My experiences of living as a seasoned immigrant in Cordova (Andalusia): humour, culture, history, illustrated. Also includes poetry, quotes, thoughts, and nature.
My walk along the Ruta del Cambuco (The Route of the Ravine) between Posadas and Hornachuelos (Cordova)
Being a nice, sunny day, my legs were just itching to go for a walk — and so for a walk I went…
This is what I was supposed to see, and yes, I did see the ruins of the old flour mills and canal system, the fast-flowing river and the waterfall, but no, I wasn’t lucky enough to spot a kingfisher or otter…
This time I followed the Sendero Ruta del Cambuco footpath which lies between Posadas and Hornachuelos. ‘Cambuco’ is of Celtic origin, meaning ‘barranco’, or in English, gully, ravine and steep riverbank.
This picturesque path passes by waterfalls, rivers, poorly-preserved remains of old flour mills and along former canals harking back to the Moors and al-Andalus.
The Guadalcavarejo River starts in the hills and it is full and fast-flowing at this time of the year. (‘Guada-‘ is from the Arabic word ‘wadi‘, meaning ‘river’.)
With a bit of imagination you can see a waterfall here, though from this photo it’s a bit difficult to appreciate the depth and steepness of the gorge. I didn’t want to stand too close because the cliff edges were quite crumbly!
This is the roof of the old flour mill. To the left is a wide well and behind these, the canal which channelled the water to the mill complex. This particular mill dates back to the time of Ferdinand I, the Holy Roman Emperor (1503-1564), but some of the other mills that are in the vicinity are of the earlier Islamic age. (Ferdinand, by the way, was the uncle of Catherine of Aragon, first wife of King Henry VIII.)Loads of this was in flower.
The path then wends its way through agricultural land planted with orange groves, olive trees and arable crops, and also passes stretches of ‘monte’ or wild land populated by small dwarfs, asparagus bushes, fig trees and loads of wild flowers and thyme.
The fields were already full of wild daisies, chamomile and dandelions! You can see the orange grove ahead — now is the time to pick the oranges.And here’s a closer look.Me standing under a very broad wild fig tree, near two of the natural caves.
The rock type is predominantly limestone-rich baked sandstone which has eroded in places to give karstic scenery and features like this natural cave. The whole area was under the sea at one time and there are many fossils dating to the Miocene period.
The remains of the Moorish bridge, Puente Quebrado
The path then passes close by an old Moorish bridge, Puente Quebrado which crosses the river. (‘Quebrado’ in English means broken, uneven or irregular.) Originally there were five arches, though only this one now remains. The design of the arch was typically Arabic. The bridge, together with the path formed part of the Xth century Arabic Route known as la Yadda (la ‘Gran Ruta’ — the Great Route) that led from Cordova to Badajoz (near the Portuguese frontier), running close to the extensive Cañada Real Soriana cattle track.
The Bembezar dam and reservoir in Hornachuelos — part of the extensive National Park which is home to a large diversity of fauna and flora.
The path then led towards the huge Bembezar reservoir (the one with the haunted monastery, Santa Maria de los Ángeles, perched high upon the cliff). It then turned up towards the B road along which we walked a short while til we got back to the car.
The haunted monastery of Santa María de los Ángeles
It was supposed to be a half-an-hour walk according to the information board, but I think we must’ve missed the path coming back because in the end it took about an hour and a half!
Nevermind, it was all great fun!
Thank you for reading — as usual, comments and questions are always welcome.
Hello! I was born in London but moved to Cordova (inland Andalusia) thirty-two years ago. Although I qualified as a geologist, I had to retrain, and I now teach English and work as a freelance translator, writer and artist (sort of!).
I have written and published two books: Edward’s Secret and the Enchanted Throne for young teens, available from Amazon, and also 'An English Lady in Cordova - the Alternative Guide' which tells of my experiences (both humorous and harrowing) of living in Cordoba and later on, in the countryside location of Posadas. I describe the culture, history, geography and emblematic sites of Cordova, Posadas, the neighbouring villages and local Sierra — (hence the ‘alternative guide’ bit!)
My blogs talk about my experiences here, my day-to-day life, and also include poetry, quotes, literature, art, photos, nature, and thoughts and reflections. (In other words, it’s a bit of a pot pourri, but unfortunately, I still haven’t learnt how to house these categories into the different pages that appear in the menu!)
I do hope you enjoy reading my blogs, and I welcome your comments and questions, as I love to interact with people.
Thank you for visiting — bye for now!
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5 comentarios sobre “My walk along the Ruta del Cambuco (The Route of the Ravine) between Posadas and Hornachuelos (Cordova)”
An English Lady in Cordova 
I loved reading this ❤️I love the scenery.
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Thank you! It is lovely especially in this mild weather when the flowers are coming out and loads of birds singing!
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Wonderful!
Me gustaLe gusta a 2 personas
Beautiful place.
Me gustaLe gusta a 2 personas
Thank you so much — yes, it’s very refreshing!
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