Escape to the Castillo de Sierro

These days some people have told me about Castillo de Sierro. There are few people who know the existence of this Castle finished in the Almohad period (XII century) and with Almoravid elements and influences. I’ll explain this special plan that you can enjoy with the whole family. You head towards Purchena, a town where Moorish games take place in summers. At the height of Purchena you leave the road that runs through the valley to enter into the bowels of the Sierra de los Filabres. Only 5 minutes pass and you arrive at Suflí, the town known for the famous “Fritada”. The preserves of Suflí have experienced a boom in recent years with two important canneries: Suflí Preserves and Food Industries of Suflí, which together with Conservas Voconia de Armuña del Almanzora (village near Purchena) represent the best exponent of pepper, tomato and other products from the orchard of the region. You will be struck by going through Suflí the Hermitage of San Roque on top of a small hill next to the road. The magnificent retaining wall that supports it, is very showy stone. A few meters later you will see a fountain with a picnic area on the other side of the river that borders the town. If you make a stop to see it, you will find the dry river, as is usual in the rivers and ravines of Almanzora. When you arrive at the fountain, you will see a large and simple picnic area with several large tables and four barbecues. There are also a few large trees although there are not many shadows. Continuing the journey to Sierro, you start a route of 6-7 minutes where the deep ravines begin to make their appearance and you will notice that we take height, since Sierro is 755 m above sea level and in winter it is usual to find it Snowy.

When you see the town of Sierro, the first thing you will see is its imposing castle, which, as you approach the town, disappears behind the steep walls that house the houses. Follow the road that crosses the town until you reach the area where the City Council is and you will be pleasantly surprised when crossing the bridge over an impressive ravine where you can see, in the background, the running water. You will be struck by the small wall raised on one side of the ravine making the bridge like a door. It is noted that it is not a historic wall but it is very beautiful. Now you have to leave the car and when you cross the bridge you will find several parking areas. Take out the photo camera to immortalize each of the instants that you are living. Return to the town hall square, crossing the bridge you stop a few minutes to see the details of the ravine, large rocks on both sides make up the walls and a pleasant sound of water running through the stones will move you to other parts of Spain. Although it may seem incredible, you are in the Almanzora Valley, on the north face of the Sierra de los Filabres, on the other side of the Almerian Desert of Tabernas. 

Finish crossing the bridge, look at the Castle at the top of the hill and go up any street, always up and to the right, look for the Church and then the path that goes behind. Start to climb those narrow streets but very beautiful, charming, impossible to get in a car and take photos. You will zigzag, winding streets and in a few minutes we are at the door of the church of San Sebastian of the eighteenth century. border the church and locate the back road from which you can see the entrance road to Sierro through which you have come, in the background you can see the Almanzora valley and over your head you can see the walls of the Castle. Let yourself be guided along this path with wooden fences and in five minutes we reach the gates of the Castle.

When you enter the Castle, you will move to another era, the Castle served to protect you from the incursions of Muslims or Christians, especially during the harvest season and you can imagine what the guards felt. From the castle you can see three villages on the other side of the valley: Lúcar, Somontín and Urracal. Enter each of its three viewpoints that offer different views and all very beautiful. Take the opportunity to take the souvenir photos of this getaway. The fortress will not be more than 40 meters long and wide but it is worth exploring, it is note that it is rebuilt with stone and cement but surely it should not be far from the Nasrid fortress that was at the time. 

At the foot of the fortress there are several tables and benches as a picnic area to meet as a group and have a nice time. From the viewpoints you can see the route of the Sierro River and the depth of the ravine through which it crosses. After living this exciting experience, you can return to the area of ​​the City Hall and go to the river Sierro. The descent can be done by the same way or you can look for other adjacent streets, the important thing is to enjoy strolling through those cozy and narrow streets. Very quickly you will reach the area of ​​the City Hall where you started the climb, on the right you can see the Plaza de España where there is a huge shield of the municipality on the ground. Then you can go to the street below (Padre Pepe Street) that leads to the river and the sound of water appears, a very special sound that attracts you. We reached a small bridge and started down the river, jumping from stone to stone, observing the abundant vegetation. The innumerable pools are forming the river, the water jumping stones and running to rest in a pool to run, crossing another stretch of stones and fall into the next pool. There are no big jumps but the sound of the water falling in the pools relaxes you, seduces you and attracts you. 

Take photos to remember that moment. To regain strength you have several bars but if you want a special meal we recommend the Asador del Maestro, an old restored olive grove that is next to the river where you can eat exquisite dishes of high quality, steak, feather, suckling kid baked, etc. but do not ever introduce yourself without booking a table because you probably will not find a place, the restaurant is very nice but it’s small and on weekends it’s usually full. A meal of 10 would be the best culmination to an experience in which you have discovered a beautiful village with very friendly people, a wonderful river and an imposing castle.

I wish you a Happy Experience in Sierro !!