Situation
Hoya de Huesca
Station
All year round. Without snow
Duration (approx.)
6h
Difficulty rating (M.I.D.E.)
M: 4. I: 3. D:4. E:4
Type of route
Lineal
Elevation gain
+1200 -1200 m
BTT
No
Car combination
No
History and Culture
This route lies between the Flumen and Isuela rivers and aims to bring together well-known trails, such as those leading to the Salto de Roldán and Pico del Águila, with others like the Cresta de la Sierreta del Águila, which, apart from offering magnificent views, will also have a few surprises in store.
The Salto de Roldán is formed by two enormous conglomerate rock formations, the Peña San Miguel (1,124 m) to the west and the Peña Amán (1,123 m) to the east, between which the River Flumen flows, hemmed in by the so-called Palomeras. Hundreds of vultures nest on these cliffs, and on days when the thermal currents are favourable, we can witness one of nature’s most beautiful phenomena: hundreds of vultures circling in flight, rising and tracing the currents as if they were a tornado.
The ascent to Peña San Miguel is via a network of pitons, ladders and ropes; although easy, those with a slight fear of heights should exercise caution.
At the summit, as well as magnificent views, we’ll find the remains of the 12th-century Romanesque church of San Miguel, a cistern and the remains of a defensive tower (El Castillo de Sen).
Pico del Águila is a superb viewpoint. The Sierreta del Águila, with its ups and downs, eventually descends to Santa Eulalia de la Peña. Before arriving, depending on the route chosen, you can see the cave paintings at the Abrigos de Raja, featuring schematic and Levantine art. Nearby is a restored snow well and a cross dating from 1891.
In Santa Eulalia, highlights include its 18th-century church dedicated to San Mames and its watering trough with a fountain.
Legend
Legend has it that Roland, a knight of Charlemagne, after failing to conquer Zaragoza, set off on the run, pursued by his enemies. He reached Peña Aman and found himself surrounded; at that moment he spurred his horse on and, with a great leap, crossed over to Peña de San Miguel. The horse died from the exertion and Roland continued his flight on foot to his native France. Upon reaching the Ordesa Valley, his strength abandoned him and he died there, but not before, in a final effort, throwing his sword Durendal—as powerful as Excalibur—and opening a gap in the Pyrenees through which he could see the land of his ancestors for the last time. Since then, both the Leap and the Gap have borne his name.
ITINERARY
1- Peña San Miguel
2- Salto Roldán
3- Peña San Miguel
4- Pico del Águila
5- Picuto
6- Santolarieta
7- Peña de San Miguel
1 – Just below Santa Eulalia and at the foot of the San Miguel rock (Salto de Roldán) is the car park from where we will start the route.
2 – We will set off from the car park along a well-marked and well-maintained path towards the rock. Shortly afterwards, the steepness of the rock faces will mean we need to use our hands; with the help of a cable and staples, we will soon reach the summit.
3 – Retracing our steps back down the way we came, we will return to the car park. From there, a path leads off, which is the continuation of the one we followed from Santa Eulalia. We simply need to follow it until we reach a pass.
4 – Here we must keep an eye out for a path branching off to our left. We’ll take this and begin the ascent to the peak of Águila; we can also opt for the path that climbs between the track but is straighter.
5 – Once at the peak, we’ll head south. We’ll take the path we used to climb up and descend to the first pass; we’ll ignore the one on the left that we climbed earlier and the one on the right that runs below the peaks. We’ll start the climb up to the first peak directly in front of us.
6 – Now we need to keep our eyes on the path and follow the ridge from peak to peak until we reach the last one (El Piacuto); from here, we simply follow the descending path that will take us to Santa Eulalia.
7 – At the top of the village there is a well-marked path leading towards Peña San Miguel; we can take this path which runs above the road or return along the road itself to the car park.
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