Villuercas

Walk Summary

A late 10pm arrival at Camping Monfrague, following last minute decision to leave Portugals Serras Estrela and Guardunha due to rain forecast for next 2-3 day and head for Spain, I was tempted to spend the Tuesday here having been made to feel very comfortable and welcome by reception staff despite the late hour, but need to get some walks in after yesterdays drive ups and 5 weeks sitting on beach or round villa pools.

Managed an early, by my recent standards, 09:45am start with the 1½ hour drive to the CC-97 just south of the mountain village of Navexuelas.

The plan was to park on the CC-97 and walk the 6km or 7km up the service road to radio station and what I later discover abandoned military base on the summit. But despite there being some semblance of suitable parking the concrete track with nation road signs warning of bends and a 20km speed limit was just too tempting to not use.

I felt sure there would be a car park at the end of what I expected to be a short drive, but as the track switched back and forth gaining altitude, i was starting to feel guilty about another drive up and missing out on a desperately needed introductory walk to start putting some miles back in my legs.

The concrete track did finally give way to a potholed track on a T junction at Collado de Ballesteros. Road works signs, the sound of heavy machinery and actually wanting to walk up a hill convinced me to park up and walk the final 2½ km following the right track from junction to the summit.

Setting off with just water in my backpack I soon passed the road works which turned out to be a single machine crushing stone just off the last switchback,from where I could see to the left radio masts, military base and trig pillar perched upon a lofty crag.

The track continued around the back of the crag, stopping short a good 40m below the summit. Straight ahead was a large crag behind a communications building with just one weakness overgrown with spiky bushes. Looking round the left side did not reveal an easier option, in fact without rope it looked impossible. Returning to the comms building I realised the main summit ahead on a more accessible crag surmounted by more more masts and buildings obviating the need to go up this crag.
Navigating through boulder strewn undergrowth and gentle uneven ascent brought me to the base of the crag and a choice of strata at about 40° incline to ascend before the final scramble up to a lookout post and summit plateau with trig pillar the other side of a helipad presumably used to bring up materials and men to build the military base and later the communications facilities.
The trig pillar is on the 1595m spot height and further to the NNE the map shows a second trig pillar (Villuercas 2) beyond the military station. Well whilst I am up here might as well go look at it.
Descending the other side of the helipad brings you to the military boundary fence, much in need of repair. Turns out the base is ab abandoned so can proceed without fear of arrest, or worse. A little more scrambling brings you to another shelter from where you can see the next corner along the fence atop of a gentle scree and another scramble beyond. At least from here I could see the corner of the base around which would be the trig pillar. But before that there was a vertical climb down to a steep loose scree slope with another difficult scramble beyond. At this point I wrongly expected to have sight of the pillar and decided it was not worth the trouble for what would at best have been a bolt similar to that found on Mortillano last year. Seems use of trig symbol on Spanish maps does not necessarily indicate a physical pillar. At the end of the day I am a hill bagger not a trig bagger  and I had already claimed the summit. Or so I thought.
Returning to the helipad I saw a large boulder on the NE cornerthat looked higher than the trig. Closer inspection suggests to me it is higher, but difficult to say without any survey kit. Visiting it and photographing trig pillar from atop of the boulder ensures I will still be able to claim the summit.
After this it was time to return to van via ascent route - reverse scramble back to service track then back to van by 2pm and maybe time to go on to second P600 of day, Riscos Altos just 50km away.
Turns out although it is reasonably close is a 2 hour drive along narrow winding mountain roads so after filling up with diesal near Cañamero I decided to stop at Camping Villuercas 18km away near Guadalupe. 
Just grass pitches with electricity with a choice of total sun or total shade, I chose sun. Only €10 per night with clean toilets and lots of hot water, representing excellent value. Not to mention the typical Spanish restaurant attached serving a 'Menu del Dia' for €8 including wine. I had green beans in tomatoe to start, Spicy lamb for main and flan for desert. Delicious.
Besides the excellent value, given problems experienced next day on Riscos Altos it was definitely the right decision to stop the night at Camping Villuercas.
I was even tempted to stay another day to sample other Menu del Dia options, but I am here for peak bagging, not sitting around all day in the sun.
Given the nearby town of Guadalupe with the Santuàrio de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe and well labelled low level Caminho Villuercas nearby may well be worth a return if ever passing this way again with Gina

Walk Statistics

Walk Date - 18 June 2019
Walkers - Steve Smith

Accommodation - Camping Monfrague 

Start Point - Edge of service road to radio station at end of concrete track off CC-97 (39.47452°N, 5.40500°W)

Start Time - 11:51

Finish Point - Edge of service road to radio station at end of concrete track off CC-97 (39.47452°N, 5.40500°W)

Finish Time- 13:32

Total Duration - 1hrs 41mins 
Overall Average pace - 1.909mph
Total Distance Walked - 3.19 miles
Total Height Ascended - 186.00metres

Peaks visited

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

Villuerca (58S - 60S&P - 89E)

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

2019

February

25^th Pico de Mijas

Other walks on this trip

2019

May

15^th Peñarroya

June

17^th Serra de São Mamede
18^th Villuercas
19^th Riscos Altos
24^th Corocho de Rocigalgo
27^th Riscos del Amor

July

05^th Umbrìa y Castellòn

11^th Morades - Sierra De La Hiruela High Point

13^th Pico de Almanzor

15^th Pico Jálama

16^th Canchal de la Ceja & Torreón del Calvitero
18^th La Hastiala

23^rd Pico de Aneto
26^th Posets (attempt)

Route

Map of route to follow

More Photographs

Full set of captioned photos providing journal and description of key parts of ascent, descent and summit photographs.
Route map, Statistics and other route info to follow. 

Perspective might be out but panorama shot showing rock on left is Villuercas highest point