The "Peñas Blancas" Route is the La Zarza route and takes its name from the toponym of our Sierra, having been designed to showcase the best of our natural heritage (flora, fauna, and landscape), ethn... (plus +)
The "Peñas Blancas" Route is the La Zarza route and takes its name from the toponym of our Sierra, having been designed to showcase the best of our natural heritage (flora, fauna, and landscape), ethnographic (mines, agricultural elements) and historical-cultural (cave paintings, hermitage, church).
From an environmental perspective, the Route crosses the SPA of the "Alange Reservoir and Sierra de Peñas Blancas" of great scenic value (mountain-island amidst agricultural plains), floristic (habitats, small botanical endemisms and orchids) and faunal (birds of prey and cliff-dwelling birds).
The Sierra de Juan Bueno and the Pinar de los Valencines are also notable places. An essential element of ethnographic and cultural interest is the Tierrablanca Mine of La Zapatera or "janbueno", a huge open-pit deposit of kaolin or sericitic slate, of special significance in terms of the identity and idiosyncrasy of the Zarceños ("the tierrablanqueros").
It is also worth highlighting the hillside olive groves located on the slopes of mountains and hills, bordered by stone walls ("majanos") and dotted with thousands of almond trees. In the upper part of the Sierra, remains of some shepherd's huts and sheepfolds (goatherds) can be observed.
The historical-archaeological heritage includes the shelters and cave paintings of La Calderita, one of the most outstanding manifestations of schematic rock art. As notable historical-artistic achievements of the urban layout, there are the Hermitage of Our Lady of the Snows (18th century), where the "crowned" image of our patroness and her magnificent silver chariot stand out, the Parish Church of San Martín de Tours (16th century), the statue in tribute to the tierrablanqueros and Zarceño muleteers, as well as some large ancestral and heraldic houses.
In short, all these elements and values make up a route of great attractiveness and interest from every point of view. Enjoy it. Have a good journey, friends!!
NOTE: Each year, around October 12th (the closest Sunday), the local hunting society conducts a hunting activity in the mountains where the trail runs. For safety and coexistence of activities, we ask hikers to consult FEXME or the City Council of La Zarza about the status of transit on the trail.
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