Gorges of Maestrazgo

April 6th Meeting point: Montoro de Mezquita.

Situated at the top of the village, El Bailador guest house has been lovingly restored and offers a spacious and comfortable accommodation for family gatherings in the Maestrazgo at any time of the year. This house is located in Montoro de Mezquita between the limestone cliff and the Guadalope river to the west of Maestrazgo mountain range. Montoro de Mezquita is a tiny village renowned for its unique geological scenery and for being inside a cul-de-sac valley. Remarkable gorges are one of the most distinctive features of this natural space.

April 7th From Aliaga to Montoro de Mezquita on boards.

15 km. Guadalope river provides a wet ring around Aliaga village and highlights geological folds and its former Mesozoic embayment 220-65 million years ago. Estrechos de Aliaga run through these stratigraphic formations to connect Hoz Mala, El Infierno and finally with Valloré de Montoro. From inside the ravines spotting water-powered flour mills, paper mills and hydroelectric mills to outside where the creative mind find itself lost in motion through the longer sound of “garganta” until the horizon.

April 8th The Maestrazgo Trilogy. Guadalope, Pitarque and Cañada rivers.

14 km. The confluence of Guadalope, Pitarque and Cañada rivers becomes a confluence of time and space with stories of architecture, people, geology. The hidden communicable relationship between water and inhabitants, between devotion and faith.

The legend of San Pedro and the pilgrimage leads us back to the 14th century when Villarluengo village was struck by the plague and a drought. Seven men from the village went on a pilgrimage to Rome. When they returned from Rome to the ermita...enjoy your history!!!.

April 9th Pitarque River springs.

17 km. Pitarque river runs through the Mediterranean shade forest before being trap by Guadalope river. The head of the ravine is a bowl shape mountain with several connected streams usually remain dry on surface and active during wet season. They all appear at Pitarque Springs place. 

Through a green valley you first walk to the springs of the Pitarque river. The path gradually goes up through a shady, moist gorge. The vegetation here is lush. Maples, walnuts, hazel trees constitute one of best Mediterranean river bank forest of the area.

Further on, the landscape changes abruptly: it becomes drier, barren and rougher.

April 10th Vallore ridge

3 km. Today, the walkboards of Valloré and its ascent to the top -Vallore Balcony- are likely  the best scene to convey Gargantas del Maestrazgo experience in words. It is a more meditative space, a place to lose oneself amid limestone ridges and boulders and the Earth’s grandeur. Farewell.