# Sunday in the Río Lobos Canyon: Hermitage, Cave and El Burgo de Osma

The Casa del Parque in Ucero, the flat walk along the canyon floor to the hermitage of San Bartolomé and the Cueva Grande, and lunch at Virrey Palafox in El Burgo de Osma.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/castile-and-leon/rio-lobos-canyon/itineraries/rio-lobos-canyon-hermitage-cave-and-el-burgo-de-osma · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## El día
- 09:30 · Salida: 1 h by car (from Soria via the N-122 to El Burgo de Osma and the SO-920 to Ucero)
- 10:30 · Río Lobos Canyon Park House, in Ucero (Park House, scale model and wildlife room · 45 min)
  - 11 min by car, 4,9 km
- 11:30 · San Bartolomé Hermitage and the Cueva Grande (Walk along the canyon floor to the hermitage and the Cueva Grande · 1 h 30 · flat)
  - 30 min by car, 20,9 km
- 14:00 · Virrey Palafox Restaurant (Virrey Palafox, in El Burgo de Osma · €€€ · booking required) · Virrey Palafox Restaurant, €€€
  - 15 min by car, 15,7 km
- 16:15 · Ucero Castle Trail (PRC-SO 66) (The ruins of Ucero castle and the spring · 1 h)
- 17:30 · Vuelta (you reach Soria around 18:30)

It is the easiest countryside Sunday in the province of Soria: a flat walk along the floor of a limestone canyon, a Templar hermitage beneath the cliffs, a cave you enter without a torch and vultures overhead the whole time. You set off after breakfast, eat in El Burgo de Osma and are back by mid-afternoon.

## The Day, Hour by Hour

9:30 · Departure. From Soria, along the N-122 to El Burgo de Osma and from there the SO-920 northwards to Ucero: around an hour. From Burgos, along the N-234 to San Leonardo de Yagüe and the SO-920 southwards, in a little over an hour and a half.

10:30 · The Casa del Parque. In an old mill beside the Ucero river, on the SO-920, km 16. It has a large model of the park, aquariums, a wildlife room and the exhibition on how water carved out the canyon. Ask there about the state of the river trail and the hermitage's opening hours. In November, on Sundays it is open from 10:00 to 17:00.

11:30 · The hermitage of San Bartolomé and the Cueva Grande. Continue along the SO-920 northwards to the track that goes down to the canyon floor. It has three car parks: Fuente Engómez, free, and Cueva Fría and Valdecea, paid. From whichever one you find free, continue on foot along the flat path beside the river to the hermitage, from the 13th century, wedged beneath the wall. Opposite opens the Cueva Grande: go in, and look at the hermitage from its mouth. Take water: there are no fountains on the way.

14:00 · Lunch at Virrey Palafox. Drive down to El Burgo de Osma, about 15 minutes. On Calle Mayor, Virrey Palafox serves lunch from 13:15 to 15:45; it is a Soria-cooking house open since the 1970s, with its winter pig-slaughter days. Book.

16:15 · Ucero castle. On the way back north, stop at Ucero and climb to the castle ruins, above the valley, or do a stretch of the Castillo trail beside the river: the whole loop is 6 km, easy, from the Casa del Parque.

17:30 · Return. You reach Soria around half past six.

## With Children

The path to the hermitage is flat and can be done with small children, although not all of it is suitable for a pushchair. The Cueva Grande is visited without difficulty and the Casa del Parque has aquariums and stuffed animals. If they are over 5, swap the afternoon for introductory caving in the Galiana Alta cave, with Pedrete Guiados: children aged 5 to 10, €12.

## With Dogs

Along the castle trail and the streets of Ucero, on a lead. In the rest of the natural park, check the rules at the Casa del Parque before letting it off the lead anywhere.

## Cómo llegar

### By car
Soria to Ucero, around an hour via El Burgo de Osma. Burgos to Ucero, a little over an hour and a half via San Leonardo de Yagüe. There is no public transport that works for this plan.

## Consejos

### Bring a spare picnic
There are no bars on the canyon floor. If the day stretches out, eating there is the best part of the plan.

### Get onto the track early
Ucero is the most visited entrance to the park.

### Check the Casa del Parque hours
They change every month; in summer it opens every day.

## Un consejo más

### If it rains
The Casa del Parque and the Cueva Grande are under cover, but in heavy rain the river path floods. Eat in El Burgo and see the cathedral.

## Cuándo no ir

Long weekends, if you want calm: Ucero is the park's busiest entrance. Enter then by the Siete Ojos bridge and walk upstream.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How long does it take from Soria?
Around an hour by car, via El Burgo de Osma and Ucero.

### Do you have to pay to see the hermitage?
No. You only pay for parking at Cueva Fría and Valdecea; Fuente Engómez is free.

### Is it a good plan with children?
Yes: the walk is flat, the Cueva Grande can be visited freely and the Casa del Parque has aquariums.

### Where do you eat?
In El Burgo de Osma, 15 minutes away, at Virrey Palafox, or in Ucero, at the Posada Los Templarios restaurant.

### How much does the day cost?
Between €40 and €70 per person: parking, if paid, and lunch.