Walking in La Serena: SL-BA 70 Senda de las Pozatas, in Castuera

SL-BA 70 Senda de las Pozatas is a linear walk outside the town of Castuera, in La Serena area, which includes climbing up to viewpoints offering some great views of the town and the surrounding sierras and plains.

This article includes a general overview of the route (the official route and some alternatives), practical details, my own thoughts and some tips to help you plan your walk.

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Table of contents

1 Overview
2 Senda de las Pozatas on a map
3 My thoughts on this route
4 Tips and practical info

Overview

SL-BA 70 Senda de las Pozatas is a local (SL) FEXME-approved route starting at the southern end of Castuera, just off the BA-051 road heading to Monterrubio de La Serena. It’s a linear route and the information available regarding length and duration varies depending on the source you check:

According to FEXME: it’s 8.2km long and it takes 2h 25min in total to complete (return).

According to the signpost at the start point: it’s 4km one way and it takes 1h to complete.

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What I did: this circular route, which was 6.4km long, took approximately 2h to complete, and included the official FEXME-approved route above (one way).

The main highlights of this route are the view of and the climb to the Sierra de Castuera, the splendid views from several points at the top and the final viewpoint – a former machine-gun nest from the Spanish Civil War.

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Start: at the bottom of Calle Arrabal, where I parked the car. Coordinates for the start of the official route: lat. 38.71382, long. -5.54511
Finish: at the bottom of Calle Arrabal, where I parked the car. Coordinates for the finish of the official route: lat. 38.721694, long. -5.537216
Length: 6.4km
Time: 2h
Difficulty: low (2/5)
Cumulative elevation gain: 384m

Senda de las Pozatas on a map

(Please note that I manually drew the route and it’s meant for rough reference only.)

My thoughts on this route

As I mentioned above, I completed a circular route, which included the FEXME-approved SL-BA 70 route (one way).

I walked the Senda de las Pozatas in late November. It was a bright day in Castuera of clear blue skies, but there was thick fog in the surrounding area (visible during the ascent). We drove from Don Benito through thick, dense fog until past Quintana de la Serena.

The temperature was fairly mild. I started the route at about 10:30am and by the time I reached the viewpoints at the top some 90 minutes later, it was 14 degrees Celsius.

The official linear route starts at the southern end of Castuera, just off the BA-051 road heading to Monterrubio de La Serena. It’s not possible to park anywhere near the start point, which means you need to leave the car somewhere in town and walk (along the main road) to the start point. The circular route that I followed started in the centre of Castuera, so I parked in Calle Arrabal, some 6-7 minutes away on foot from the start point.

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_start point

The first part of the route involves walking amongst olive groves on an easy, wide, unpaved road. Look out for the white and dark green signs painted, sometimes on wooden posts, sometimes on other random surfaces such as walls and rocks. I found the (constant) ascent so gentle that I sometimes forgot I was actually climbing. I stopped often to look back and appreciate the progress made and the already amazing view.

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_first part_sign

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_first part_view

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_olive groves and views

Then the ascent becomes a bit steeper. The path takes you up and across a main road (EX-104) before the most serious, steep climbing bit of the route up to the top of the sierra.

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_second part_1

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_second part_2

The stretch from the EX-104 road to the first viewpoint at the top is paved. Olive groves slowly give way to some almond trees, shrubs and grasses. There’s a rather long straight, before a big turn to the right leading up to the first viewpoint, which offers fantastic views to the north and east.

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_straight stretch

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_viewpoint 1_1

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_viewpoint 1_2

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_viewpoint 1_3

The viewpoints are connected via a little stone paved path that goes past a (not particularly well-kept) picnic area. There is a round stone bench/viewpoint to the left of the path, and a final viewpoint, which is a former machine-gun nest dating from the Spanish Civil War.

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_second viewpoint

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_final viewpoint_1

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_second viewpoint_path

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_final viewpoint_2

After enjoying the panoramic views afforded by the final viewpoint, you need to choose how best to walk down to the end point:

Option 1: retrace your steps back down to the start/end point, according to the linear FEXME-approved SL-BA 70 Senda de las Pozatas.

Option 2: make your way down to Castuera via a non-official path down the hill to complete the non-official bit of the circular route. This is the option I chose.

If you choose option 2, please note that the path down the hill is not signposted and not immediately obvious. I started making my way down the paved road, only to realise a bit further down, that I had missed the path somewhere. The path starts on the bend, directly facing the town, and leads to an unpaved road (past an olive grove). You need to follow the path and cross the EX-104 road to reach the centre of Castuera. If you leave the car in Calle Arrabal, you just need to follow Calle Resolana, and turn left onto Calle Cruces, which becomes Calle Arrabal a bit further down.

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_walk down_1

Senda de las Pozatas, Castuera_walk down_2

Tips and practical info

When to do this route: bear in mind that you’ll be constantly exposed to the sun when completing this route. There are no shaded bits at all along the way. I only managed to find a shaded place at the first viewpoint where I could sit on a rock and have a short rest. This route is not suited for the summer months (mid-June to mid-September). I’d recommend this route for a fine late-autumn or winter day, or a very mild early spring day.

The route: in this article I’ve shared by experience completing a circular route. Considering that the path down the hill from the viewpoint goes past an olive grove, I’d recommend sticking perhaps to the official linear route to avoid unknowingly stepping into someone’s property (I didn’t cross any fenced areas, but I wasn’t 100 % sure that the final olive grove wasn’t someone’s property).

After the walk: if you need ideas of things to do near Castuera after completing this route, you can visit the castle in Benquerencia de la Serena (5min away by car), or the Tartessos ruins at Cancho Roano (17min away by car).

Where to park: the bottom of Calle Arrabal is, perhaps, the closest place to park (6-7min on foot) from the start point.

Where to stay: if you need a place to stay after completing this route, look for accommodation in Extremadura.

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For more walking inspiration, read my thoughts on completing other walking routes in Extremadura.

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Irene Corchado Resmella

Hi! I’m Irene (/ee-REH-neh/). Long since settled in the UK, I explore my Spanish home region of Extremadura with an inquisitive mind, a sharp eye, and the duality that comes with being both a local and a visitor. Then I write about it here to help you discover this beautiful yet overlooked part of Spain. If you have any questions after reading this article, submit a comment below! Read more about me.

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