Cerro Espuña

Walk Summary

Can not help feeling disappointed after today's effort even though I knew from the outset I would not be able to reach the summit and trig pillar within the military compound on top of Cerro Espuña.
Getting to within 70m on the day only seemed to increase the disappointment.

Cerro Espuña from Collado Bermejo

Plan was to park at Collado Bermejo if the access road from the MU-503 near Casas de ls Alquerías was suitable. Turns out it is the Camino a Morianoa,an asphalt road servicing a number of car parks giving start points to an extensive trail network around the Parque Regional Sierra Espuña. 
This would leave a 7 km hike up the military compound access road and hopefully the chance to get as close to the high point without being arrested or 'shot'. Even better the good fortune continued past an open barrier giving closer access towards the summit as far as a public car park at Collado Mangueta which is as far as you can legitimately go in the car.

Car park and route start point at Collado Mangueta.

Access beyond this point is still possible, however a sign in only Spanish states "Restricted Access, only authorised personnel". People hiking up the road and cyclists passing persuaded me it was OK to walk and only applied to vehicular access and on the way up I met a couple coming down who confirmed you could get to the military compound boundary fence but not the summit. About 750m from the car park, there is a 2^nd sign in Spanish, German and English "Do not go beyond this point". In a vehicle? Followed by a 3^rd sign "Military Zone. No Trespassing". 

It was this sign that finally deterred me going any further.

Finally on rounding a bend to the right there is what looks like  sentry box, but is in fact Un Estación Meteorológica, near a closed gated barrier across the road at 37.86418°N, 1.57033°W. This time  a sign in four languages with French now being added, stated "Warning. You are in a Military Zone. Wait to be identified". I waited about five minutes to be identified with one last hope I might be able to explain my purpose, but no one turned up, so with a heavy heart I decided discretion was the sensible option I turned round with my head down full of disappointment resigned to claiming a log as an "Attempt".
However on the way down I remember another track shown on the map starting at 37.86664°N, 1.57549°W and since this was before the "No Trespassng" sign decided to investigate this route.

Easy scramble 700m to north of Cerro Espuña summit

There is no track on the ground other than a faint path that takes you to the bottom of a small cliff that is easily scrambled bringing you to within about 700m of the summit trig pillar. You can get as far as about 70m from the trig pillar at the North fence corner of the military compound, deciding not to go further along the boundary due to the strongly implied intention of restricted access by a collapsed rusty fence bisecting the fence corner. 
So finally relented on the basis it is military property in a foreign land and even though the fence was collapsed and rusty the intent was still clear.
In any event would still have been at least 20m from summit on the wrong side of the fence
So a qualified claim.

Walk Statistics

Walk Date - 10 February 2019
Walkers - Steve Smith

Accommodation - Camping Totana, Totana 

Start Point - Car park at Collado Mangueta (37.86972°N, 1.56794°W)

Start Time - 11:33

Finish Point - Car park at Collado Mangueta (37.86972°N, 1.56794°W)

Finish Time- 12:36

Total Duration - 1hrs 03mins 
Overall Average pace - 2.23mph
Total Distance Walked - 2.34 miles
Total Height Ascended -194.00metres

Peaks visited
Spain/Portugal 600m Prominence Peaks (168S - 185S&P - 2165E)

Cerro Espuña (48S - 49S&P - 78E)

Spain/Portugal 300m - 599m Prominence Peaks (1000+)

NONE

Spain/Portugal 150m - 299m Prominence Peaks (3000+)

NONE

Spain Autonomous Community High Points (19)

NONE

Spain Province High Points (52)

NONE

S: Spain
P: Portugal
E:Europe

Final walk from previous trip

2018

October

14^th Pico Javalambre

Other walks on this trip

2019

January

14^th The Seven NW French Department High Points of the Brest Peninsular

17^th Ernio

18^th Erlo

19^th Udalaitz
21^st Anboto

23^rd Tossal de la Baltasana
24^th Sierra de Montsià

27^th La Creu de Santos

28^th Montserrat-Sant Jeroni
29^th Turó de l'Home

30^th Mattagalls
31^th Serrat Negra

February

01^st Tossa d'Alp

03^rd Cap de Gallina Pelada

05^th Penyal d'Ifach
06^th Sierra d'Olta
09^th Cerro de la Selva & Morrón del Rivazuelo

10^th Cerro Espuña
11^th Carrascoy
12^th Colativí

12^th Cerrode Mesquita

16^th Morrón de Mariné

17^th Sierra de Lujar

18^th Cerro de Santa Lucía

20^th Maroma

25^th Pico de Mijas

First walk from next trip

2019

May

15^th Peñarroya

Route

More Photographs

Closest I could get at northerly corner of military compound 70m from summit trig pillar.
Click on photograph to view slide-show