Situation
Alto Gállego / Somontano
Station
All year round. Without snow
Duration (approx.)
Difficulty rating (M.I.D.E.)
M: 4. I: 5. D:3. E:4
Type of route
Lineal
Elevation gain
+1050 -1050 m
BTT
No
Car combination
No
History and culture
Rather than a hiking route, it could be described as a mountaineering route. Let’s not forget that this involves climbing to a peak, with an exposed return route, where we will need good navigation skills as the path is lost in many sections; another option would be to return the way we came.
The Cabezo or Cabeza de Guara rises in the easternmost part of the central mountain range, reaching an altitude of 1,868 metres.
The route begins in Bara, the most remote inhabited village, taking us into the northern face of the mountain range, if we wish to access it by car; the village consists of two neighbourhoods, and the fountain lies between them.
The vegetation changes as we ascend. Kermes oaks and gall oaks soon give way to pines, junipers and boxwoods. At the level of the mountain pastures, where the gorse has not yet colonised the grasslands, we can see the remains of sheepfolds, with their stone walls and the occasional barn. A little further up, now treeless, we reach the Llanos de Cupierlo, a spectacular landscape with over 248 sinkholes, at least 110 of which have a radius of more than 20 metres.
The view from the summit is spectacular: the Pyrenees, the Nocito Valley, the Somontano and the Hoya de Huesca.
On the descent, we will discover the gorge carved out by the River Alcanadre after thousands of years of erosion. This narrow section, flanked by vertical walls over 200 metres high, is known as the Gorgas Negras ravine, one of the longest and most challenging in the mountain range. Its walls are ideal for rock-dwelling birds: large vertical faces with cavities, shelters and ledges from which they can take off effortlessly, offering good protection from predators. Griffon vultures, Egyptian vultures, golden eagles and bearded vultures, along with other smaller birds of prey such as peregrine falcons, sparrowhawks and goshawks, rule this territory from above. Upon reaching the riverbed, we will understand why it is called Gorgas Negras; here, trout live alongside newts, salamanders and frogs. It is also not surprising to encounter wild boar, rabbits, partridges, red foxes, martens or stone martens along the route.
The route itself manages to bring together geological, cultural, sporting and natural (flora and fauna) attractions within a small area.
Description
1- Bara
2- Los Fenales
3- Hoyos de Guara
4- Tozal de la Cabeza o Cabezón de Guara
5- Río Alcanadre
6 y 7- Dos opciones de camino hasta Bara
1 – We’ll set off from Bara along the track towards Used-Nocito. The Tozal del Cabezo de Guara will be on our left, so we’ll need to take a path in that direction. We’ll avoid the first one leading to Nasarre and head for the second; that’s the one we’re looking for. A barrier will indicate that we’ve reached the right spot.
2 – Now we simply need to follow the path that zigzags upwards to Los Fenales (a flat area of former pastureland). We’ll ignore the paths branching off to the right and continue climbing up to Los Llanos de Cupierlo.
3 – This area is easily recognisable by the numerous holes in the ground, which resemble a lunar landscape. From here, with the Cabezo clearly visible to our left, we’ll look for a path that will lead us to the summit.
4 – When we reach the summit, we’ll see the great gorge of the Gorgas Negras ravine. From here, we’ll begin the descent heading north, staying along the crest of the hill with the ravine and the gorge to our right. The signposting and paths are not very clear, so we will need to use our sense of direction.
5 – If we continue descending along the ridge, we will eventually come to the River Alcanadre, which we have been following all along. Here we need to assess the water level.
6 – If the water level is low, we can follow the river upstream to Bara without getting wet, using the path that crosses it. If, on the other hand, the flow is high, we’ll simply have to take a path to the left that we’ll find a few metres after starting to follow the river upstream.
7 – This path will take us back to the one we missed at the start, which leads to Nasarre. We’ll just have to head back to Bara.
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