Hervás, one of the towns in Extremadura where autumn is magical
Between high peaks, gorges of water and trees with names, There is a place in Extremadura where Autumn is Magical.
From October to December, when the ground is covered with leaves and the colors are inimitable, the Ambroz Valley wake up from a long summer flooding with party a sample of landscapes dotted with eight towns with a historical legacy with denomination of origin.
Autumn is the time when elves, goblins and fairies roam the woods, they bathe in waterfalls that reflect the green of the moss and play hide-and-seek in cozy caves.
The Ambroz Valley celebrates its particular Magical Autumn
CELEBRATE FALL
There are hundreds of things to do while it lasts Magic Autumn in the Ambroz Valley. Declared a party of National Interest, for seven weekends, from October 25 to December 8 , the region organizes more than 70 leisure activities open to all visitors.
There are guided hiking trails to discover its wonderful natural environment, gastronomic tastings of traditional cuisine, concerts, humor, stargazing , magic workshops, mycological days, craft markets, water activities... and many activities designed for children.
In this 22nd edition, endless ways to have a good time are displayed in each and every one of the eight towns of the Valley: Abbey, Casas del Monte, Baños de Montemayor, Aldeanueva del Camino, La Garganta, Choker, Hervás and Segura de Toro.
An autumn walk through the Ambroz Valley
PAMPER YOURSELF IN THE ROMAN BATHS OF BAÑOS DE MONTEMAYOR
The Romans were already coming Baths of Montemayor for the quality of its hot springs. Specifically, it was the place chosen for officials and soldiers to rest from the exhaustion of the battle.
The waters that flow through the subsoil, sulphurous, sodium and oligometallic , were the "Red Bull of the time", only instead of eating them, the soldiers bathed in them.
The baths were in a privileged place, crossed by the Silver Route , the road that linked north and south of the Iberian Peninsula. This contributed to expanding its benefits and the growth of the population. sheltered by the hot springs giving rise to Baños de Montemayor.
Today, these waters continue to maintain the same healthy qualities. In the ** Grand Hotel Balneario ** you can do rheumatic or respiratory treatments but also beauty and cosmetics. An opportunity to pamper yourself in one of the best spas in Spain.
Roman baths of Baños de Montemayor
WHERE TREES HAVE NAMES
In the Ambroz Valley, any resemblance to the surroundings is purely coincidental. It seems like a cliché, but nothing is further from reality. The display of autumn reaches maximum splendor in the land bathed by the Ambroz river and the foothills of the Sierra de Gredos.
Large forests of chestnut and oak reign there in the shady and cherry and plum trees watch over them from terraces and terraces.
Trees have names. They are named as Hondonero, Menuero, Arroyo or Twisted. They are the distinguished inhabitants of The Chestnuts of Trembling.
Dehesas of oaks and cork oaks still leafy in the lowlands and abundance of water, gorges and rivers: Wide Gorge, Santihervás river or the Ambroz itself. And if that wasn't enough, we can also get a natural icing: the Cork oak of La Fresneda or the Birch tree of the Port of Honduras.
The perfect autumn getaway is in Extremadura
FIELD TO ENJOY
The Japanese have coined a concept, the shinrin yoku, which translates to forest bathing. A term to refer to the old technique of walking in the woods as a method to combat stress, feel happier and enjoy good health. An ancient resource they know all too well in the Ambroz Valley where they have been practicing it all their lives.
There are 14 marked hiking trails. Many possibilities open up before us and among them is choosing or taking them all.
As we have told above, chestnut forests are the jewel in the crown, especially just before the leaf that gives the reddish, ocher and yellow tones completely falls off. They are very old and large trees. The grandparents of the forest.
We have near Hervás, the Castañar del Duque and the Gallegos , a beautiful forest that remains the same as it was 200 years ago. It is known by the name of “Los Gallegos” because it is reminiscent of the chestnut forests of Galicia.
It is one of the most important in Europe. The best way to go around them is crossing the Heidi track, a forest track that surrounds Hervás. Its 30 kilometers can be covered by bike or on foot, totally or partially.
