Purche to a lookout
spot with a kiosk and an iron sculpture on the right hand side of the
road. (Roadmap)
Distance: 1h45min/5.5km |
| Walk from the lookout spot (905 m) some 100
meters downhill on the Carretera de la Sierra towards Monachil and turn
left on a track signposted to "Caharros Bajos",
"puente colgante" and "Tunel de las Palomas". When
the track ends by a house, follow the
wall to the right
(9min) (890 m). In two minutes the path comes to an information panel. Fork
left and climb the stone steps to the left hand side of the gorge of
Moraleja (15min) (940 m). Monachil river flows in the gorge. The path bends left and, protected by handrails, continues to the suspension bridge of Caharros (19min) (930 m). Just before the bridge a path with wooden handrails dips down to the gorge. After you have visited the gorge and the Monachil river, return to the bridge. The long bridge is one of the high points of this route. After crossing it you follow a narrow canyon between sheer rockwalls popular among the rockclimbers. You walk on a concrete edge of a canal. The water in the canal is shallow and not attractive. In some places you have to walk bowed to avoid the projecting parts of the rockwall. After the canyon (25min) (945 m) the route bends right, to the opening of the Dove Tunnel (Tunel de las Palomas). A river flows on the bottom of the tunnel, and few times you have to descend from the concrete edge to the bottom. When you emerge from the tunnel (36min) (960 m) you find a path. Follow this path until you meet a canal with a concrete edge (40min) (960 m). Cross a brook on you left just before the canal. There is no bridge, but you find stepping stones in the water. On the opposite side of the brook climb up the slope to a wide path (990 m) and turn left uphill. A magnificent rock landscape lines the route. Higher up you see the Cerrajón mountain in front of you. You come to a crossroads with signposts (55 min) (1000 m). Follow the sign for Monachil and Purche straight ahead. The path turns into a track. Ignore a sign for Acequia de los Habices on the right hand side of the track. At a T-junction (1h10min) (1145 m), turn left downhill. The Monachil valley opens up in front of you. The road slopes down through olive groves to another T-junction (1h18min) (1105 m). Turn right. Down the road you see a junction with signposts. At this junction (1h20min) (1100 m) follow the Monachil sign to the left. The track takes you through various gardens and groves to another junction (1h31min) (990 m). Turn right and return to the lookout spot (1h45min). |
|
