Trail Cerro de Monuera

Once we walk the first 200 meters from where we left the car, we find the bifurcation by which it is made circular, having to take the track on the left. It is from this moment on that we will enter into a darkness that will show us the best floral representation of this path: a melojar of Quercus pyrenaica, mixed with mustards (Sorbus tormentinalis) that will not leave us indifferent, especially if we make the itinerary in autumn or spring. They will accompany us for about 800 meters, mixed with magnificent copies of alcornoque (Quercus suber) and oak (Quercus ilex), until we reach a new fork that we will take back to the left. If we have been careful enough, we will have observed that, on our left, we have been able to enjoy some magnificent panorama of the Aldeaquemada core.

For 900 meters more the vegetation will become black pineapples (Pinus pinaster), accompanied by madroños (Arbutus unedo) and juniperus communis. It is easy that, so far, we have already seen some other piece of deer start his career when he has heard us, as it is a zone of love of this species. Right now we'll get to a firewall we have to go through. This forest fire defence infrastructure points to the limit between Mount El Chortal (owned by the Junta de Andalucía, for which we had been walking so far) and Mount Dehesa Navalacedra (owned by the City Council of Aldeaquemada). For 700 meters we will go through a mixed mass with pine pineer (Pinus pinea) as a more important species at first, which will then leave way for the cherries (with good examples of complaint, Quercus faginea) when we begin to accompany a small vaguada on our left.

In the end we turn into a forest track that we will take to the right, to leave it about 800 meters later taking the sidewalk that comes from the right. We just entered the public mountain El Chortal again. For about 2 kilometers we will be walking on a soloana, in the shadow of pine pines that will make us the most leading road. We can observe three stone canchals at our pace, typical of these natural spaces. Once we have reached an observation turret of fauna, our path will become a sidewalk with some slope (the most difficult part of the path) that will descend to the bottom of the valley, to go back to it.

It is the Arroyo del Tomadero, which in its first meters will delight us with a lush riverside vegetation with the aliso (Alnus glutinosa) and the strawberry (Fraxinus angustifolia) as protagonists, accompanied by a sotoscala that does so in some impenetrable points. In the middle of the way, a (non-potable) source will help us refresh in order to finish the promotion of this vaguada. A kilometer and a half upstream we will cross the Tomadero Arroyo to leave it behind, going up the path for another kilometer until we reach the main track. Taking it to the right will lead us, 400 meters later, to the fork with which we started the path. If we are attentive, we will be able to see on this final stretch, on our right, a fire surveillance turret that looks at us from above the Cerro Monuera, which we will have surrounded for just under 3 hours.