Km. 0
The route begins at the Fuenmayor Recreation Area in Torres, home to one of the most abundant springs in the Sierra Mágina and a popular spot for walkers and locals alike. Surrounded by a dense pine forest and riverside woodland, this area offers plenty of shade and coolness, accompanied by the constant murmur of water flowing from the spring. From here, the C3 cycle route sets off along a tarmac road, heading north-east, following a route that gradually gains height. The initial ride is comfortable, through hills covered in olive groves and patches of holm oak, with scattered farmhouses that recall traditional farming practices. After 2.7 km, you reach a junction where you turn left, continuing for a further 450 m until you join the Camino de Navaparís.
Km. 3,1
The route continues along a narrower, slightly uphill tarmac road. As you enter the Camino de Navaparís, you’ll come across terraced fields planted with cherry trees, which form part of Torres’s most characteristic agricultural landscape. On this stretch, the route runs between fences on both sides and features warning signs about the presence of wild cattle, so it’s advisable to exercise extreme caution despite the fencing. After 1.4 km, you reach Fuente Navaparís, a spring with several stone spouts historically used as a water supply point.
Km. 4,5
From the Navaparís Fountain, the route continues steadily uphill along the Camino de Navaparís. As you gain altitude, the cherry trees fade from view and the landscape opens up to mountain olive groves and patches of holm oak and gall oak, heralding the transition to the pine forest. After about 2 km, the route joins the Carretera del Repetidor, where the climb becomes more demanding, although the surface remains in good condition. The path winds its way up between hills and small ravines. At the Entredicho site, at an altitude of 1,373 m, lies the Fuente del Tío Ratón, a small spring with a modest flow, historically used by shepherds and walkers as a water source. As you gain altitude, the cherry trees are left behind and the landscape opens up to mountain olive groves and patches of holm oak and gall oak, heralding the transition to the pine forest.
Km. 9
The route continues along the Repetidor road, on a gravel surface, gaining altitude through replanted pine forests and patches of gall-oak and holm-oak. Along this stretch, you pass through several cattle grids, installed to control livestock grazing on the high-altitude pastures; clearly visible from the track, they also serve as waymarks during the ascent. The landscape alternates between areas of Mediterranean scrub and replanted pine forests, which provide shade in some sections. After about 4.5 km of continuous ascent, you reach Mojón Blanco (km 13.5), a triangulation point at 1,495 m marking the summit of the Sierra de la Peña del Águila and the boundary between the municipalities of Pegalajar, Mancha Real and Torres.
Km. 13,5
The track, now tarmac-surfaced, continues to climb gently until, after 5.5 km, it reaches Peña del Águila (1,540 m), a natural vantage point overlooking the surrounding area. To the north, the panoramic view takes in Mancha Real, Pegalajar and much of the olive-growing countryside; to the south, the mountain ranges of the Sierra Mágina can be seen
Km. 19
From Peña del Águila, the route continues along the Repetidor road until it joins the JV-3241 road, which leads towards Mancha Real. The route follows a gentle, downhill gradient, making it easy to enjoy the scenery without any difficulty. As you lose altitude, pine and holm oak forests give way, little by little, to more open, cultivated areas. After about 4.5 km, you enter the village centre, situated at the foot of the mountains. The village offers amenities and is a good place to stop for a break before continuing the route towards Pegalajar.
Km. 23,5
From the centre of Mancha Real, the route heads north-west along the JV-3241, which soon passes through several roundabouts, leaving the town behind as it heads towards the Pegalajar road (JA-3203). The route leaves the town on a tarmac road, heading south-west. To the right, the view opens out over the Jaén countryside, with extensive olive groves covering the hills; to the left, the landscape rises towards the Mágina mountains, with the Peña del Águila as a constant landmark. The road surface is in good condition and the route is easy to follow. After about 6 km, you reach the Siete Pilillas area, on the right-hand side of the road. In addition to the spring—one of the few still flowing in the area—this is the site of the Siete Pilillas Free Flight Centre, a renowned venue for paragliding and flying competitions. From here, it is just a comfortable 2 km cycle to Pegalajar, a white village whose most characteristic feature is the Charca, an old reservoir fed by the spring at Fuente de la Reja.
