Discover Huesa: Nature, History and Festivals

Northeast of the town center, a path leading directly from Huesa runs on foot to the Cueva del Agua in the surrounding area, a natural site with a waterfall. Also northeast of the town center is La Cerradilla, where a natural spring is associated with the remains of an Arab castle; this site can also be reached on foot. South of the town on the Guadiana Menor, the Picos del Guadiana are located nearby, a limestone ridge visible from the town.

Nature

In the vicinity of Huesa, the Picos del Guadiana form a geomorphologically distinctive limestone ridge, where vertically standing limestone layers rise from soft clays. The landscape north and northeast of Huesa is mountainous; at lower elevations, pine forests and olive groves alternate. The gentler terrain sloping down toward the Guadiana Menor includes pastures, scrubland, thyme stands and esparto grasslands.

The area around Huesa has a rugged relief with deeply incised gorges. At 1,464 meters, Pico del Caballo is the highest point in the Huesa area. The vegetation includes pine forests, native conifers, scrubland, pastures and riverside forests. Wildlife includes, among others, peregrine falcons, black kites, foxes, wild boar and trout.

Hiking

The Calle de los Moros SL-A257 hiking trail is an easy, 3.6-kilometer linear out-and-back route to the remains of a Nasrid cistern and the Nasrid castle of Huesa. The La Mesa hiking trail is a moderately difficult, 10-kilometer circular route with an out-and-back section; it begins at the exit from Huesa toward Quesada on the A-315 and follows the municipal LM3 trail markers.

The Área recreativa El Merendero Boca del Caballo hiking trail begins in El Rincón and leads to a picnic area offering opportunities for landscape and nature observation in the Boca del Caballo area. This trail is an easy, 4-kilometer linear out-and-back route. The different lengths, difficulty levels and route types provide you with a clear basis for comparing the trails described.

History and Crafts

Cerro Negro is a settlement from the Late Bronze Age with four terraced levels on which low stone-built remains can be seen. The remains of the Huesa fortress in the area of Calle de los Moros include a double defensive wall dating from the 11th century.

The parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza preserves the architectural character of 18th-century religious architecture. Its square tower has four openings covered by semicircular arches and a hipped roof. In Huesa, esparto objects such as mats, baskets, pack baskets, animal panniers and bottle covers are traditionally made; esparto continues to be processed and collected there.

The Molino Harinero el Gato is an electric grain mill dating from between 1950 and 1959, with elevators, storage containers and separate rooms for milling and machinery. It is located in the Paraje de Hutar, also known as the Nacimiento de Hutar, in Huesa. In its surroundings, the former water channel with bricked-up arches and millstones have been preserved.

Festivals and Food

The San Silvestre celebrations in Huesa begin with the burning of the so-called Castillos del Santo in the church square; they include singing, dancing and jumping over flames and embers. At the San Silvestre festival, the roles of Capitán, Abanderado and Guinche are assigned by drawing lots. This is followed by a procession accompanied by drumbeats and a demonstration of flag-handling.

The San Silvestre festival includes offering the large Huesa roscos de baño blanco, which are auctioned the following day, January 1. At the San Marcos festival on April 25, tortas del Santo are distributed to worshippers after Mass. During the Corpus Christi festival, the streets along the processional route are decorated with residents’ adorned balconies and altars.

The patron saint’s festival of Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza in Huesa takes place on April 26 and includes a pilgrimage to the Marian chapel, religious celebrations and a communal meal in the surrounding area. Huesa’s gachas picantes are prepared with flour, dried red peppers, roasted peppers and spicy ingredients. Andrajos with meat from small-game hunting are locally known in Huesa as talarines.

Transport Connections

Huesa can be reached via the A-315, which connects the town with Quesada to the north and Hinojares to the south. Estación de Huesa railway station is located at kilometer 82.7 on the Iberian-gauge Linares-Baeza–Almería railway line between Larva and Cabra del Santo Cristo-Alicún stations.

More destinations: Arbuniel, La Guardia de Jaén, Linares, Puente De Génave, Las Escuelas, Peal De Becerro, Ribera Alta, Chilluévar

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