Christmas doesn’t have to be synonymous with movies and blankets. Winter is a season in which it is possible to stay active and in contact with the natural environment. Some landscapes, such as the Añisclo Valley, stand out as attractive destinations at this time of year. It is a place where you can do hiking trails next to rows of waterfalls. The rich ecosystem of this environment has led to it being included in the Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park (Aragón) in 1982.
The irregular terrain of this area has given rise to beautiful and impressive landscapes. Narrow gorges, a deep valley, rivers and caves come together in the surroundings of the Añisclo Valley (Huesca).
Monte Perdido, the backdrop of this area, is the largest limestone massif in Europe. It contains what are known as the Three Sorores: Monte Perdido, the Cilindro de Marboré and the Soum de Ramond, three peaks that reach 3,000 meters high.
If you are looking to do this route in winter, always remember to consult the local tourist offices about the state of the roads and their suitability for the walk. Once you are on the terrain, it is best not to follow trails that are unstable or slippery. In the surroundings of this route there are private hunting reserves, so pay attention to the guides and indications of the area and avoid entering risk areas.
Route through the Añisclo Valley
This route is considered to be of low difficulty, since it has little gradient (it does not exceed 400 meters). Keep in mind that it is a distance of about 13 kilometers, which you will cover in an estimated time of four hours, so remember to be well equipped. Bring warm clothing appropriate to the local environment and temperatures, and make sure you wear hiking-grade footwear. Don’t forget to bring water and food in case the route is longer.
The starting point of this route is the municipality of Escalona. From this town you must take a detour in the direction of Añisclo Canyon. Along this road you will reach the San Úrbez car park, where you can park if you have arrived here by car. From there you will see a bridge of the same name, which will be the starting point of the trail. This is a narrow masonry construction, so cross carefully. From there, you can see the entrance to the canyon from above and the Bellos River at the bottom of the Añisclo valley. From there the route is well marked, so you should follow it without any problem following the indications.
A few meters further on, you will reach the hermitage of San Urbez. It is a peculiar religious building excavated inside the stone. The legend of the area says that a saint lived in this location in the 8th century, taking care of the riverbed. The hermitage is not accessible, but it has explanatory signs, including an imitation of a small altarpiece that tells the local history.
From there you can take a path to the left that will take you to the shortest route of this itinerary. In this section you should see your first waterfall, loaded with water at this time of year. At the bottom, the waters are crystal clear, greenish in color.
Cross a wooden bridge and continue straight through the intersection, heading towards Collado de Añisclo. Next you will have to cross a metal bridge, much narrower than the previous ones and limited only by chains, so cross with great caution. The path will narrow, and you will be able to see and hear the second and third waterfalls.
You will see Cumaz and its waterfall signposted, and following that route you will reach a forest of centuries-old beech trees. Before turning around, take the detour to the Bellos River Bridge, where a viewpoint awaits you ahead. From there you can see Monte Perdido on the horizon.
What to see in Escalona
If you have never visited Escalona, the starting point of this route, we recommend that you take advantage of the hiking day to do so. It is an enclave with a marked medieval past. Escalona is home to many manuscripts and documentation from the time. Privileges written by Alfonso XI are preserved, but also documents typical of the daily life of the time, such as municipal minutes. This piece of history is in the process of being digitized and you can see some of these documents in the Council House.
The Council House is also home to a feud between nobles that has spanned generations. On the capital of the central column of the building you can see the shield of Don Álvaro de Luna, who ordered the construction of the Council House. His successor, Juan Pacheco, I Marquis of Villena, ordered the removal of the moon that had been sculpted on the shields to erase the memory of his predecessor. Their efforts were fruitless, since at some times of the day you can still see the moon on these shields.
It is possible that readers of Lazarillo de Tormes recognize this place, since it is the setting for the final part of the first book. In the Plaza del Infante you can relive the last steps of the protagonist of this picaresque novel. It is not the only literary past of the town, since Escalona is closely linked to literature. There is a free tour promoted by the local council, where you can visit the town among verses and works marked by the town.
Don’t leave Escalona without visiting the exterior of its fortified castle, which is part of the Camino de Santiago itinerary. From the river bank you can see how the towers appear and disappear.
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