Sayagués Agricultural Landscape Nature Trail

The Nature Trail runs from the shrine of Gracia (in the municipality of Bermillo de Sayago) to Escuadro (in the municipality of Almeida de Sayago), in the heart of County Sayago. The route is clearly signposted. There is no room for mistake, except when it traverses the town of Almeida, where special attention should be paid to the signs on the walls, utility poles or streetlights.

The Trail begins near the shrine of Gracia, where there is a rest area and the first of many stone crosses strewn along the route.

The route, which for most of the itinerary runs on "jabre" (disintegrated granite), passes first through a metal gate (which must be kept closed to prevent the livestock from roaming out of their grazing areas). The Trail ventures into a meadow dotted with large oaks (Quercus ilex), passes through two more metal gates, separated by ZA-311, and continues through the meadow until it reaches another stone cross.

Although the Nature Trail runs along several roads that give access to farms, a row of stones, embedded in the ground, indicate clearly the area for the exclusive use of the Nature Trail. The oak canopy is increasingly less dense, giving way to vast pastures for grazing sheep and cattle. These farms (called “cortinas” in County Sayago) are bound by curious dry masonry walls typical of the district.

Past the Nava Enjuta rest area, the Trail crosses a traditional pontoon over a brook, and begins a gentle climb up a nearly treeless hill. It passes next to another stone cross, close to a water tank. The houses of Almeida can be seen in the distance. The descent to the village is through “cortinas” (plots surrounded by typical dry masonry walls that border the towns). Past the fountain of Corbella, the route arrives at the first houses.

The path winds through the picturesque streets of Almeida, many of which are cattle trails, and heads up to the church of San Juan Bautista. The route wanders through houses built in the traditional style, and crosses the Grande Bridge over the River Belén to arrive at a park near the Caño fountain.

After crossing the ZA-320, the route leaves the town behind and continues through "cortinas", past the Fuente de los Señores. The Trail runs momentarily along ZA-P-2219 to change direction, and ventures back into a landscape of vast pastures broken only by a solitary oak or thickets along a brook. Leaving the Valdeserranos rest area to one side, the route turns onto an offshoot path, next to a rest area and Fuente Laguna Reservoir, some two kilometres down the road. This path leads to the namesake fountain, only a few metres away. Further on, the Trail passes next to Fuente de Prado Viejo.

The road begins a gentle but steady climb into meadows dotted with cork oaks and a few sparse Pyrenean oaks (Quercus pyrenaica), which gradually increase in number until they almost replace the cork oak. The route reaches the shrine of Santa Barbara, a good place to admire the "Sayagués" landscape from the viewpoint of Teso de Santa Bárbara.

From here, the route descends towards Escuadro, past Navalfaraz rest area and a fountain. The presence of “cortinas” announces the proximity of the town.

After crossing the ZA-P-2219, the path reaches the village of Escuadro, where the route ends next to the parish church, whose façade is ornamented with Roman stelas recovered from the ancient Roman settlements of Turriones and Macada.

Before leaving the Trail, this small village is worth a visit to discover its traditional fountains - La Bomba, Barrero, Pozaco and Fuente Romana.