Gullurías Trail (PRC-SO 67)

The Gullurías trail, the PRC-SO 67, leaves from the Park House car park in Ucero and loops over the moorland and the canyon rim before dropping to the river and returning along the bank. It is the route for anyone who wants to see the canyon from above and not only from the bottom. Patrimonio Natural gives it about 8.5 km, three hours and moderate difficulty (other guides round up to 9 km); with stops at the viewpoint and photos, count on a morning. Its name comes from the gulluría, as the crested lark is called in the area, a bird of the moorland.

The route

It begins with the hardest part: about 800 metres of steep climb until you come out onto the moorland. At the top you soon see a calera, the ruins of an old lime kiln, partly restored, and behind it, Ucero castle. Then you cross a flat area of aromatic plants and reach the Gullurías viewpoint, with views over the canyon; it is a good place to sit and watch birds. The route's maximum altitude is around 1,154 m and the minimum 957 m.

From the viewpoint, the trail goes down a north-facing little valley, cooler and with larger trees, to the bottom of the canyon. There it joins the river trail, the PR-SO-BU-65, and follows it towards Ucero, passing Valdecea, Cuevafría and Fuenteengómez. At the end it passes the source of the river Ucero, crosses under the road bridge, passes the campsite gate and returns to the Park House.

What you will see

On the moorland, junipers that mix on the descent with the pines typical of the canyon, and bearberry covering the slopes. In the north valley, Scots pine and Pyrenean oak appear. For wildlife, besides the gulluría, birds in general from the viewpoint, and there are traces of wild boar. In spring and in October the walk is more pleasant; in summer the moorland has no shade, and in winter there is ice in the shaded areas.

Practical tips

At Valdecea and Fuenteengómez there are fountains, but the water is untreated: bring your own from the start. The initial stretch needs some fitness, and good footwear is advisable. Patrimonio Natural has a leaflet for the route that can be downloaded from its website, and at the Park House they tell you the state of the paths and the river before you set out. Its car park is where the loop starts and ends.

If you prefer something easier and with less climbing from the same place, the Ucero castle trail also leaves from the Park House. And if you want to reach the San Bartolomé hermitage, from Valdecea it is a little over a kilometre upriver.