Net of Natural
Trails
Esla Nature Trail
Description
Corn and sunflowers in a landscape inhabited since the Neolithic
The route begins at Valencia de Don Juan, in the south of the province of Leon, a Vacceo settlement located on the site now occupied by the ruins of a castle. This town, which is also known as Coyanza, was given its current name in honour of Prince Juan of Castile, the first Duke of the Villa, and son of Alphonse X.
To reach the starting point of this Nature Trail, one must take the LE-512 road from Valencia de Don Juan to Mansilla de las Mulas, and turn onto the first dirt road to the right after "Valjunco" housing development.
The route runs first along a concrete path to the east of the houses, towards Valencia de Don Juan, amidst poplar groves and fields of crop, always straight ahead at road crossings.
At the edge of the town, at the interStage next to the sports centre, the route continues along a gravel path, venturing through acacias (Acacia sp.), elms (Ulmus sp.), walnuts (Juglans regia), plane trees (Platanus hispanica) and fields of corn and sunflower. It continues straight ahead towards the road to Castrofuerte, and crosses two bridges over small creeks, past several crossroads with farm roads.
Near the Km 6 milestone, the path reaches Bracas Recreational Area, surrounded by poplars and cornfields. It continues until Km 9, where the road is now paved. From here, amidst new plantations, one can see Castrofuerte. After crossing several interStages with farm roads, the route continues straight ahead to this town, crossing a road with a small fountain on the roadside. The route ends at an old train station, now in ruins.
Profile
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
Highlights
Further information
Castle of Coyanza (Valencia de Don Juan)
The Castle of Coyanza, given National Monument status by virtue of Decree of 3 June 1931, was erected in the 15th century on top of a former construction built on a ruined Iron Age hillfort settlement.
It comprises a moat, a second wall and a great crenellated wall with three-cube towers. To the south stands the Keep, alongside some sections of the primitive wall that used to circle the town in the past.
The premises, open to the public, are partly preserved and restored.
The premises belong to the Board of the Instituto de Valencia de Don Juan and is open for tourist purposes.
Observation point over the Esla and "Jardín de los Patos" (Duck garden)
In the Middle Ages, Valencia de Don Juan was called Coyanza, and its castle still popularly goes by that name.
Next to the castle, in the higher part of the town, there is a viewpoint over the Esla where tourists can enjoy a wonderful view over the Esla valley. Thanks to its natural beauty, this place has become a place of obligatory visit for all visitors.
Also in this area of Coyanza, tourist can enjoy the Duck Garden, the local park. The sight of the little ones throwing breadcrumbs to the ducks that live in the pond and having a great time is an usual one. The park has also a kiosk where walkers can rest, and a bandstand used by the music band to play on summer nights. Besides, a series of memorial plaques about the history of the town are scattered around the park.
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