Net of Natural
Trails

Stage 31: Peraleda de San Román - Mesas de Ibor

Description

Walking through olive groves

This Stage is accompanied, from the beginning to Bohonal de Ibor, by olive groves, one of the most common landscapes in the area. From here until the end of this Stage, the Nature Trail runs parallel to the road to Mesas de Ibor.

El Camino discurre entre muros de piedra y olivos

Leaving Peraleda de San Román behind, the route traverses through wide farm roads that cut across vast extensions of olive groves. The olive trees provide plenty of shade under which the traveller can relax and enjoy the typical landscape.

Further on, the route is confined by old stone walls until it reaches the River Gualija, which runs dry in summer, when the vegetation is used for grazing goats. The Nature Trail continues along an old stone bridge that crosses the river, leading the traveller back to the olive tree landscape typical of this Stage.

The path gradually climbs up narrow roads that meander through trees to the top of a hill from where one can enjoy the breath-taking view of Valdecañas Reservoir, near Bohonal de Ibor. The Trail now traverses through the “Sierra de las Villuercas y Valle del Guadarranque” Site of Community Importance (SCI) and Special Protection Area for Birds (SPA).

About nine kilometres after crossing the bridge, the traveller arrives at the intersection between EX-118, also known as the Road to Guadalupe, and a local road leading to Bohonal de Ibor. The route continues along the local road that leads to this town, the endpoint of Stage 31. Bohonal de Ibor welcomes the traveller with the ruins of the ancient Roman temple of Augustóbriga. Also noteworthy are the Church of San Bartolomé and Las Veredas Bridge, located at the Cañada Real, used as a drover's trail on the old Camino de la Mesta.

Following the signposts on the Nature Trail, which traverses the southern part of Bohonal, the route continues along a path that runs almost parallel to the local road linking the towns of Bohonal de Ibor and Mesas de Ibor. This road intersects the Stage, whose clearly marked path occasionally meanders along the road.

One of these crossings takes place at a different height when the route coincides with the River Ibor, a direct tributary of the Tagus. At this point, the Nature Trail crosses the river via a stone bridge called Las Veredas, which, in turn, runs under another newly built bridge that carries the local road.

About 600 m from the last intersection, and close to Mesas de Ibor, is a rest area equipped with tables, wooden benches and a fountain used as a watering hole for livestock, and whose water may be untreated. The traveller may rest at this point, with barely 1.5 km to the endpoint of the Stage.

Finally, the road reaches the village of Mesas de Ibor, a small town located in "Los Ibores" county, from where one can contemplate the beautiful Sierra de la Hache in the western part of the town.

Sites of interest

Mapa

Profile

Perfil MIDE de la Etapa Peraleda de San Román-Mesas de Ibor

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

(Calculated according to the MIDE criteria for an average excursionist with a light load)

Highlights

Further information

Mesas de Ibor

The town boasts the Church of San Benito Abad (16th and 17th century), with its simple, rural architecture. It has a slender steeple and interesting stone ornaments. It consists of a single nave, with two side chapels built at a later date.

Also noteworthy is the pillory in the main square. A rustic, one-piece, granite monolith crowned with four arms that stands on a quadrangular, stepped base. The monument, popularly known as the "Picota de la Justicia", is notable for its simplicity, grandeur and irregular style. The name refers to its original use, which dates back to the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century.

Las Veredas Bridge

This stone bridge, built over the River Ibor, is a natural boundary between Mesas de Ibor and Bohonal. The bridge was used at the time of the Mesta to drive livestock and link several towns. The bridge with a single arch looks over the stunning scenery of the river.