Cuevas de Ambrosio among rock overhangs and olive groves

Cuevas de Ambrosio is situated on a hill made of calcareous tufa. At the foot of the village, the Beas and Bastagoya streams converge, while the mountains around Cuevas de Ambrosio are covered with olive groves.

Landscape

Opposite Cuevas de Ambrosio lies Cerro Burdés, whose summit is crowned by a rocky ridge. Cuevas de Ambrosio is also located in one of the most extensive floodplain landscapes in the surrounding area. This also includes Cañada Catena and extends at its western end as far as the town centre of Beas de Segura.

History

The oldest houses in Cuevas de Ambrosio were built under the protection of a rock overhang or a cave. In the past, the cave- or rock-covered houses served as livestock shelters; they were also temporary shelters for herds of livestock travelling from Beas towards the Sierra.

Festivals and tradition

Around 15 August, Cuevas de Ambrosio holds patron-saint festivities in honour of the Virgen del Rosario, including a public dance and various leisure activities at the weekend. During the celebrations, the image of the Virgen del Rosario is carried in a procession to the hamlet of Cortijos Las Piedras and returns to its church in Cuevas de Ambrosio on Sunday morning.

According to local legend, Cerro Burdés contains a deep cave with numerous branches and seemingly endless shafts. Local veneration of the Virgen del Rosario has been documented in Beas since at least 1753; at that time, the town also had its own brotherhood.

Hiking trails

Both the PR-BS-24 circular hiking route and the PR-BS-25 El Ciruelo hiking trail begin at Plaza de la Constitución by the church in Cuevas de Ambrosio. PR-BS-24 passes through Cazona and El Toconal and follows the Arroyo Bastagoya. The PR-BS-25 El Ciruelo circular route is 12.65 kilometres long and classified as moderately difficult. It climbs into the mountainous area known as El Ciruelo, also referred to as Cerro de Hornos. On the descent, PR-BS-25 leads to the Arroyo Ciruelo, where it meets the route to Cazona again.

The information on the two routes places different emphasis on their characteristics: PR-BS-24 is geographically structured around Cazona, El Toconal and the Arroyo Bastagoya, while PR-BS-25 is described in greater detail in terms of its length, moderate difficulty, ascent and descent. This allows the circular nature of the route and its route profile to be considered separately.

Oil and trails

On its section between Beas and Cortijos Nuevos, the Ruta Cultural del Aceite passes through Cuevas de Ambrosio. Along this section, visitors can visit or learn about the local olive mill. In Cuevas de Ambrosio, a guided tour of an olive mill is offered, explaining the production of extra virgin olive oil from the delivery of the olives through to bottling.

Other places

Other destinations to discover include Pozo Alcón, Friar, Castillo de Locubín, Villacarrillo, Ribera Alta, Huesa, Jimena and Puente de Génave.

For the broader travel overview: Jaen.