The fairytale forests that surround Hervás
And, in Segura de Toro, the Castaños del Temblar rise up, declared singular trees of Extremadura. An ideal route to do with children, Simple and spectacular at the same time.
In the Magical Autumn 2019 program there are numerous hiking trails. Among the most appealing we highlight Saturday, October 26, the interpreted route of remarkable trees that leaves Casas del Monte; Landscape and Landscape (from Prados del Cazuela to Marinejo) on November 2 from Hervás; the route of the Cesteros to get to know the mount of the chestnut tree and the basketry, on November 9 from Baños de Montemayor; and the XIX Mountain Bike March “Caminos del Ambroz” which will be held on November 16 and leaves from Hervás.
A VERY PRESENT PAST
The eight towns that make up the urban mosaic of Valle del Ambroz they have known how to keep traditions and heritage between cottons.
But also, thanks to the work carried out over the last 25 years, they have been able to recover, add value and show the traveler buildings that are authentic historical legacy, dances that bring the echoes of grandparents or traditions such as basketry, whom globalization has mortally wounded.
The highest town in the Valley is ** La Garganta ,** which rises 1,100 meters. The ascent is made between terraces and oak forests. From the top the views are impressive.
Hervás is an urban puzzle with a Jewish past. Through the streets of the Jewish quarter is celebrated every year the festival of the talks , which tells the story of how many Jews converted to Christianity only to be expelled by the Catholic Monarchs.
** Casas del Monte ** exudes popular architecture. Crafts and nature go hand in hand and merge in the upper neighborhoods of this mountain town. And the Toro de Segura de León, a Celtic footprint carved in stone and a hallmark of the town.
In addition to rich heritage and history, the towns have good highway access and most have fiber optics.
SAVOR ITS ESSENCE
The gastronomy of Valle del Ambroz is a pleasure for the senses. With local produce: cherries, chestnuts, potatoes... and the stoves burning, the dishes preserve the tradition of our grandmothers and their ancestors.
Steaming black pudding with paprika from Aldeanueva del Camino, dried with smoke, veal or the typical roasted peppers that receive the name of “zorongollo” they can be found in almost any restaurant in the area.
And in this typical menu we must not forget the dishes made up of local mushrooms. For dessert, confectionery of Sephardic origin with muédago and hornazo as main references.
Chestnuts with “migajones”, kid or lamb stew mixed with a good pitarra wine they warm the body and spirit of the most seasoned traveller.
The two great events of the Magical Autumn 2019 are on Saturday, October 26, at Casas del Monte with a tasting of a typical dish cooked in the traditional style of the Ambroz Valley; Y On Saturday November 16 there will be a Gastronomic Day which will consist of a sample and tasting of traditional gastronomy organized by the Association of Women of the Valley in Hervás . Starting at 1 in the afternoon.
DREAM NIGHTS AND STARS
If anything has conquered visitors to the Ambroz Valley in recent years, it has been heaven. Every year there are more astronomy fans who come to this northern part of Cáceres to “hunt” stars.
The low light pollution, the good weather and the orography of the area make the valley of Extremadura a a perfect refuge for lovers of stargazing.
The Milky Way in all its splendor
And the best place in the whole valley for the contemplation of planets is in the Corral de los Lobos. According to experts You can see the Milky Way from the constellation Perseus to Sagittarius.
In any case, for the neophytes, the Mintaka Astronomical Association organized on Saturday, October 26, from 10:30 p.m. one night observing the clarity of the skies with two telescopes. You have to register here. The meeting place is the Choker Sports Court.
GO FOR MUSHROOMS
It is one of the most interesting activities that can be done in the Ambroz Valley in autumn. Yes indeed, always accompanied by someone expert that can teach us which species are not poisonous.
Mushrooms abound and it is easy to find them anywhere in this dense forest of oak and chestnut trees. During the Magical Autumn, there is an organized a mycological outlet which will take place on Sunday, November 3.
A walk to pick mushrooms guided by the expert José Ignacio Sánchez. It will leave at 10:00 a.m. of the Hervás pedestrian street roundabout.
Go for mushrooms!