Km. 30,5
After entering Pegalajar via the JA-3203, turn left onto Calle Calvario and, after a few metres, you will come to a roundabout where you should take the second exit, towards Granada (A-44). At this point, continue straight on along the JA-3203, skirting the town. Just 400 m further on, take a left turn onto Camino del Bercho, a well-compacted gravel track that descends gently between olive groves. Follow the route signs to turn right after 3.4 km. This section has a rough surface. Shortly afterwards you will reach a pond; turn slightly right to take the Vereda del Llano de Peñuelas. The path climbs steadily, with steep sections that make the pedalling feel strenuous, gaining height over the slopes covered in olive groves and Mediterranean scrub. On both sides, the terraced fields are a reminder of the intensity of agricultural work in the area. After a continuous climb of around 3.4 km along a track with some stony, steep sections in poor condition, the route reaches a junction where the path turns slightly to the right to join the Cañada Real de Villanueva–Santa Lucía. Following this historic route, in less than a kilometre you reach the Abrevadero de Villanueva, a site still used by livestock and of great ethnographic value.
Km. 42,5
From this point, the route turns left and continues through olive groves along a farm track until it joins the C4 cycle route and the A-324. You cycle along this tarmac road for approximately 1.4 km – a stretch shared with the C4 – until you reach the Mata Bejid Chapel, which will be on your right. It is a building with simple lines and whitewashed walls, standing out as a landmark in the landscape. Here, following the signpost on the left, you leave the road to continue towards Puerto de la Mata. After passing the signposted junction for Puerto de la Mata, the route leaves the A-324 and heads back onto a forest track, with a continuous but moderate climb. The surface remains in good condition, although in some sections there may be some loose gravel, which requires you to adjust your pedalling. On this section, the route shares the path with the GR-7. After 1.7 km, the route joins the R5 hiking trail (AR El Peralejo - AR Fuenmayor); both head towards Mata Bejid Castle. The route passes through pastures of holm oaks and gall oaks, dotted with grasslands where it is not uncommon to see cattle grazing freely. Among the shrubbery, cushions of nun’s hair, junipers and thyme appear, perfuming the path and signalling the increasing altitude. Mata Bejid Castle stands on a promontory as a visible landmark along the route. The fortress, of great historical value, eventually lost its defensive function and became part of the local farming and livestock-rearing community, as evidenced by the threshing floor and the farmsteads that surround it.
Km. 52,5
As you gain altitude, the views open up towards the mountain ranges silhouetted against the horizon. The surroundings, vast and of great natural beauty, offer sweeping panoramic views towards the peaks of Mágina, with the Peña de Jaén standing out in the foreground. Several traditional footpaths and signposted routes converge along the route, including the one that climbs towards the Miramundos refuge (2,077 m) and Pico Mágina, the highest peak in the range. The route continues north-east along the Camino de Mata Bejid to Los Prados, in the vicinity of Puerto de la Mata: a traditional livestock trail used for summer grazing, known as agostaderos or high-altitude pastures. From Mata Bejid Castle, the track maintains a moderate ascent, always following the GR-7 signposting, which shares the route on this section. The surface is in good condition, although the gradient requires you to maintain a steady pace. The landscape changes with the altitude: scattered holm oaks give way to clearings of mountain pasture and patches of cushion-leaved scrub, typical of the high ground of Mágina. The views open up to reveal the rugged terrain of the mountain range.
Km. 58,2
After walking about 5.7 km from the castle, we reach the junction with routes C5 and R4. Here, we turn left to head south-west until we see the signs for the Cascada del Zurreón picnic area, one of the most popular spots in the area. The landscape opens up between forests of black pine and grassy clearings, and a side path leads down to the waterfall and its recreation area, equipped with tables and drinking fountains.
Km. 65,5
From the signpost marking the entrance to the Zurreón Waterfall, the route continues along a gently sloping track, surrounded by a patchwork of pine forests, holm oak groves and clearings of scrub. The path heads north-west. After approximately 1.5 km, you reach the cool, shady surroundings of the Fuenmayor Recreation Area once again, the starting and finishing point of the route. The murmur of the spring waters, and the poplars and pines casting shade over the tables and picnic areas, provide the perfect finishing touch to this circular route, which combines natural heritage, history and mountain scenery in a walk that encapsulates the essence of the Sierra Mágina.
