The route runs through the meadows of Matalanes and La Bogaña, and a large part of its route along the banks of the Alcarrache River, declared an Ecological and Biodiversity Corridor and SCI (Site of ... (plus +)

The route runs through the meadows of Matalanes and La Bogaña, and a large part of its route along the banks of the Alcarrache River, declared an Ecological and Biodiversity Corridor and SCI (Site of Community Importance). Part of these meadows are part of the Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA) Dehesas de Jerez. START This route begins on a path that starts to the right of 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 constitutes an ancient and important communication route between the population of Villanueva del Fresno and Higuera de Vargas. Highly trafficked by merchants and livestock breeders, it was a must-visit for bandits like "El Pernales". We enter a pure meadow, on gently undulating terrain where, in addition to holm oaks and cork oaks, we find shrubs such as butcher's-broom, lavender, rockrose, and gorse. On the hills, farmhouses and orchards are located in the valleys of the tributary streams of the Alcarrache, being supplied with water through wells such as the "Huertas Perdidas" that we can appreciate from the path. This ecosystem and its tranquility make it possible to spot a great variety of insect-eating birds such as warblers, flycatchers, blue tits, etc. It is also a hunting and breeding ground for kites, lesser spotted eagles, and short-toed 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. After approximately three kilometers, we reach the Alcarrache River, which we will cross through the Puente de la Bogaña, surprising and reassuring for its solidity and length, giving us an idea of the great floods that this riverbed suffers. This magnificently executed engineering work is built with granite ashlars extracted from a not very distant quarry, and many of them show 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 we reach an old railway bridge that was never completed. Walking through this enclave, there is no doubt why the Alcarrache was declared a community Ecological and Biodiversity Corridor. One of its greatest treasures is the black stork, a rare and elusive bird that uses the river as a feeding area, nesting in the cliffs and in the large cork oaks of the surrounding meadows. The riparian vegetation is dominated by oleander and tamarisk, species typical of watercourses 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, as well as the "omnipresent" sound during the summer of bee-eaters. Our steps near the river and the surrounding meadows will show us a bustle of life, the coming and going through the river of numerous birds such as swallows and swifts, as well as flycatchers, nightingales, blackcaps, and the countless kingfishers. Arriving at 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 meadow. In the vicinity, there is an abandoned house that was intended to be a stop for this abandoned railway line. In the meadow, there are numerous ponds for watering the livestock, but they are also used by ducks and grebes and as a watering hole for a multitude of passerines. When we reach an important junction, we take the road to the right, heading west to reach, once again, the Puente de La Bogaña from where we will return to the starting point along the same path, but not without looking at the Alcarrache one last time, as it may have some more surprises in store. Mode: Hiking Approximate time: 4 h Type of route: Linear-circular Length: 12.4 km (round trip) Difficulty: Low Location: Villanueva del Fresno Puente de La Bogaña MIDE Information Environment: 1 Itinerary: 2 Displacement: 1 Effort: 2
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