Stage 3 Branch: Molino de Juan Romero Rest Area – Molino de Juan Romero Rest Area

This new stage begins beside the Caminos Naturales interpretative panel at the entrance to the Juan Romero Recreational Area. From this point, cross the CU-V-9112 road, which leads to the village of Beamud, exercising extreme caution. The route leaves behind on the right the old Juan Romero mill, on the banks of the River Júcar.

First you descend through a cemented section with logs arranged lengthwise that will make your bicycle bounce. Shortly thereafter the route returns to the dirt track, crossing, for the first time in this stage, the Magdalena stream, via an overpass that is also cemented with logs arranged lengthwise, located shortly before it empties into the River Júcar.

After this, you will leave the dirt track and ascend a slope with an uneven surface and loose stones, where you can see various pine trees dotted on either side of the slope. Following the Caminos Naturales markers, each easily distinguishable from the previous one, you will continue to climb up a stony path which sometimes tends to narrow.

Shortly before reaching kilometre point 2, you will arrive at a section with a wooden fence on the left. Here there is a wooden bench, which was installed there due to the spectacular views you can have from it, making it hard to resist stopping to enjoy the surroundings.

After this short break, continue uphill along the path through the pine trees until just after kilometre 3 of the stage, where the Caminos Naturales signs indicate a 90º left turn coinciding with the beginning of the pedestrian section and the descent. The route continues on a very attractive section through a pine forest, which at first gives way to gall oak (Quercus faginea) before reaching the gallery forest characteristics of the course of the Magdalena stream. At this point, you will cross this watercourse for the second time via a beautiful wooden bridge purpose built for this Júcar Nature Trail.

After crossing it for the second time, you will climb up to the CU-V-9112 road, where the pedestrian section ends. You then have to cross the road, exercising extreme caution, albeit this time you will be moving along a very wide path with a good surface, which will allow touring cyclists to return to this section again while enjoying their favourite sport.

The route continues mainly uphill, winding through a sparsely-wooded area featuring conifers alongside lush vegetation. This is undoubtedly a good place to visit in autumn, when the season offers a colourful spectacle that will delight the traveller’s senses.

After passing kilometre point 4, you will reach Peña del Castellar, an area brimming with history and legends that has been inhabited since ancient times. The next section, which has a gentle relief, advances through the fertile plain of the Noguerón stream, turning left towards the Rodenillo ravine. In these small river courses, riverside woodland is scarce, sometimes limited a few specimens of black poplar (Populus nigra) arranged in lines, always close to the watercourse.

After leaving kilometre point 6 behind, ascend for a few metres, before the route turns left along a poorly-defined path; you must pay attention to the Caminos Naturales markers that will indicate the direction to follow. The hiker will then approach the ruins of an old sheepcote, where in the past sheep were sheltered from the inclement weather.

Continuing along the trail, the route enters a new pine forest, where, after less than 200 m, it turns left onto a broad forest track that is in very good condition.

The descent continues, with no technical difficulties, making it easy to pass kilometre point 7 and, shortly afterwards, the Pedregoso stream, where a cemented platform enables traffic to pass without incident. After passing kilometre point 8, this path joins another of similar characteristics, which is the itinerary of stage 3 of the Júcar Nature Trail. The branch turns left, sharing the end of the stage with stage 3, crossing a small riverbed via a cemented platform, before soon reaching the pedestrian access to the Juan Romero Recreational Area. End point of this circular branch of the Júcar Nature Trail.