Disconnection in the middle of nature
Between the swamps that dam the waters of the river Guadiana extends in the province of Badajoz Extreme Siberia, who proudly defends his candidacy for Biosphere Reserve granted by UNESCO on the basis of leafy forests, long meadows, numerous wild fauna and strong local cuisine.
DAY 1: SCARAPUCHES, BERREA AND REGIONAL DANCES
They say that it is possible that the anonymity and the difficulty in communications that the region suffered in its day was what earned it the nomenclature of Siberia Extremeña. The truth is that we we planted in just two and a half hours by car from Madrid by the N-502, which we take from the A-5 at the height of Talavera de la Reina.
Our base of operations is in duke blacksmith, in the vicinity of the García de Sola reservoir. We have the accommodation in ** La Huerta de los Nogales, ** a bucolic country house in the outskirts cared for in detail by Lourdes and Carlos, close enough to take 5 minutes on foot from the town and far enough to be in the middle of the field, surrounded by olive groves at the foot of the mountain.
It didn't take long for us to discover the famous gastronomy of Extremadura with the afternoon snack, based on honey sweets and nuts from the different Siberian towns: joints, canelillas, egg yolk donuts, courgette tails, honey flowers, bodigos, chaquetías...
Keep quiet and let the native fauna make their appearance
After a small reconnaissance parade through the center of Herrera, we moved to the district of Peloche. For more than three centuries they celebrate every January 17 the cult of San Antón with the dance of its "dancers", to a solemn guitar rhythm.
They can only dance it in the street on the day of the saint, so we must settle for seeing a rehearsal in the municipal facilities. The most captivating thing is to see the affection with which the women dress their men of the regional suit, where the white shirt and waistcoat are adorned with all kinds of handkerchiefs, carnations and bows.
To finish, we return to snack based on escarapuche, a typical Siberian dish in which meat or fish is roasted and then macerated for hours in mother's vinegar (unfiltered) and serve cold as a salad with tomato and onion. complement pickled breaded chicken and joints.
The dancers rehearsing their dance
But without any doubt what makes Peloche most famous is its beach, that on the shores of the García de Sola reservoir aspires to obtain the blue flag. We arrived in time to see a priceless sunset on its waters while we listen to the bellowing from ** La Barca del Tío Vito, ** beach bar that opens summers and weekends.
We were barely hungry, but we knew what we were coming for, so we got ready to have dinner in the lounge of another nearby beach bar: ** El Espolón, ** right on the beach. We open with a board of merino sheep, verata goat and cow cheeses accompanied by fried almonds, quince, red fruits and pickled onions.
We continue with a selection of Siberian sausages, boletus croquettes, crispy vegetables bathed in honey and the famous pork escarapuche.
The thing ends with cod confit and lamb chops, all washed down with Pago de Casasolas, a red made in Castilblanco that will accompany us throughout the trip. Gloria, the typical sweet liquor of the area, It will try to facilitate our digestion before we go to bed.
The landscape of this Badajoz region will leave you speechless
DAY 2: SAFARIS, BOATS AND STARS
We wake up not too hungry, so after a light breakfast we are going to burn some calories on the mountain. From the same rural house we take the route through the shady area of Herrera towards the Castle of Herrera del Duque (currently in rehab).
A walk of barely half an hour suitable for all audiences that rewards its goal with the panoramic views of the area and the medieval walls of the fortress. There we are picked up by the members of **Transiberiana 4x4,** an association dedicated to organizing 4x4 routes along forest tracks that cross the Extremeña Siberia.
The Consolation Valleys that surround Herrera suddenly become everything a photographic safari. Between his stone pines, chaparros, holm oaks and eucalyptus we observe non-stop numerous specimens of red deer, fallow deer and mouflon (wild sheep) . More elusive are boars , although it is also possible to catch one.
Arriving in the vicinity of Fuenlabrada of the mountains the vegetation becomes pastures of olive trees and the fauna in herds of goats and cows. The town has to its credit The Opening of the Mill, recreational area with natural pool, picnic areas, barbecues (for the cold months) and pergolas to enjoy a family day in the middle of nature.
Canelillas: a downfall
After a small picnic to have cheese and cold cuts for lunch with bread from the Herrera cooperative's wood-fired oven, we headed up the Cañada Real Segovia. On the way we spotted the small stretch of the merinas, where the trasterminancia (short variety of transhumance) is celebrated on November 17. We stopped briefly to photograph the monument of Reyes Abades to the Siberian woman in Garbayuela.
We continue until Tamurejo, and after observing the panoramas offered by the viewpoints of the Morro, the Siberian diet is still based on criadillas croquettes (mushrooms with a flavor similar to boletus), white garlic (always accompanied by a potato omelette), lamb chops and homemade stew, just as the shepherds did in their day. all topped with coffee, flowers and bodigos.
Giving the odd nod we make our way to the outskirts of port king, near the dam that retains the waters of the Cijara reservoir. There we are picked up by the team of ** Birding Siberia, ** a company specialized in ecotourism, to cross its extensive waters in boat.
The journey is spent looking deer through the binoculars to stand in front of the impressive Fern Wall of the Mountains to observe the vultures , to end our tour in the recreational area known as The boat.
Wherever you look: Mama Nature
From there we continue by car to the Cíjara Interpretation Center, located on the outskirts of Helechosa. On the way we stopped again to listen to the bellowing, with deer accustomed to human presence just a few meters from the road.
The center contains various rooms with an interesting permanent exhibition on the native fauna and flora and a more than pleasant terrace at the top.
But without a doubt the most interesting thing is his Celestial viewpoint of La Siberia, that turns on automatically at 10:00 p.m. to indicate the position of the summer and winter constellations.
Castle of Alcocer
The night becomes a magical evening at the hands of Gabino, head of the "astrotourism" center Between Oaks and Stars, that he shows us with his telescope and his laser pointer the planets and constellations in a sky free of light pollution.
Dinner tries to be light, with a few La Siberia craft beers accompanied by various tapas based on pâtés, black puddings (potato and skullcaps) and deer, venison and wild boar sausages.
We spend the night in the privileged environment where the houses of Cijara, that within the homonymous Regional Reserve offer the most modern lodgings located in the middle of the forest, surrounded by pine forests, animals and silence.
La Siberia Extremadura, candidate for Biosphere Reserve
DAY 3: DEER, VULTURES AND LOCAL PRODUCE
We had breakfast in the picnic areas attached to the cabins surrounded by the smell of pine and fresh air. We spent the morning touring again in the 4x4 the Cíjara Regional Reserve along the section that connects Helechosa de los Montes with Herrera del Duque.
The road is public and it is also fixed, so it can be crossed with any vehicle. They come out to meet us again deer and fallow deer (you have to have your camera ready, they will flee as soon as they hear the car) and a good number of vultures that they have found something to plunder.
Back in Herrera, the fortress that crowns the mountain takes on a ghostly appearance thanks to the fog. a coffee in The pastors, in the heart of the La Palmera promenade, and stocking **local products (honey, almonds, muffins and Herrera graves)** leave us ready to start our return.
With a bit of luck (it will be decided in 2019), the next time we visit Siberia Extremadura it will be as a Biosphere Reserve.
Herrera del Duque, near the García de Sola reservoir