Nature's colours are calling us! This is possibly the best time of year to dust off those hiking boots and get outside to enjoy the idyllic landscapes on offer. For the little ones, a carpet of freshly fallen, crisp autumn leaves that crunch underfoot adds another dimension of enjoyment.
big tree roots trail - river Batuecas - Salamanca
CAMINO DE LAS RAÍCES - (SALAMANCA)
In the historic centre of La Alberca, one of the prettiest villages in the Sierra de Francia in the province of Castilla y León, and where this 8km circular trail through the Parque Natural de las Batuecas begins, the houses are huddled so closely together that their eaves practically touch one another. The trail takes us through a forest of oak and chestnut trees, past the Montón de Cantos cross, right to the door of the Majadas Viejas hermitage. It then continues towards a picturesque lagoon and on to the San Marcos hermitage, before heading across the Fuente Castaño recreation area back to our starting point. More information at www.laalberca.com
View of Santalla de El Bierzo - photo credit - priaranzadelbierzo.org
LAS BARRANCAS DE SANTALLA (LEÓN)
Known by many as the 'clay cathedrals', the main attraction on this trail are the enormous outcrops of clay-rich earth, similar to Las Médulas in Ponferrada, El Bierzo, although these have been formed by natural erosion. This 10km circular trail starts and ends in Santalla del Bierzo and can be completed in around four hours, although if hiking with young children, there is an option to shorten the trail by turning back on arrival at the hanging bridge over the river Sil at Villaverde de la Abadía. Along the trail there are viewpoints, century-old oak and chestnut trees, water mills, hermitages and even a castle (Cornatel). More inforation at www.priaranzadelbierzo.org
Senda la Regueirina - photo credit – turismoasturias.es
SENDA LA REGUEIRINA (ASTURIAS)
More than 300 villages make up the area known as Tineo, in the western part of Asturias. One of these, El Faedal, which boasts the San Lorenzo hermitage, but barely 20 permanent inhabitants, is the starting point of this hike. A forest road leads to a narrower forest trail, which descends, zigzagging first one way then the next, to Regueru el Llavadoriu. On the other side of the riverbed, the trail gets narrower and narrower as it gets closer to a small waterfall. Dotted along the trail are the remains of water mills and even an old power station. After barely 4km, a steep, shady climb by the Peña´l Molín brings you back to the starting point. More information at www.tineo.es
Despite its initial appearance, this is a straightforward 'there-and-back' route along barely 4km of pathway. The trail starts at the Centro de Interpretación del Parque Natural de Urbasa-Andía, north of the village of Estella. Beech trees, maples and hawthorns line the start of the route, passing by pens built for sheep and goats, towards the area known as "las vagonetas", which is where railway sleepers were extracted by loggers. After this, the path goes into a magical beech wood – Hayedo Encantado - with trees that look like they reach the sky and rocks that take on mystical forms. Maybe you can spot a dragon? More information at www.parquedeurbasa.es
Chestnut trees in Montseny – photo credit - escapadaambnens.com
EL SOT DE L’INFERN (BARCELONA)
3km out and 3km back - about an hour and a half - is all you have to walk to enjoy the whole of this circular trail through one of the prettiest parts of the Parque Natural del Montseny, about 50 km from Barcelona. It's a very easy path, perfect to do with children, and lined by holm oaks, beech and oak trees, and especially chestnuts. It's well worth taking a bag with you to collect chestnuts from the ground. At various points along the trail your attention will be drawn to the tall silhouette of the Turó del Home peak in the distance. The Sot de l’Infern is a stream that you have to cross in order to reach the old miners' shacks made of interlaced branches and packed earth. More information at www.parcs.diba.cat
