Stage 5.1: Orbaneja del Castillo - Turzo - Pesquera de Ebro
Description
The route heads north through Alta de Orbaneja del Castillo Street (665 m), also known as Mantecoza wagon road, past the church of San Vicente and Barbancho and Níspero caves, with impressive scenic views of El Castillo, the River Ebro and Orbaneja, and the Ebro Canyon and the road wedged within.
The road, which runs along a rocky ledge, crosses a stream, climbs along a second watercourse to the east, and ventures onto a high plateau. Leaving behind a track to the left leading to Horca Menor, the route continues along a cobbled track to the N-623, where Venta de Orbaneja is located, with vultures soaring the sky (2.5 km, 50min). Although the place is in ruins, the guest house and stables still stand.
The most interesting feature is the large number of shepherd's huts or shelters scattered across the high plateaus. The construction is made with round and square stones, supported by a layered vault. A true testament to the pastoral economy of bygone days. From here, the route heads towards the road. After crossing the road, the well-defined wagon road heads between walls, former fields and widely scattered kermes oaks. It joins another wagon road from the road to the left. Good views of the Ebro canyon, the road, and even the area of Orbaneja can be seen from here. The route winds up Mount La Cerca (flat peak of the high plateau), then down to Turzo, after crossing a small stream (4.3 km, 1hr 25min).
Turzo boasts a Romanesque church with belfry and flat apse, and interesting folk architecture, in particular several stone manors with semi-circular arched façades, engraved with crosses and geometric shapes. It also has a candle-making cottage industry that sells its products in its shop.
The route leaves the town to the east, along a track opposite the church, towards Pesquera de Ebro. The track, flanked by kermes and gall oaks, ventures south into farmlands, and wanders parallel to a highly laminated rocky ravine with vegetation covered caves.
After taking a 90º turn to the left, the path reaches Fuente Ayón. Here, the track becomes a bridle path that winds left and right through an occasional cork oak grove, down to the ravine bed, to continue downstream to the banks of the Ebro. The route has good views of the narrow rocky cut of Las Calzadas and the windmills placed along the mountain ridge. After reaching the Ebro, the route hugs the left bank, venturing into the first fields of crop at Pesquera, a small town that is accessed via a track that leads into its western neighbourhood (645 m, 11 km, 3hr 25min).
Profile
MIDE (Method for the Information of Excursions)
Harshness of natural environment- 1. The environment is not risk-free
- 2. There are more than one risk factors
- 3. There are various risk factors
- 4. There are quite a lot of risk factors
- 5. There are many risk factors
Guidance along the route- 1. Well defined trails and crossings
- 2. There is a clearly marked trail and signage
- 3. Requires the identification of geographic features and cardinal points
- 4. Requires off-path navigation
- 5. The trail is interrupted by obstacles that have to be gone around
Route difficulty- 1. Walking on a flat surface
- 2. Trails with different types of path
- 3. Walking on stepped paths or irregular terrain
- 4. The use of hands or jumping over the terrain is necessary
- 5. The use of hands is required to progress
Amount of effort needed- 1. Up to 1 hour of continuous walking
- 2. Between 1 and 3 hours of continuous walking
- 3. Between 3 and 6 hours of continuous walking
- 4. Between 6 and 10 hours of actual walking
- 5. More than 10 hours of continuous walking
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