7th of January
La vuelta de la Hoz is a natural place next to the village of Jérica. It is a meander of Palancia river, which with the passage of time, has been breaking through, eroding the mountain and creating a gorge more than fifty meters high on both sides.
Given the characteristics of the so-called Peña Tajada, more than 50% of which is a vertical wall with a drop of more than twenty meters, this was the chosen place for the first population centers. It is believed that it was the Arabs who first took advantage of these characteristics, since on top they have built the Castle, around which the population would settle. The village was known earlier as Chorradores, and the settles would take water from the river and irrigate the orchards below as well as moving mills and other machinery.
El Sargal
The fluvial landscape, makes this corner one of the most beautiful places in Alto Palancia: El Sargal de Viver, a beautiful recreational area with springs that are located on the outskirts of Viver, surrounded by mountains, on the left bank of the Palancia River, embedded in its valley.
The Sargal Caves, which give name to the place, stand out here. It is an important archaeological deposit which in fact is a group of cavities that form a wide front, beautiful and charming tourist attraction complementary to the recreational zone.
In the past, these caves served as shelter for the first settlers of the area, from the Upper Paleolithic to the Neolithic. Geologically they were formed by the action of the waters of the source of Pontón, existing karstic formations of great interest. In these documented prehistoric caves you can also see an epilithic graphics, whose stylized representation of a human figure is engraved on an open-air rock.
Difficulty: medium (10.4km with 280m elevation gain).
Technical level: medium/low (wide paths)
Meeting point: Mestalla, entrance on av. Aragón, 9:30 (return to Valencia ~17:30)
Price: 32 euros (28 euros signing up before Thursday, 07.01) / 12 euros coming to Jérica.
The price includes professional guide, transportation, accident and public liability insurances.
Bring at least 1l of water, lunch, long-sleeve clothes and hiking shoes.
Become a member and get a 6-euros discount for every hike.