Pueblos de Piedra

History and culture
The depopulation of the Sierra y los Cañones de Guara Natural Park is most evident in this area. Its remoteness, poor transport links and rugged terrain have left this land in ruins, resulting in the loss of a significant ethnological and cultural heritage. The looting of household goods from abandoned villages and illegal rallies on roads and tracks led to many of these being closed off with barriers and chains.
Conversely, by banning vehicle traffic and through the regulations imposed by the Natural Park and the Natura 2000 network, it has been possible to recover highly endangered species of flora and fauna.
The name of the route leaves no room for doubt. Stone is a typical feature in many villages in the upper reaches of the mountain range, where the use of natural resources gives rise to this type of building, which seems to blend into the surroundings.
Among the villages, we highlight the extraordinary Bellostas mill and its church with a Romanesque apse, dedicated to Saint Ramón Nonato. In Bagüeste, we find the ruins of San Salvador, a 12th-century Romanesque church, and the Hermitage of San Miguel, also in ruins. Letosa still possesses the remains of a mill and the church of San Úrbez, dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. Almost all the houses in these villages had large hearths with their stone benches and bread ovens; in San Póliz (San Hipólito) we can get an idea of this, as they are still clearly visible. Its church, a small tower and a blacksmith’s workshop give an insight into what life must have been like here.
Along the route, we’ll come across a wide variety of plant species: junipers, holm oaks, gall oaks, boxwoods, pines, thyme, rosemary… and in spring, where the hedgehogs haven’t taken over the pastures, a multitude of flowers in different colours will paint unforgettable landscapes.