Peñarroya Castle and its interpretive trail

Peñarroya castle rises above the reservoir of the same name, in the municipality of Argamasilla de Alba, where the water of the lagoons carries on towards the Guadiana and the Campo de Montiel gives way to the plain of La Mancha. It can be seen in two ways: with a short trail around the castle, or at the end of a long route from Ruidera, on foot or by bike. By car it is about 20 minutes from Ruidera.

The interpretive trail

It is a 1.8 km circular walk around the castle, with six thematic stops and a viewpoint with a panel halfway round. The regional government estimates about 40 minutes and gives it medium difficulty, because there is some climbing; with stops, allow an hour. There is no shade in summer. It is the option for families who want to see the castle, the reservoir and the dam without a long walk.

The route from Ruidera

The linear route starts beside the Ruidera cemetery and is 21.3 km one way. At first it runs along the shore of the lower lagoons, Cueva Morenilla, Coladilla and Cenagosa, and then along that of the reservoir; after a steep climb it crosses a moorland of farmland, vines and remnants of Mediterranean woodland, and at the end crosses the Guadiana canal to climb to the castle. It is waymarked with the stakes of the Don Quixote Route. It is almost flat and the track is in good condition, which is why it is recommended by bike; the drawbacks are the steep climb on leaving the reservoir and mud in the rainy season. The regional government gives 2 hours 30 minutes one way and about 5 hours there and back.

There are things to see along the way. El Hundimiento, the waterfall that separates the upper lagoons from the lower ones, was born in 1545, when a flood broke the tufa barrier of the Rey lagoon. There are also remains of the Gran Canal del Prior, the irrigation canal that the architect Juan de Villanueva planned in 1781 for the Infante Gabriel, son of Charles III. The Peñarroya reservoir has regulated the Guadiana since 1959.

The castle

According to the park's leaflet, the fortress stands on a large tufa platform, may have been Muslim and belonged to the Hospitaller knights of the Order of St John. It was extensively remodelled in the 14th and 16th centuries. Despite its towers, it was not a castle built to withstand major sieges but to protect farmers and ensure the collection of taxes. Inside is the sanctuary of the Virgin of Peñarroya, with its altarpiece.

To see the interior, ask the hours beforehand at the park's information centre in Ruidera, because we have not found a published timetable. To round off the day, do the walk of the Rey, Colgada and Batana lagoons in the morning or the Rochafrida castle trail, the park's other castle.