A Walk on the Wild Side

Santa Maria de Trassierra is one of the most common starting points for walks in the Sierra next to Cordoba. With lockdown restrictions limiting what people can do, there has been an increase in people escaping to the mountains for a day out. Most head to popular spots to the north-east of the village like Baños de Pompeya or Fuente de Elefante causing human traffic jams along the routes. So at the start of April I decided to take a walk through the less well-known part of the Sierra that lies to the south-west of the village.

I started from the Los Almendros restaurant, following signs for Rosal de las Escuelas. For the first couple of hundred metres the path is flanked by pricky pear cactus. Some of the pads were covered in a white cotton-like substance. When you pick it up and squeeze it, it turns red. This is actually a waxy fiber used by sucking insects called cochineal to protect them while they fed on the plant. Cochineal used to be one of the main sources of red dye until synthetic dyes were produced. However, these insects are still used today to give red colour to things such as cosmetics and foodstuffs.

After this first section there is a large field on the right. This is a good spot to stop and check out the birdlife. In winter Mistle Thurshes and Song Thrushes feed in the field and it is also a favourite haunt for groups of Hawfinches. Blackcaps and Sardinian Warblers can also be seen feeding in the shrubs.

Hawfinch

Here I came across some very strange looking flowers called the Andalusian Dutchman's Pipe. They are a type of vine and were growing in the shade of the cork oak trees.

Andalusian Dutchman's Pipe

As I continued Chaffinches flitted from tree to tree and Great Tits gave their distinctive 'teacher, teacher, teacher' call.   

Great Tit

The path descended slightly into a a shaded area with huge ancient oaks covered in moss. There is a gate here and to the right of it is the Fuente de la Marquesa, which once fed the Roman aqueduct Valdepuentes, bringing water to Medina Azahara. 

A Great Spotted Woodpecker called from a distance before coming into view and landing on a tree trunk. It climbed its way up using its claws to grip the tree and its stiff tail feathers for extra support.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

For the next 1200 metres I passed through a shaded area with Strawberry Trees and Lentisk (Pistacia lentiscus) until I reached the Guarroman Stream. Stopping for a drink I saw Short-toed Treecreepers, Sardinian Warblers and Robins.

Robin

Next I had to negotiate my way through a herd of cows before the path opened up again into dehesa with Holm Oaks. There is a small body of water on the left which is signposted as a fish farm. I heard Cuckoos calling and saw flashes of blue as Azure-winged Magpies took off as I approached. Passing a farm on the left I entered one of the most beautiful parts of the walk with meadows filled with spring flowers.

Spring time in the dehesa

Curious cows

Continuing on for another couple of kilometres I came to a crossroad. The path to the left takes you to the Pozo de las Cruces, whereas the track to the right brings you to the village of Santa Maria de Trassierra. However, I stayed on the CP-159 path for another 5 kilometres. The day was starting to heat up and the smell from the Gum Rockrose leaves filled the air. These sticky leaves are used to make essential oils and are used as a fixative in the production of perfumes.

Flower of the Gum Rockrose

11 kilometres from the start I came across a large Hacienda on my right and decided to stop for lunch in the shade of some trees. If I had carried on I would have eventually come out at Almodovar del Rio, but I decided to turn round and retrace my steps. This is a easy walk mostly on the flat and there are options of turning it into a circular walk. However, that would have meant walking along the road for a while from the village back to the restaurant. I managed to avoid the crowds of people, only seeing two other walkers and a few cyclists all day.