Hike to Cortijo Barranco del Lobo is perfect for one of those afternoons, when being at the Hotel, we want to take a walk through nature and delight ourselves with the golden light of the afternoon sun.
Duration: 1 hour and 45 minutes approx.
Distance: 6.1 km.
Difficulty: easy
Minimum and Maximum altitude: 878m / 1083m.
At the next fork, we continue along the center lane, ascending. And at the next intersection, we will take the lane on the left, between the farmhouses. We will arrive at a fork where we will take the path to our right that, ascending slightly, is indicated on the wooden post in the direction of Fuente Fría (2)
The path, easy to follow but also stony, will show you some great views of the pine forests on the
Behind and in the background we leave the valley of La Umbría, La Solana, and the silhouette of neighboring mountains.
At about 200 meters we will find a metal door that we will round on the right side since the door cannot be opened, and we will continue on the road, straight ahead. The one on the left is prohibited from being privately owned.
Without leaving the main lane, we will leave a path to the right and then another to the left, in a gentle ascent. When we begin to descend, the best views of the walk will make their way. Between the end of February and March, we can also enjoy the flowering of the almond trees on our left. Once past the highest point of the route, we will arrive at the ruins of the Cortijo del Barranco del Lobo (4).
Named like this, probably because of the ancient existence of wolves in the area. In the Middle Ages, there were many wolves in Sierra Nevada. In years of heavy snow, they would go down to La Vega to feed on cattle. Therefore, they were indiscriminately eliminated. Due to its extermination and the disappearance of herbivores such as deer, fallow deer, roe deer due to the deforestation of the territory, the wolf disappeared from these mountains. The last one was seen in 1933, a solitary specimen.
The Barranco de Lobo will be on our left, with some beehives on the bottom right. (we recommend not approaching and passing quickly so as not to disturb the bees), and another farmhouse to which we must go following the path. The track will take us, surrounding the mountain, back to the dog shelter, always following the two forks that we will find, to the right.
And returning our steps, we will go back to La Almunia del Valle. After a little rest and refreshment, we will be able to enjoy a wonderful dinner with views of the valley.