The route runs through the Matalanes and Bogaña pastures and much of its course along the banks of the Alcarrache River, declared an Ecological Corridor and Biodiversity Area and SCI (Site of Communit... (plus +)
The route runs through the Matalanes and Bogaña pastures and much of its course along the banks of the Alcarrache River, declared an Ecological Corridor and Biodiversity Area and SCI (Site of Community Importance). Part of these pastures are part of the Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA) Dehesas de Jerez.
START This route begins on a path that branches off to the right from the EX107 Villanueva-Alconchel road (heading towards Alconchel) approximately 2.5 kilometers from the urban center of Villanueva del Fresno.
ROUTE The path we follow is an old and important communication route between the town of Villanueva del Fresno and Higuera de Vargas. Heavily traveled by merchants and livestock herders, it was a must-visit for bandits like "El Pernales".
We enter a pure pasture, on gently rolling terrain where, in addition to holm oaks and cork oaks, we find shrubs such as spurge, lavender, rockrose, or gorse. On the hills, farmhouses and orchards are settled in the valleys of the tributary streams of the Alcarrache, drawing water through wells like the one at "Huertas Perdidas" that we can appreciate from the path.
This ecosystem and its tranquility make it possible to spot a great variety of insectivorous birds such as warblers, chiffchaffs, blue nuthatches, etc. It is also a hunting and breeding territory for kites, booted eagles, and snake eagles.
The existence of a stone wall along the edge of the path favors the presence of reptiles such as the ocellated lizard, the Montpellier snake, or the ladder snake.
About three kilometers away, we reach the Alcarrache River, which we will cross via the Bogaña Bridge, surprising and reassuring in its solidity and length, giving us an idea of the great floods this channel undergoes.
This magnificently executed engineering work is built with granite ashlars extracted from a nearby quarry, and many of them bear the marks made by the stonemasons. After crossing the bridge, the circular section of the route begins, turning left and continuing along the riverbank until reaching an old unfinished railway bridge.
Walking through this enclave leaves no doubt as to why the Alcarrache was declared a Community Ecological Corridor and Biodiversity area. One of its greatest treasures is the black stork, a scarce and elusive bird that uses the river as a feeding area, nesting on the cliffs and in the large cork oaks of the surrounding pastures.
The riparian vegetation is dominated by oleander and tamarisk, species typical of streams that suffer severe drought, accompanied by hawthorns, wild roses, brambles, and some ash trees.
Throughout the route, we can observe grey herons, little egrets, cattle egrets, in addition to the "omnipresent" sound during the summer of bee-eaters. Our steps near the river and the surrounding pastures will show us a bustle of life, the coming and going across the river of numerous birds such as swallows and swifts, as well as chiffchaffs, nightingales, long-tailed tits, and the countless kingfishers.
Upon reaching the remains of what would have been the Salto del Lobo railway bridge, where the imposing pillars still endure, we turn right, moving away from the river and entering the pasture. Nearby is an abandoned house that was intended to be a stop for this abandoned railway line.
In the pasture, there are numerous ponds for watering the livestock herds but are also used by ducks and grebes and as drinking spots for numerous passerines.
When we reach an important crossroads, we take the path on the right, heading west to reach, once again, the Bogaña Bridge from where we will return to the starting point by the same path but not without looking at the Alcarrache one last time as it may hold one more surprise.
Mode: Hiking
Approximate time: 4 h.
Type of route: Linear-circular
Length: 12.4 km. (round trip)
Difficulty: Low
Location: Villanueva del Fresno Bogaña Bridge
MIDE Information Medium: 1
Itinerary: 2
Displacement: 1
Effort: 2
(minus -)