Fountain of the Parrales

To the left of the path we find one of the drinking fountains built by the now defunct ICONA. It should be taken advantage of because until kilometer 13.5 we will not find another source.

Fork

At the first bifurcation of tracks that we find, we must take the one on the right, since the one on the left ends at 500 meters and the tinada de Los Parrales serves as access. The views over the El Tranco reservoir, and over the mountains that surround us, as we ascend, begin to be impressive. Soon we see the first black pines, typical of the altitudinal strip that we reached. To the left, in the middle distance, we leave the Lancha del Guijarrón, while in the distance we see some antennas and a white house on top that indicate the location of the Risca del Guijarrón peak.

At kilometer 5 we pass a hill, and just at that point we also cross a firebreak, finding ourselves already at an altitude of 1150 meters.

Fork

New fork in the tracks where we must take the one on the left. On the right we can see at the top of a hill the fire guardhouse known as La Bandera, on Cerro Peguera, at 1,328 meters. The right track dies 500 meters further on, in the Arroyo de Montillana, next to a very abundant source of water, known as Las Raíces. There is no source, since the water is channeled from the source itself to supply various infrastructures in the lower area of the valley.

Detour to Risca del Guijarrón

After a slight descent we reach a ravine, and at this point we must leave the track turning to the right along a path, wide at the beginning, on the left slope of Cerro Entredicho.

But before continuing, it is necessary to deviate from the route and follow the track we have traveled from the beginning, to go up to Risca del Guijarrón, 1.4 kilometers away, which is undoubtedly one of the strengths of the stage. Later we will have to return to this point to continue the stage along the aforementioned path.

El Guijarrón, with its 1273 meters of altitude, is a natural balcony that has a spectacular guardhouse, on the cliffs of an aerial rock. From here we can see peaks such as Almorchón, El Banderillas, El Yelmo and Caballo Torraso, among others, and one of the most extensive panoramic views of the El Tranco reservoir. It is quite frequent to surprise elusive mountain goats gracefully avoiding the difficulties of the rocky terrain, and that griffon vultures and the occasional corvid fly over us. From the top we are struck by the Lancha de Guijarrón, a ridge-shaped rock plate that plunges towards the El Tranco dam.

Via Livestock in Los Tres Mojones

The path soon runs above 1,200 meters, leaving behind, on the right, the Cerro del Entredicho and later the Piedra de los Tres Cajones, both above 1,300 meters of altitude. The name of this place responds to the fact that it is the dividing line between three different municipalities, Sorihuela del Guadalimar, Hornos de Segura and Beas de Segura.

Our road travels in this section in a preferably northeast direction until we find the cattle track, where we will turn sharply to the west. In this livestock route, the Bosques del Sur trail coincides with the GR 144 Trashumance trail for just over two kilometers. This section is quite peculiar, because more than a road in the usual sense of the term, it is a wide strip, as is typical of cattle routes. In this case, the livestock route runs through black pine forest with very little scrub, having numerous parallel paths that sometimes intersect. It is the path used annually by thousands of head of cattle in their transit from high mountain pastures to pasture forests with a warmer climate. For this reason, the paths have a lot of loose stone and suffer important erosive processes. There is enough signposting with beacons and rock marks to indicate the correct direction, and at some point there are steps between rock with a certain slope, where you must be careful to avoid slipping.

Fountain Pinilla Track

The cattle track leads to a wide forest track. If we took it to the right, it would take us to the still inhabited farmhouses of Fuente Pinilla, in a small valley that we have previously been able to see from above when we were walking along the cattle track.

On leaving this track we will go to the left, to turn left again after 100 meters along another somewhat narrower forest track. The vegetation in this area is characteristic of the mid-mountain, that is, forests of black pines with romerales and some holm oaks, dotted with cornicabras, junipers and junipers.

Puntal de la Sabina Bifurcation

At this point we must take a forest track, narrow and in poor condition, which comes out to the right heading towards the Arroyo de los Mansegosos valley. But first it is well worth making another small detour of 1100 meters along the track on the left to the Mirador del Puntal de la Sabina, equipped with a panel that interprets the exceptional panoramic views that can be seen, with the places and peaks that can be seen from there toast the walker.

Arroyo Gollete fountain-trough

Going down the left side of the Valley of the Mansegosos, on a curve in the track, we pass a fountain-watering hole on the left, next to some reeds and brambles, which will invite us to make a last stop on the way. On the other side of the valley, a little further down, we can see fruit trees, walnut trees and some poplars, which indicate that the place was once inhabited, since the ruins of the Cortijos de los Mansegosos are located there.

Mountain olive groves

Already in the lower area, with imposing panoramic views of the El Tranco reservoir and its dam, and facing the spectacular Guadalquivir River Valley, we find two small mountain olive groves that we must cross following the track; the first of them has a rudimentary cattle fence and mesh (wire) gates at the entrance and exit. It is very important to close them in our path to avoid damage to the owner, since the fence prevents the entry of deer and other large herbivores to the olive grove. At this point we cross the stream that we have descended through.

About 150 meters before the end of the stage, our track ends in another transversal that we will take to the right, already in front of some farmhouses in the Hoya de los Trevejiles.

Hoya de los Trevejiles Forest House

Finally we arrive at the Hoya de los Trevejiles forest house, where the stage ends. Although it is not restored, the house pleasantly surprises because it is one of the best preserved in the natural park, since it has a fountain, gardens, gazebos, swimming pool and birdhouses, testimony of past times in which the forest heritage managers had reserved some very special places. The forest house is closed and no shelter has been provided there.