Middle-aged flash packers

Day 6 -Las Barrancas de Burujon walk

I read about this hike on someone else’s blog (novo-monde.com) 

I liked the sound of it so put it on our list for Toledo when we got fed up with sightseeing.

We hiked up to the Carrefour Express and grabbed some sandwiches for lunch. Our apartment (Apartamentos San Juan de los Reyes) is in a great location. We are within a 5 minute walk (very steep) to the monastery and restaurants, yet our surroundings are leafy and quiet. We also have free garaged parking  which is like gold dust here in Toledo. If you can cope with the crazy washing machine, it’s a pretty good place to stay. 

Las Barrancas are a geological phenomenon of eroded clay cliffs.  They’re a 25 minute drive away from Toledo. 

We parked near the little restaurant at the start of the 10km circular route.

Unfortunately our hiking clothing preparation left a lot to be desired. I forgot my walking boots thinking they were already in the car and so ended up doing the walk in quite thick walking socks and trainers and Steve forgot his extra top but wasn’t bothered as he didn’t think he’d need it as rain wasn’t forecast until late afternoon.

The fields and hedgerows were filled with wild flowers and grasses. It was spectacular, probably the most flower-filled walk I have ever been on. The combination of giant poppies, daisies and all sorts of other flora I hadn’t seen before was stunning. Steve continued his observations of different types of birds and the two of us were like the slowest snails you have ever seen. Eventually we made it to the little path that took us up to the cliffs. (Blink and you’ll miss it). 

The barrancos remind me of the rock formations we saw in Bryce Canyon, Utah. Weathered into all sorts of shapes, the cliffs plummet close  to the shore of the Castrejon reservoir. Very dramatic – this is a shortish walk that packs a big punch!

The viewpoints along the top of the cliffs are unguarded so if you’ve got dogs, small children or are just a bit wobbly, be careful. It would very easy to fall off the top. Don’t go up there if you’re not getting on very well with your partner….

Luckily Steve and I were having a harmonious day so took loads of photos near the edge with impunity. The one thing that was troubling us was the look of the sky. Dark  clouds and the odd clap of thunder soon turned in to a full scale hailstorm. Luckily we had packed waterproofs but it wasn’t long before my feet were soaking and Steve was feeling cold. We valiantly continued taking photos , by this time we’d reached the tourist area and there were safety barriers galore. 

We decided against the extra loop down to the reservoir though as the sandy ground had become incredibly slippy and the path was steep. My trainers were not even gripping on a flat path and I didn’t fancy an unwanted abseil into the water.

The walk back was a bit soggy but it wasn’t too long before we got back to the car and drove back to our abode. 

And so goodbye Toledo. We’ve booked Fabula again for tonight’s dinner as our jaws  have only just recovered from last night. Hopefully the food will be as good as last time 🤞🏻

Tomorrow we set off to our third and final destination- San Lorenzo de el Escorial.