Charles V Trail from Tornavacas to Jarandilla

In 1556 Charles V had just landed at Laredo on his way to his retreat at Yuste. To avoid going around the sierra for days, the local people advised him to cross it on foot: he climbed from the Jerte Valley to the Collado de las Yeguas, at 1,475 m, and descended to Jarandilla de la Vera, where he slept in the castle of the Counts of Oropesa, now a Parador. That path is now the PR-CC 1, the most substantial and best-known crossing between the Jerte and La Vera: 27.7 km one way, about nine hours and 1,145 m of climbing, of medium-hard difficulty and waymarked in white and yellow.

Tornavacas, Monte Reboldo and the Collado de las Losas

You set off from Tornavacas, at about 860 m, the last village in the valley before the pass. The route goes down beside the Jerte river through La Vega, along its left bank, and leaves it by climbing through the Reboldo chestnut wood. It crosses the Cuerda de los Lobos by the Collado de las Losas, at about 963 m, and descends to cross the Tres Cerros stream by the Puente Nuevo, or Charles V bridge. A good part of the route runs through the Garganta de los Infiernos Nature Reserve, and this bridge is also a waypoint on the gorge circular walk.

The long climb to the Collado de las Yeguas

From the bridge, at 880 m, the real climb begins: almost 600 m of continuous ascent to the Collado de las Yeguas, at 1,475 m, first through oak and holm oak woods and then among heather and broom. At the top the view opens towards La Vera, the Tiétar valley and the Campo Arañuelo, on the other side of the Sierra de Tormantos.

The descent to Jarandilla

The longest descent of the day remains, to be taken patiently: you first cross the Yedrón gorge and then the Jaranda gorge, down to the little over 600 m of Jarandilla de la Vera. In all, 1,145 m of climbing and the same of descent.

One car at each end

The route does not return to the starting point. You need two cars, one at each end, or someone to pick you up in Jarandilla; by road, getting back to Tornavacas means going around the sierra. Set out very early: nine hours of walking plus stops fill any day, and in autumn or winter the light runs out sooner.

Carry all the water and food for the day. In the reserve section dogs must be on a lead. The valley's tourist office has the GPX track and two pages of its guide devoted to the route, and in Tornavacas there is the Las Cárceles Interpretation and Visitor Reception Centre.

If nine hours is too many

For experienced walkers in good shape, used to long mountain days. If you want to sample the atmosphere without the nine hours, the Garganta de los Infiernos circular walk takes you to the same bridge in six, and the trail to Los Pilones can be done in a morning. The night before, a dinner and a bed in Jerte, at the Hotel Valle del Jerte, leave you a few minutes' drive from Tornavacas.