A swim in the throat of Cuartos?
With dozens of bathing areas, La Vera ( Extremadura ) is like a huge natural water park where to go to take off the heat of the city in summer.
We are about to discover the most popular, arranged mostly on both sides of the EX-203 road (at a distance of about fifteen minutes by car from each other), in a route that starts from the border with Ávila towards Plasencia.
Throat Alardos
All proposed ponds are free to use and they have both picnic areas where to eat the tortilla and the breaded steaks, like restaurants and beach bars to go to a set table (unless we indicate otherwise) . The cold waters that flow down from the Sierra de Gredos to flow into the Tiétar River will leave us soft as silk.
ALARDOS THROAT
Perhaps the most visited bathing area in the region is the one belonging to Madrigal of La Vera , on the border between Ávila and Cáceres in the south of Gredos. Along the Garganta de Alardos there are up to six places to take a dip: the Horco Dam, the Natural Pool (the most popular and spectacular, thanks to its 18th century bridge) and four pools: San Cristóbal (next to the homonymous hermitage), El Cardenillo, El Negro and La Paloma.
With them, multitude of restaurants, beach bars, hotels and campsites, making the optimal place to go with family. There are numerous parking spaces, but all are paid (blue zone).
To get there, we have to Take an unnoticed detour as soon as you enter the town to the right, just after passing the bridge that crosses the gorge.
DEVIL'S WATERFALL
The most spectacular and wild. In the Gualtaminos gorge, the water has made its way in a tortuous way through the granite creating this unique gorrera in the middle of a small canyon which is momentarily interrupted by a pool before continuing to precipitate.
Quarters Gorge
In this way, the brave who bathe in this deep and dark pond (it has few hours of sunlight) will have the waterfall behind them and an impressive panoramic view of La Vera from the front thanks to the cut that is little further on, not suitable for people with vertigo.
It is reached by following the EX-203 and taking a detour to the left shortly before reaching Villanueva de La Vera , between kilometers 73 and 72.
There is a restaurant (currently closed) and a sign indicating it, but it's easy to miss. Then you have to go down a ramp by car to a small parking area (no more than twenty cars) and, from there, We continue on foot along a cement path until it forces us to go down some increasingly steep stairs.
QUARTERS THROAT
Resuming our route along the EX-203 we will come across this gorge next to the road shortly before reaching Losar de La Vera.
Like so many others, it finds its greatest spectacularity thanks to the Roman stone bridge that saves it, Two-eyed in this case. It is a tradition among the youngest to jump from these bridges into the water, but, in addition to being dangerous, It is prohibited and sanctioned with fines of 300 euros.
From its shores they depart several hiking trails and in its surroundings we also have campsites, restaurants and beach bars.
VADILLO NATURAL SWIMMING POOL
getting into Losar de la Vera The hedges of the gardens that adorn the road will immediately catch our attention, cut with animal and anthropomorphic shapes as if Eduardo Scissorhands himself had pruned them.
Vadillo Natural Pool
Deviating about five minutes to the right we will discover this natural pool on its outskirts, with the dammed river and beach bar and lawn to lie on its banks. It even has ladders to get into the water, turning it into one of the most accessible.
PARRAL BRIDGE NATURAL SWIMMING POOL
getting into Jarandilla of La Vera and following the indications that lead to the La Abuela Polina restaurant, we will find this bathing area on the outskirts, which it dams the waters of the Jaranda Gorge next to the Parral Bridge. Athough it does not seems, you can cross the bridge with the car, finding the parking lot and the restaurant in question on the other side.
We can lie with our towel on the sandy shore to one side or directly on a rock to the other.
Nearby, they are preserved remains of a paved road and a burial mound , and it goes through there too the Route of the Bridges , suitable for lovers of photography.
JARANDA THROAT
If we continue along the EX-203 towards Village of La Vera, shortly after leaving Jarandilla de La Vera we will see at a bend in the road Jaranda Gorge itself, whose waters also bathe the Puente Parral.
Jaranda Gorge
Its campsite has bungalows, a restaurant open to the public and a large lawn to plant the towel next to the river, dammed and conditioned for bathing.
SAN GREGORIO NATURAL SWIMMING POOL
Lawn on one side and a beach bar on the other, what more could you ask for? The most curious thing about this natural pool, which dams the water of the San Gregorio gorge, are the views it offers of the local cemetery, with the vertical slabs a few meters higher on the mountainside.
To get there we must enter the municipality of Aldeanueva de La Vera and turn right where the sign indicates. We will find it five minutes later, just after passing the two stone bridges.
THE LAKE
The closest thing we are going to find to a beach. This gigantic bathing area is the largest natural pool in La Vera and a dam the waters of the Pedro Chate gorge.
It has on one of its shores a huge esplanade of white sand with umbrellas included and the other, the restaurant with its large terrace.
Head on the Roman bridge, in its surroundings various archaeological remains (currently closed to the public) and several green areas with picnic areas and even a soccer field.
To get there, we must take the detour between Cuacos de San Yuste and Jaraíz de La Vera (it is indicated by a sign) and continue for a kilometer and a half. If we want a more natural option, nearby we have the Charco de las Tablas.
Natural pool of San Gregorio
MAJOR THROAT
We conclude our adventure momentarily deviating from our beloved EX-203. Before reaching Jaraíz de La Vera, we take CC-17.3 until you reach the bucolic town of Throat the Pot. In the middle of its urban center there is a detour to the left towards the Yuste Monastery that we must take.
Shortly after, on the outskirts, we will run into this gorge, which dams the icy waters of the river next to its pleasant beach bar.
However, the real treasure is following the riverbed five minutes upstream. A small path on the shore takes us to a small natural pool with a priceless waterfall which makes it one of the most magical corners of the trip. It is commonly known as the Charco Calderon and it is the ideal place to disconnect from everything and say goodbye to Cáceres with a great taste
Greater Throat