Situation
Station
Duration (approx.)
30h
Difficulty rating (M.I.D.E.)
Type of route
Lineal
Elevation gain
+1700 m
BTT
Car combination
No
History and Culture
The peak of Asba is the highest in the eastern part of the Sierra de Guara (1,431 m), from which the most daring often go paragliding. We find ourselves in a relatively unknown but fascinating area. Of particular note are the stunning views over the Balcés River canyon and the countless birds of prey that often soar above these landscapes.
Betorz is a beautiful stone village, blending seamlessly into the landscape, where time seems to have stood still. The church dedicated to Saints Nunilo and Alodia was built in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The town centre of Sarsa de Surta is also worth mentioning. Highlights include the 16th-century Church of La Asunción, with its Romanesque tower, a medieval section including a castle (in ruins), and the site of great ethnological interest at Pedro Buil, featuring a mill, a tile works and a pigsty, now restored and converted into a museum.
Over the River Vero, two medieval bridges facilitated communication between Sarsa de Surta and the isolated settlements on the opposite bank.
Santa María de la Nuez is a sanctuary with interesting features, such as the farmhouses attached to the church, where people ate and stored their belongings on the day of the pilgrimage. It also has stables, a cellar, a churchyard and a dwelling where the caretaker of the temple used to stay.
Description
1- Betorz
2- Tozal de Asba
3- Mallanas
4- Peña Surta
5- Molino de Pedro Buil
6- Paúles de Sarsa
7- Sta María de la Nuez
1 – We’ll start the route in the village of Betorz. We’ll park the car at the entrance to the village and head up to the upper part, where the church is. We’ll take a track that has a barrier at the start.
2 – This track is easy to follow and gradually climbs up to the peak of Asba. Just before reaching the summit, the track veers off slightly and it is here that we must take a path that will lead us to the very top.
3 – We can descend on the opposite side to the Paules pass or retrace our steps to the track and continue along it to the pass. The path will now turn left to go round a hillock. Shortly afterwards, we’ll reach a junction and, leaving the main track heading for Sevil on our left, we’ll turn right. We’ll continue along the path until it begins to descend, where we’ll find a trail that will take us along the entire ridge to Peña de Surta.
4 – On the right, a trail will appear that descends to Sarsa de Surta, covering a steep drop. We head to the lower part of the village, from where we take a path. After a few metres, we turn left onto another path which, skirting a hill, brings us very close to the River Vero.
5 – At this point is Pedro Buil’s mill, and next to it, a bridge which we cross to reach the road.
6 – Continuing along the road, we will first reach Paules and then Santa María de la Nuez.
7 – In Santa María de la Nuez, at the very last house, we will take a path to the left, which, passing beneath and rounding the peak of Asba, will take us back to Betorz. We just need to watch out for a junction halfway along the route and take the right-hand fork towards Betorz (the other leads to Almazorre).
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