🎵 Audio guide
The Aroche trail is a linear, out and back trail. It leads from Cadalso to the Aroche Biological Reserve, property of the Global Nature Foundation at the foot of the Almenara castle. The trail unites various tracks which snake up the hill through olive orchards, vegetable gardens, pine forest, stands of oak trees and scrub. Halfway through the trail, it narrows to a footpath which climbs steeply.
The trail starts in the village square and takes Calle Canal then Calle Mariega which descends steeply, leading out of the village and down to the Cuesta stream. The Almenara castle is a constant presence, looking down from the hills.
The first part of the trail is a concrete road which passes through cultivated plots of land with stone walls and terraces containing olive and fruit trees and some vegetable plots. The trail makes a sharp turn and starts to get steeper, climbing through a pine forest.
We climb through the pine forest until we come to a junction with the Majadillo trail. We turn left onto this trail then, a few metres past the water storage building, we turn right. We continue climbing through pine forest and little by little the trail becomes less steep.
After a straight section with magnificent views of the Almenara and its surroundings, the trail ends beside a wall which allows us views of a small, cultivated valley. On the right there is a path which climbs steeply between pine trees, heather and broom which, as we continue, give way to stands of oak trees.
At a gate on the left-hand side we take a track hidden in the scrub. We pass by abandoned plots of land and their old stone walls - once cultivated, these have become an oak forest. A large rock reminds us to look up from the trail and enjoy the views of Cadalso and the Árrago valley.
Shaded by oak trees, the trail arrives at the junction of the track which ascends to Aroche. We turn left and pass by the last cultivated land which, little by little, gives way to an area of forest and scrubland, some of which is used for grazing.
Aroche. The track ends at the entrance to the Aroche estate, a Biological Reserve. Its aim is to conserve the natural environment and traditional land uses. The Almenara castle can be seen in the background.
For the more intrepid walker, the Almenara castle is well worth the climb. It is an old Moorish fortress situated on a small granite outcrop with magnificent views of the Sierra de Gata and many more of Cáceres's northern regions.
Return leg and views. Although the trail is the same, the downhill return to Cadalso gives us the opportunity to enjoy beautiful views of the Árrago valley on the way down to the village.