History of a Blogtrip: 4 days in the Natural Park of the Sierras Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas

On September 28, Nattule was invited to a fantastic blogtrip to learn about the Natural Park of the Sierras Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas. And this time, I was the one who was lucky enough to discover the wonders hidden in this magnificent natural park together with the bloggers. Claudia's travels, Andalusia explorer, Andalusia viaggio italian and The cat in the jasmine.

Four days are not enough to visit every corner of the largest protected corner in Spain and the second in Europe, but it is perfect for a first contact. Landscape beauty, nature, gastronomy, culture and history intermingle in this great park where sometimes you wonder if you are still in the province of Jaén.

First day

Beyond the sea of olive trees in which the capital is immersed, when you start to see large pine forests and greenery, you know that you are already within the Natural Park of the Sierras Cazorla, Segura and las Villas.

After a trip of almost 2 and a half hours, we arrived in the afternoon at the town of Cazorla. A town full of charm, a castle and legends that we soaked up as night fell on our guided tour with Gabriel de Turisnat. A place where Tragantía and Cazorleans have meaning, and the night of May 14 is illuminated by lamps made from snail shells to celebrate the day of Saint Isicio, patron saint of Cazorla.

Second day

Very early in the morning we discovered the importance that wood has had, both for the inhabitants of the park and for the rest of Spain, at the interpretation center of the Vadillo Castril sawmill. Antonio de Alma Gaia took us a few years back and we were able to contemplate how in such a short time life has changed so much for those who lived there.

But not only the past is important, the present is also important. That's why we went to the Quebrantahuesos conservation center with the Gypaetus foundation. Don't be scared by the name of this animal, as it is one of the most respectful and patient birds in the park, since while others search and fight over the meat, they wait patiently to feed only on the remaining bones. Some beautiful and imposing birds that you can see in the Natural Park as long as they are not in the breeding season (See Bearded Vulture in Cazorla).

We continue our way to discover the most unusual corner of the park; the Fields of Hernán Perea. We went from being among leafy forests of pine forests, holm oaks and gall oaks, to apparently an area with few trees and with only some samples of vegetation adapted to this environment such as piornos, hawthorn and common juniper. The views are simply spectacular. If we stay quiet we can hear the echo of a herd of goats grazing in the distance.

This is the largest plateau in the country with an altitude of between 1,600-1,700 meters, so it is not surprising that in winter this almost desert area becomes the park's own Siberia, sometimes reaching temperatures of -40ºC. That is why we recommend that if you visit in winter you go with experts and take extreme caution, as it is easy to get lost in the area. There are different shelters along the route, and although they are more for shepherds than for visitors, it never hurts to know them because of what may happen.

We continued our trip, and just before reaching our destination in Don Domingo we were able to see the Galapán Pine, the tallest pine tree in the entire park, 39 meters high and more than 400 years old. It is currently one of the candidates for “Tree of the Year in Spain 2018”.

After the encounter with the Galapán Pine we arrived at the municipality of Don Domingo, where the first Starlight Spot in Spain is located. This is due to the minimal light pollution of the place since it meets all the conditions to have the Starlight certificate. We didn't stay to see it at night, but we had the opportunity to try the great cuisine of the place at the Don Domingo restaurant.

The food got out of hand and we finished well into the afternoon. But that didn't stop us from making a quick visit to La Vega to have a spectacular perspective of the Segura Valley. From there we were lucky enough to see wild mountain goats with binoculars and enjoy a fairy-tale sunset.

We ended the day thinking about the stars, and what better place to see them and find meaning than in the Cosmolarium of the Castillo de Hornos de Segura. In addition to seeing the castle at night, we had the privilege of seeing Saturn and the Moon like we had never seen before. We learned to locate some stars such as the North Star, the fourth and fifth brightest stars in the sky, Vega and Arturo, and some basic notions of the location of planets. Of course, an unforgettable night.

Third day

First thing in the morning we went to the El Pilarillo Forest House, in the Sierra de Segura, where the AyF artisan workshop weavers. The owners of this unique workshop are Ana and Francisco, and they make unique and high-quality handcrafted fabrics with threads purely of animal or plant origin. If you have a pending gift, one of their designs may be the key.

Before continuing our way to the town of Segura de la Sierra, one of the most beautiful towns in Spain, we stopped on the Acebeas – Navalperal trail to walk part of it and discover that within the park there is a corner with a cool and humid microclimate which allows large hollies to grow. It's like a piece of the north in the heart of the south. Without a doubt, another example of contrasts and peculiarities that you can find in the Natural Park of the Sierras Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas.

Once in the town, we decided to walk through some of its streets and we were lucky enough to be able to access one of the oldest houses in the town thanks to the spontaneous kindness of its owner, Escolásico.

Later, in the early afternoon, we went to visit the fantastic castle of Segura de la Sierra. From afar it is impressive, but once you get closer and enter it, you begin to feel like you are traveling back in time.

Late in the afternoon we tried the El Tranco solar boat, in the Tranco reservoir. The lack of rain is more noticeable when you look out at the reservoir, but that does not diminish the scenic beauty. Furthermore, we were just in the rutting season, so if there was silence it could have been heard. Of course, with binoculars at hand we were able to see some fallow deer coming to drink water on the edge of the reservoir.

We ended this day having dinner at the same restaurant in the facilities of The Tranco, and we taste typical dishes of the area.

Fourth day

On our last day of adventure, as it could not be otherwise, we decided to go to the Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente viewpoint to listen to the bellowing. We were able to enjoy the impressive views that the viewpoint offered us with the best nature music in the background.

After a relaxing rutting listening session, we went straight to doing some hiking along a stretch of the Borosa River, from the Cerrada de Elías. We made the trip short due to lack of time, but it only took a moment to completely fall in love with this route, its turquoise waters and its overflowing nature. The complete route from Cerrada de Elías-Nacimiento del Borosa-Laguna de Valdeazores is 22 kilometers in total, and of course next time it will fall completely.

At the end of the route, we decided to see the Torre del Vinagre visitor center, in the Guadalquivir valley. It has an educational exhibition, perfect for the little ones. And a souvenir shop with local and artisan products, as well as a cafeteria to rest after a day of hiking.

After our last meal, we had to face the harsh reality; the farewell. But not all goodbyes are bitter. We know that although we may not meet again, we will always have the memory of these four days in the incredible Natural Park of the Sierras Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas. And who knows, if this trip has taught me anything, it is that reunions after the passing of years can happen.