Tag: geopark villuercas ibores jara

Have you ever touched a 450 million-year-old tree?

I did it recently and you too can experience such an unforgettable experience by visiting the Villuercas-Ibores-Jara UNESCO Global Geopark. Just along the Valley of Guadarranque – an hour drive by 4×4 from Alía – we find “Cancheras de la Trucha” and  hidden there “La lorera de la Trucha”, a forest dated from the Tertiary, after the dinosaurs extinction.

It´s high time I visit this natural wonder within Villuercas Geopark. Even though Alía is my home village, I had never been to La Lorera de la Trucha before.

Luckily, two childhood friends Abel Moyano and David Álvarez joined me in the adventure. They know the Valley of Guadarranque River quite well. Abel, in particular, has fully scrutinized every corner to catch superb photos of birds to show them on his  blog about birdwatching that I strongly recommend.

The route started in Alía. We got up early, met at 8 am and got in Abel´s 4×4.

After a 15 minute drive we had to stop to shoot an astonishing sunrise we came across just before getting the Matallana hunting area at Sierra de la Palomera. As it had been raining the day before, a thick bank of fog partly had covered de valley leaving an amazing landscape to film. All of this, along with the large number of deers and vultures we came accross, made the trip unforgettable.

Abel shooting the Sunrise on Geopark Villuercas

Clouds on the Vlley of Guadarranque

“Lorera de la Trucha”

Once at “La lorera de la Trucha”, what grabbed most my attention was both its darkness – due to the density of leaves in the cups of the Loro trees touching each another-  and the pure sound of nature.  Fortunately, we were alone there, with the pleasant running river water sound as our only company.

For the first time in the countryside I had the feeling that everything surrounding me was actually breathing; absolutely magical, inspiring.

“Charco de la Trucha”

After marveling the Loros, we walked over 300 meters downriver to get to El Charco de la Trucha. It is a fantastic waterfall located along a deep gorge. It is a bit dangerous, so you should walk very carefully across the stones to avoid falling into water. I recommend not comming here with little kids or at least not trying to reach the pool situated at the bottom of the gorge with them.

I will never tire of visiting this geosite.

More photos:

Leaf fossilized

Red deers at Matallana hunting area in Alía

Loro fruit

Red deers at Matallana hunting area in Alía