Escuaín y Puértolas
0 km
Escalona (10 km north of Aínsa), taking the detour to Añisclo, after 500 m a narrow road turns off towards Puértolas. We ascend steeply along the divide of the Cinca and Bellos rivers, surrounded by black pine (Pinus nigra subsp. salzmanii) and red pine (P. sylvestris) that grow among eroded marls.
Km 8.
Puertolas. In this sparsely inhabited area, "La Cárcel" stands out, a square tower from the 15th century, as well as the church, from the 16th century, with a polygonal apse and a beautiful tower. The landscape from here is worth mentioning, highlighting the Castillo Mayor to the N, and Las Sestrales to the NW, located above the small town of Bestué. In the Cinca valley (towards the NE and E) Cotiella, Punta Llerga and Peña Montañesa stand out. In the surroundings of this town and Bestué, the large number of terraces, known here as fajetas, is surprising, today abandoned and invaded by gall oaks (Quercus x subpirenaica).
Km 8.7.
Detour. The branch on the left leads to Bestué, 4 km away. Of course, it is worth visiting this beautiful town for its location - surrounded by beautiful meadows and terraces - and its crowded buildings, a beautiful example of the popular architecture of mountain towns. A large building stands out in the square with curious windows, some circular (Antón de Mur house, located in the square).
Km 8.7
The detour to the right takes us towards Escuaín. The road goes around Castillo Mayor (the mountain on our left) and the sunny-shady effect produced by this mountain causes the climate and vegetation to experience a very strong change. From km 11 you pass from Mediterranean vegetation to a shady mixed forest of beech, maple, birch, hazel, serval, holly, etc. We enter the valley of the Yaga River, crowned by the Tres Sorores, Tres Marías and Sierra de las Sucas.
Km 14.8
Escuain. The natural environment of this town is worth highlighting. It stands on a limestone spur, hanging over the gorges that bear its name, which we can see by approaching one of the viewpoints in the same town. Towards the south rises the Castillo Mayor, which from this point lives up to its name as a great impregnable place.
Excursion 1.
At the bottom of the Gorge and at the source of the Yaga (35' descent, 50' ascent).
It is a narrow, very vertical path (not recommended for people who suffer from vertigo). From the town church, heading NW, a path starts at the end of the little street that soon enters this humid gorge. The spectacular descent takes us (if we take the left detour 25' into the path) to the spring of the Yaga River, which creates a beautiful waterfall. Above the spring there is a beautiful cave, in reality a very deep chasm. You can descend the gorge along its bottom, but there is no path and you have to jump over the stones.
Excursion 2.
Another path to descend to the bottom of the gorge is the one that leads to the town of Revilla.
Road from Escuaín to Revilla.
Descent to Yaga 30', ascent 45'.
From Escuaín we will return to Puértolas and, after a kilometer, just after crossing the Fuente ravine, a path starts on the left that descends close to said ravine (in a few minutes you have to take the detour to the left). In 30' you reach the Yaga River, precisely at the point where the gorge ends. Going upstream a few minutes we can see a beautiful waterfall. The path crosses the river and ascends to the town of Revilla (2 h 30' to Revilla and the same to return, 480 m of elevation gain).
Texts: Joaquín Guerrero.
Any reproduction is prohibited without written permission from the company for the purposes of article 32.1, second paragraph, of the Intellectual Property Law.
Escalona (10 km north of Aínsa), taking the detour to Añisclo, after 500 m a narrow road turns off towards Puértolas. We ascend steeply along the divide of the Cinca and Bellos rivers, surrounded by black pine (Pinus nigra subsp. salzmanii) and red pine (P. sylvestris) that grow among eroded marls.
Km 8.
Puertolas. In this sparsely inhabited area, "La Cárcel" stands out, a square tower from the 15th century, as well as the church, from the 16th century, with a polygonal apse and a beautiful tower. The landscape from here is worth mentioning, highlighting the Castillo Mayor to the N, and Las Sestrales to the NW, located above the small town of Bestué. In the Cinca valley (towards the NE and E) Cotiella, Punta Llerga and Peña Montañesa stand out. In the surroundings of this town and Bestué, the large number of terraces, known here as fajetas, is surprising, today abandoned and invaded by gall oaks (Quercus x subpirenaica).
Km 8.7.
Detour. The branch on the left leads to Bestué, 4 km away. Of course, it is worth visiting this beautiful town for its location - surrounded by beautiful meadows and terraces - and its crowded buildings, a beautiful example of the popular architecture of mountain towns. A large building stands out in the square with curious windows, some circular (Antón de Mur house, located in the square).
Km 8.7
The detour to the right takes us towards Escuaín. The road goes around Castillo Mayor (the mountain on our left) and the sunny-shady effect produced by this mountain causes the climate and vegetation to experience a very strong change. From km 11 you pass from Mediterranean vegetation to a shady mixed forest of beech, maple, birch, hazel, serval, holly, etc. We enter the valley of the Yaga River, crowned by the Tres Sorores, Tres Marías and Sierra de las Sucas.
Km 14.8
Escuain. The natural environment of this town is worth highlighting. It stands on a limestone spur, hanging over the gorges that bear its name, which we can see by approaching one of the viewpoints in the same town. Towards the south rises the Castillo Mayor, which from this point lives up to its name as a great impregnable place.
Excursion 1.
At the bottom of the Gorge and at the source of the Yaga (35' descent, 50' ascent).
It is a narrow, very vertical path (not recommended for people who suffer from vertigo). From the town church, heading NW, a path starts at the end of the little street that soon enters this humid gorge. The spectacular descent takes us (if we take the left detour 25' into the path) to the spring of the Yaga River, which creates a beautiful waterfall. Above the spring there is a beautiful cave, in reality a very deep chasm. You can descend the gorge along its bottom, but there is no path and you have to jump over the stones.
Excursion 2.
Another path to descend to the bottom of the gorge is the one that leads to the town of Revilla.
Road from Escuaín to Revilla.
Descent to Yaga 30', ascent 45'.
From Escuaín we will return to Puértolas and, after a kilometer, just after crossing the Fuente ravine, a path starts on the left that descends close to said ravine (in a few minutes you have to take the detour to the left). In 30' you reach the Yaga River, precisely at the point where the gorge ends. Going upstream a few minutes we can see a beautiful waterfall. The path crosses the river and ascends to the town of Revilla (2 h 30' to Revilla and the same to return, 480 m of elevation gain).
Texts: Joaquín Guerrero.
Any reproduction is prohibited without written permission from the company for the purposes of article 32.1, second paragraph, of the Intellectual Property Law.