The route begins at the Zapatón River Interpretation Center, leaving the town along the Liebre path, amidst olive groves and old lime kilns already mentioned by Madoz in his Geographical, Statistical,... (plus +)
The route begins at the Zapatón River Interpretation Center, leaving the town along the Liebre path, amidst olive groves and old lime kilns already mentioned by Madoz in his Geographical, Statistical, and Historical Dictionary of 1850. This activity existed until the mid-20th century, when cement and industrial kilns ended this type of artisanal economy. They mainly produced brown lime for mortar or masonry, and to a lesser extent, lime for whitewashing houses. Limestone stones (calcium carbonate, CaCO3) were placed on a bed of wood and subjected to calcination at temperatures between 700º and 900º C for three days, in order to convert the calcium carbonate in the rock into quicklime (calcium oxide, CaO).
The route continues among holm oaks and broom, passing the Liebre spring to take the BA157 road for 600 meters and then turning onto the Pizarreras path, which becomes a linear section leading to the slate quarry and which will have to be retraced. The quarry, one of the oldest in Spain, is located on an outcrop belonging to the Gévora unit, of Middle Devonian age, nestled within the so-called São Mamede-La Codosera synclinorium, consisting of very compact pelitic-graphitic black slates, with a very smooth and homogeneous surface.
Returning to the previously described point, take the southern direction towards the Carretas Pass path, which, accompanied by holm oaks and cork oaks, crosses the EX-214 road until it joins the PR-BA 104 along the Mariblanca path. Both paths separate at the height of the Montijo path, where the route passes the Melón well, from where the distant view of the Piedra Hincada dolmen can be seen, heading towards the end of the itinerary.
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